Soyuz TMA-18 (Soyuz Programme) Color Changing Mug 11oz

Soyuz TMA-18 (Soyuz Programme) The Soyuz TMA-18 was a manned spacecraft mission that was part of the Russian Soyuz program. This specific flight, launched in 2011, transported three astronauts—two Russians and one American—to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission marked the start of Expedition 28 and served as a crew rotation flight for the ISS. The Soyuz spacecraft is a human-rated spacecraft used by Roscosmos, Russia's federal space agency, to carry crews and cargo to and from the ISS. It is one of only three active spacecraft currently capable of transporting humans to the station (the others being SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's Starliner). The Soyuz program has a long history dating back to 1967, making it one of the longest continuously operated human spaceflight programs in the world. The mission's crew spent approximately five months on the ISS before returning to Earth safely on June 16, 2011. The Soyuz TMA-18 marked another successful voyage for this venerable spacecraft program and underlined its importance in ensuring continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station.