Soyuz MS-01 (Soyuz Programme) Black Coffee Mug

Soyuz MS-01 (Soyuz Programme) The Soyuz MS-01 was a manned spacecraft flight that was part of the Soyuz program, a human spaceflight initiative managed by Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency. This specific mission was the first flight of the upgraded Soyuz Multi-purpose Crewed Spacecraft (Soyuz MS). Launched on March 18, 2016 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Soyuz MS-01 carried three crew members: Yuri Malenchenko of Roscosmos, Tim Kopra of NASA, and Tim Peake of ESA (European Space Agency). They docked with the International Space Station (ISS) two days later on March 20, 2016. The Soyuz MS spacecraft, a further development from the Soyuz TMA series, included several upgrades aimed at improving safety and comfort for its crew members. These enhancements included additional thrusters for more precise orbital maneuvers, an improved avionics system, and new display systems in the crew cabin. The mission marked a successful transition from the Soyuz TMA series to the newer Soyuz MS spacecraft, ensuring the continued operation of the Soyuz program and maintaining manned access to the ISS for astronauts from multiple nations. The crew returned safely to Earth on June 18, 2016, after 186 days aboard the ISS.