# sm010a Soyuz TMA model on board of ISS

The Green-White-Blue miniature model of the new Russian Soyuz TMA space ship was sent on board the Soyuz TMA-2 and now delivered by Russian-American crew on board of International Space Station. The Soyuz TMA model will be a gift to cosmonauts and astronauts who work on International Space Station now and in future. The joint Russia-US flight on Soyuz TMA to ISS is a good example of the friendship and partnership in space exploration. Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko and American astronaut Edward Lu (Expedition-7) flown Soyuz TMA-2 to the ISS and US-Russia Expedition-6 team returned from orbit on board of Soyuz TMA-1(first return of American astronauts on Russian vehicle). My idea to present this model to the ISS crew and have the model always on board the ISS as a symbol of friendship and cooperation of two Great Cosmos Countries. First Soyuz TMA space ship delivered to the ISS by Sergei Zaletin in November 2002 and the TMA-1 became the only possible transportation for ISS crew return to Earth. The Soyuz TMA-2 was flown by new Russia-US team to the ISS in April, 2003 and allowed ISS flights to continue in difficult times while the US Space Shuttle investigation continues. The Pictures depict American astronaut-engineer Edward Lu and Russian veteran-cosmonaut Nikolai Budarin on board ISS when the ISS-6 and ISS-7 expeditions met on orbit. The photos were taken on 29 April, 2003-Nikolai Budarin`s 50th Birrthday.Few days after he flew the Soyuz TMA-1 with American astronauts back to Earth. In these pictures you will see model on board and many other interesting subjects (photographs of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in Cosmos and Konstantin Tsiolkovskiy, Father of Space Exploration). The Soyuz TMA models will be also given to the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow, Energia Space Corporation and Cosmonaut Training Center museums for display to public and Space enthusiasts. 20 of such exclusives wil be available for other Space Museums and private collectors.Stand of each model is autographed by first Soyuz TMA commander Sergei Zaletin and second Soyuz TMA commander Yuri Malenchenko.One of these exclusives listed next with detailed pictures of these cosmonauts with Soyuz TMA model. Note:These pictures are from private/personal correspondance with ISS crew and private meetings with cosmonauts.