Crew and Mission

From left to right; Mark Shuttleworth from South Africa, Yuri Gidzenko of Russia and Roberto Vittori of Italy. Mark and Roberto first flew in space on this mission.

The Soyuz TM-34, Russian manned transport spacecraft, was launched on April 25, 2002 at 10:26:35.117 Moscow Summer Time (06:26:35.117 UTC). From the cosmodrome Baikonur in the Republic of Kazachstan. The spacecraft was docked in an automated mode to the nadir docking port of the Zarya Functional Cargo Block of the ISS on April 27, 2002 at 11:55:51 Moscow Summer Time (07:55:51 UTC). The Soyuz TM-33 spacecraft undocked from Russian docking compartment Pier on May 5, 2002 at 4:31:08 Moscow Summer Time (00:31:08 UTC). Landing took place on May 5, 2002 at 7:51:53 Moscow Summer Time (03:51:53 UTC) 26 km south-east of Arkalyk (Republic of Kazachstan). Total flight duration was 9 days 21 hours 25 mins 18 secs.

The Artwork

Spot the Patch !!!

(from left to right in the picture) the FAIS logo, Soyuz TM-34 crew patch, the logo of Zvezda the company that makes the suits, the HIV/AIDS awareness ribbon, and the South African flag.

Mark Shuttleworth

above left: South African cosmonaut Mark Shuttleworth.
above middle: The "First African in Space" Patch. (thanks to D. Fowler)
above right: The "First African in Space" artwork, designed by artist Roy George.