Launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome; landing
72 km northeast of Arkalyk.
Following a two day solo flight the Soyuz
docked with the
Soyuz
TM-8-MIR-Kvant-Kvant2 complex on February 13, 1990. The
sixth resident crew
take turning the
fifth
resident crew.
Supplies were brought to the station with several
cargo spaceships of type Progress. Module Kristall (with food containers and
the industrial processing units Krater 3, Optizon 1, Zona 02, and Zona 03.)
docked with the station on June 10, 1990.
The crew conducted an
extensive programme of geophysical and astrophysical research, experiments on
biology and biotechnology and work on space materials science. They started the
commercial production of crystal in highest quality for an US electronic
company. A protein grow experiment was also profitable (25 Million
Rubel).
The cosmonauts performed an
EVA on July 17,
1990 (7h 16m) in which spacecraft Soyuz TM-9 was repaired (three of the eight
thermal blankets (layers of foil vacuum shield insulation) on the descent
module of the approaching Soyuz-TM 9 spacecraft had come loose from their
attachments near the heat shield, yet remained attached at their top ends). At
the end of this
EVA there have been
problems because of a damage of Kvant2 module hatch. The hatch couldn't be
closed, so the cosmonauts were forced to use the emergency airlock of the
central compartment of Kvant. Another
EVA was
conducted on July 26, 1990 (3h 31m) to repair the hatch failed.