Soyuz TM-29

Soyuz TM-29 was a Russian Soyuz spaceflight launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Soyuz 11A511U rocket. It docked with Mir on February 22, 1999 at 05:36 GMT with cosmonauts Viktor Afanasyev of Russia, Jean-Pierre Haigneré of France, and Ivan Bella of Slovakia aboard. Since two crew seats had been sold (to Slovakia and France), Afanasyev was the only Russian cosmonaut aboard. This meant that Russian engineer Avdeyev already aboard Mir would have to accept a double-length assignment. After the February 27 departure of EO-26 crew commander Padalka and cosmonaut Bella aboard Soyuz TM-28, the new EO-27 Mir crew consisted of Afanasyev as Commander, Avdeyev as Engineer and French cosmonaut Haigneré.

Soyuz TM-29

Operator	Rosaviakosmos
COSPAR ID	1999-007A
SATCAT no.	25632
Mission duration	188 days, 20 hours, 16 minutes, 19 seconds
Orbits completed	~3,070
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Soyuz-TM
Manufacturer	RKK Energia
Launch mass	7,150 kilograms (15,760 lb)
Crew
Crew size	3
Members	Viktor Afanasyev Jean-Pierre Haigneré
Launching	Ivan Bella
Landing	Sergei Avdeyev
Callsign	Дербе́нт (Derbent)
Start of mission
Launch date	February 20, 1999, 04:18:01 (1999-02-20UTC04:18:01Z) UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-U
End of mission
Landing date	August 28, 1999, 00:34:20 (1999-08-28UTC00:34:21Z) UTC
Landing site	70 kilometres (43 mi) NE of Arkalyk
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	188 kilometres (117 mi)
Apogee altitude	273 kilometres (170 mi)
Inclination	51.6 degrees
Period	88.6 minutes
Docking with Mir
Soyuz programme (Crewed missions)

Crew

Position	Launching crew	Landing crew
Commander	Viktor Afanasyev Third spaceflight
Flight Engineer	Jean-Pierre Haigneré Second and last spaceflight
Research Cosmonaut/Flight Engineer	Ivan Bella Only spaceflight	Sergei Avdeyev Third and last spaceflight

Mission highlights

38th expedition to Mir.