A Description of the Soyuz Spacecraft

With the retiring of the Space Shuttle fleet later this year, ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station will fall completely on the shoulders of the Russians.  With that in mind, it is comforting to know that the Russians will, as they have in the past, accomplish this goal by relying on their stalwart workhorse, the Soyuz spacecraft.

Soyuz TMA

Originally designed in 1963, the Soyuz has gone through several major transformations to reach the now state-of-the-art model, the Soyuz TMA-M.  With the ability to transport three astronauts or cosmonauts in one trip, the ISS has already relied on the Soyuz for years as both a crew transport, and, if necessary, an emergency escape boat.

The 24 foot long Soyuz craft is split into three sections.  In the rear of the craft is the service module, which houses various sensing instruments, and is where the main engines and large exterior solar panels are located.  The middle section is the re-entry capsule.  This is where the cosmonauts sit during launch and descent, and when controlling the craft.  It is also the only module that returns to Earth (via parachute) after the mission is complete.  The forward most section of the craft is the habitation section.  This is where crucial life support systems are housed.  This is also where the exterior docking hardware is located.  It is this section of the Soyuz that physically attaches to the ISS, allowing for transfer of people from the craft to the station.

Currently, every Soyuz is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in the central Asian country of Kazakhstan.  This has been the main launch site of all Russian (and previously Soviet) manned space missions.  A plan is in place, however, to launch several future Soyuz missions from the European Space Agency’s launch site in French Guiana.

While the Space Shuttles will certainly be missed for their massive cargo capabilities and utter awesomeness (it’s a freaking space shuttle), the Soyuz spacecraft will certainly continue to be a great asset in humanity’s continued efforts at a permanent presence in space.

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