MIR: Expedition 10
(EO-10)

Launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome; landing 85 km northeast of Arkalyk.

Following a two day solo flight Soyuz TM-13 docked with the Soyuz TM-12-Kvant1-MIR-Kvant2-Kristall space station on October 04, 1991. Franz Viehböck became the first Austrian in space. As part of the AUSTROMIR 91 program the crew performed scientific experiments with the ninth resident crew.

The considerable Austrian research program was completed. In order to do this, many pieces of equipment had been brought to MIR before. The research program comprised medical tests as the regulation of blood pressure und and blood circuit, circulation of bloodstreams in zero gravity (pulse transfer experiment). The researchers used a specially developed sensor jacket (noninvasive) to find out what the influence of zero gravity on micro-vibrations on the arm was. They also wanted to find out more about the muscles of arms and legs. This knowledge should increase the knowledge about the functions of the human body in general but were not focused on cosmic application. There were also the experiments Audimir - research on orientation by sounds - and research about the composition of blood and the function of the lungs. Much attention found also the physical experiment LOGION, with which the operability was studied by liquid metal ioneemitter on space conditions. Such ioneemitter is to prevent flashovers, which had led so far frequently to losses in the power supply of spacecraft. The ESA as well as the NASA are very interested in newly developed technical innovations (mass spectrometers, on-board computer, ion microscope). Further experiments within the range of the program Austomir concern the remote sensing with a special camera a multi-channel spectrometer (Reflective properties of different soil and vegetation surfaces), data collection, storage and transmission of a special communication unit (Datamir), as well as video conferencing, and amateur radio contact with schools in Austria and the Soviet Union. Some of the experiments were continued by the resident crew (Aleksandr Volkov, Sergei Krikalyov).

Main task of the flight was a partial exchange of the MIR resident crew. Aleksandr Volkov and Sergei Krikalyov became the tenth MIR resident crew.

The only EVA during this mission was undertaken on February 20, 1992 (4h 12m) by Aleksandr Volkov and Sergei Krikalyov. The heat exchanger on Aleksandr Volkovs Orlan-DMA spacesuit failed, forcing a hasty revision of the EVA plans. Aleksandr Volkov remained near the hatch, so could not operate the Strela boom to move Sergei Krikalyov to the prime work site on Kvant. Aleksandr Volkov assisted in installation of space exposure experiments near the hatch, then Sergei Krikalyov clambered down Kvant2 and over the hull to Kvant. He disassembled equipment used in building the Sofora girder in July 1991, then cleaned the cameras on Kvant. Finally, he collected samples of solar cells added to the third (top) array on the base block in 1988.

Later, the two long term cosmonauts dedicated materials science, biological and astronomical studies (studies of X-ray sources, such as Cygnus X-1 and SN Cassiopeia A). So, high-purity single crystals were produced with the smelting plant of SPLAV. Also, high-purity, biologically active substances were won with the help of the system of TAVRIYA which are to be used in the production of drugs, as well as in the food industry and genetic research. A semi-industrial plant for breeding new animal antibiotics (experiment ROBOT) has been successfully tested.

Supply of supply and research material received the tenth resident crew of the space station MIR on the transport ship Progress M-10 and M-11. Progress M-10 had a landing apparatus, with 350 kg of research materials were transported to Earth.