# sm010 Soyuz TMA model

Limited edition of only 25 custom made by Energia Space Corporation detailed model of new generation Soyuz TMA space ship.One of these models I`ve sent as a gift to ISS-6/ISS-7 Russian-American crew on board of International Space Station.Commander of Soyuz TMA-2 and ISS-7 expedition Yuri Malenchenko photographed this model on board with his partner astronaut Ed Lu and ISS-6 expedition engineer Nikolai Budarin (see these images listed next SM110a).Interesting fact is that few days later Nikalai Budarin has to fly Soyuz TMA back to Earth as the only space vehicle able to deliver him with American astronauts ISS-6 back to Earth. Four other models presented to commanders of Soyuz TMA-1/Soyuz TMA-2 Zaletin-Malenchenko and National Air and Space Museum in Washington and Cosmonautics Museum in Moscow. Twenty remained models will be provided to other Space museums and few will be available to private collectors.Please check availability prior ordering. Chrome-wood Stand autographed by commander of first Soyuz TMA-1 flight Sergei Zaletin (image 4 depicts a picture of Sergei I did in his Star City home) and Soyuz TMA-2/ISS-7 commander Yuri Malenchenko (image 5 depicts him with this model in my LA house). Model measures 13.5 inches span of solar batteries of ship and 10 cm lenght of fuselage.Total size including stand:14 x 13.5 x 11.5 cm. Metal made.Feautures clear plexiglass windows, hundreds of details on fuselage, batteries make it exact copy of Soyuz TMA. In October 2002 the latest Soyuz manned variant to support a human crew made its orbital bebut.It was a vehicle designed to provided expanded crew recovery options over the standart Soyuz TM-a lifeboat for the ISS.In its first mission Soyuz TMA-1 flown by last MIR expedition commander Sergei Zaletin, carrying on board Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov and Belgian cosmonaut Frank De Winne.Team returned from station on Soyuz TM-34 life boat ship and Soyuz TMA-1 was available for rescue landing of ISS-6 USA-Russia expedition crew. The occasion of the flight of the First Soyuz TMA spacecraft was also the first time a new Soyuz variant had been manned without first test-flying it unmanned. After American Shuttles stoped to fly to the ISS, Soyuz TMA remained the only vehicle capable to carry crew to the International Space Station. Yuri Malenchenko with Ed Lu (ISS-7) flown second Soyuz TMA to the ISS and Soyuz TMA-3 flown by cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri brought him and ISS-8 expedition commander Michael Foale to the station for next long duration mission.This ship also had on board ESA cosmonaut Pedro Duque, who returned a week later back to Earth on Soyuz TMA-2.