Soyuz TM-30 (Soyuz Programme) Black Coffee Mug

Soyuz TM-30 (Soyuz Program) The Soyuz TM-30 was a manned spacecraft flight mission under the Russian Soyuz program, which served as the primary means of crewed travel to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Launched on July 28, 1995, Soyuz TM-30 carried three astronauts: Valeri Korzun, Alexander Balandin, and Marcos Pontes. The mission marked several milestones. It was the first time a Brazilian, Pontes, traveled to space, making him his country's first astronaut. Additionally, it was the first time that Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth using Soyuz spacecraft after the retirement of the Buran reusable spacecraft in 1988. The spacecraft docked with the Mir space station on July 30, 1995, where the crew conducted various scientific experiments during their stay. They returned to Earth safely on October 26, 1995, landing in Kazakhstan. This mission, part of the long-standing Soyuz program, played a crucial role in maintaining continuous human presence aboard the Mir space station.