Launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome; landing 140 km east of Dzheskasgan.

Following a two day solo flight the Soyuz docked with the MIR space station on 26.01.1993. It was the first Soyuz without a probe and drogue docking system since 1976. It carried an APAS-89 androgynous docking unit different from the APAS-75 unit used for ASTP in 1975, yet similar in general principles. Soyuz TM-16 used it to dock with an androgynous docking port on the Kristall module. This was a test of the docking system in preparation for dockings by space shuttles with MIR.

Main goal of this mission was the crew exchange. Manakov and Poleshchuk became the 13th MIR resident crew. The cosmonauts worked on experiments in biology, astronomy, materials science and 140 experiments in earth science.

Both cosmonauts performed two EVAs on 19.04.1993 (5h 25m) and on 18.06.1993 (4h 33m). The main work was the installation of the Kvant 1 solar array drive unit with some technical problems. Also a communications antenna was repaired.

Finally the crew made Earth observation with special cameras. Supplies were brought with the cargo space ships Progress M-16 - M-18 to the MIR space station.