Soyuz MS-02

Not to be confused with Soyuz T-2, Soyuz TM-2, Soyuz TMA-2, Soyuz TMA-02M, or Soyuz 2.

Soyuz MS-02 was a 2016 Soyuz spaceflight that was planned for a 23 September 2016 launch, but because of technical difficulties it launched on 19 October 2016.^[2][3] It transported three members of the Expedition 49 crew to orbit and docked with the International Space Station. Soyuz MS-02 was the 131st flight of a Soyuz spacecraft. The crew consisted of a Russian commander and flight engineer, as well as an American flight engineer.^[4][5] Soyuz MS-02 docked with Poisk (MRM-2) module on 21 October 2016.^[6]

Soyuz MS-02

Soyuz MS-02 during preflight checks
Mission type	ISS crew transport
Operator	Roscosmos
COSPAR ID	2016-063A
SATCAT no.	41820
Mission duration	173 days 3 hours 16 minutes 21 seconds [1]
Distance travelled	118 million kilometers
Orbits completed	2,768 [1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Soyuz MS
Spacecraft type	Soyuz MS 11F732A48
Manufacturer	Energia
Launch mass	7080 kg
Crew
Crew size	3
Members	Sergey Ryzhikov Andrei Borisenko Shane Kimbrough
Callsign	Favor
Start of mission
Launch date	19 October 2016, 08:05:00 UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-FG
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 31
Contractor	RKTs Progress
End of mission
Landing date	10 April 2017, 11:20 UTC
Landing site	Steppes of the Kazakhstan
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Inclination	51.66°
Docking with ISS
Docking port	Poisk zenith
Docking date	21 October 2016, 09:52 UTC
Undocking date	10 April 2017, 07:57 UTC
Time docked	171 days
(l-r) Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko Soyuz programme (crewed) ← Soyuz MS-01 Soyuz MS-03 →

Soyuz MS-02 returned to Earth on 10 April 2017.^[7] During its descent, the capsule was partially depressurized when the main parachute deployed. The landing occurred at 11:20 UTC. The total flight duration was 173 days.

Partial depressurization

During the final stage of its descent, Soyuz MS-02 suffered a partial depressurization^[8] about eight kilometers above the ground. When the main parachute was deployed, a buckle that was part of the deployment system struck a welding seam, partially depressurizing the capsule. The depressurization did not put the crew in danger as they were at a relatively safe height within the atmosphere when it occurred. Russian officials believe that the way the parachute was packed caused the buckle to strike the capsule.

Crew

Position[9]	Crew Member
Commander	Sergey Ryzhikov, Roscosmos Expedition 49 First spaceflight
Flight Engineer 1	Andrei Borisenko, Roscosmos Expedition 49 Second and last spaceflight
Flight Engineer 2	Shane Kimbrough, NASA Expedition 49 Second spaceflight

Backup crew

Position[10]	Crew Member
Commander	Alexander Misurkin, Roscosmos
Flight Engineer 1	Nikolai Tikhonov, Roscosmos
Flight Engineer 2	Mark T. Vande Hei, NASA