Soyuz TM-30 launched 2000

Soyuz TM-30 crew (L-R): Sergei Zalyotin, Aleksandr Kaleri

Mission patch

Soyuz TM-30, launched April 4, 2000, was the last mission to the Mir space station. Its crew consisted of Commander Sergei Zalyotin and Aleksandr Kaleri.  It was the first privately funded mission to a space station.  MirCorp sent the crew to reactivate, repair, and resupply the station.  They also boosted the station's orbit since it was nearing the end of its operational life.  Plans had been developed to restore the station with commercially-funded mission but they never materialized.

Zalyotin and Kaleri performed one EVA during the mission.  returned to Earth after almost 73 days on June 16.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Sergei Zalyotin!

Sergei Zalyotin, born April 21, 1962 in Russia, went into space twice.

His first mission was aboard Soyuz TM-30 as Commander to the space station Mir in April 2000.  He participated in expedition Mir EO-38.  It was the final human spaceflight to Mir. He returned to Earth in June 16 after about 72 days in space.

His second and final mission was aboard Soyuz TMA-1 as Commander to the International Space Station in October 30, 2002.  He remained on board almost two weeks and returned to Earth in November aboard Soyuz TM-34.

Soyuz TMA-1 launched 2002

Soyuz TMA-1 crew (L-R): Frank de Winne, Sergei Zalyotin and Yuri Lonchakov

Soyuz TMA-1 mission patch

Soyuz TMA-1 was launched October 30, 2002 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted  of Commander Sergei Zalyotin, Flight Engineer Frank De Winne (ESA) and Yury Lonchakov.  The crew returned on Soyuz TM-34, which landed November 10.

The landing crew consisted of Commander Nikolai Budarin, Kenneth Bowersox and Donald Pettit, who returned to Earth May 4, 2003.

Soyuz TMA-1 was in orbit when the Columbia disaster occurred, and that forced a change in how crews were changed out.  The Soyuz spacecraft became the sole method to exchange crews on the ISS until  the space shuttle program was reinstated in July 2005.