Soyuz TMA-21 begins Expedition 27 by carrying 3 astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian Commander, cosmonaut Aleksandr Samokutyayev alongside Flight Engineers, Andrei Borisenko (RSA) & Ronald J. Garan (NASA) will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station. It landed on September 16, 2011, 03:59:39 UTC
Low Earth OrbitIt is the first flight of the second Boeing X-37B, a United States Air Force Orbital Test Vehicle 2, which is an unmanned 5000 kg, 8.8 m-long reusable mini-spaceplane capable of autonomous re-entry and landing. The OTV-2 mission was designed to test new technologies, however the specific identity of the spaceship's payload was not revealed. The mission concluded after 468 days in orbit.
Low Earth OrbitGlonass-K are the third generation of satellite design for GLONASS satellite navigation system. GLONASS is a Russian space-based navigation system comparable to the similar GPS and Galileo systems. This generation improves on accuracy, power consumption and design life. Each satellite is unpressurized and weighs 935 kg, and has an operational lifetime of 10 years.
Medium Earth OrbitSTS-133 was an ISS assembly flight. Payload included the Permanent Multipurpose Module Leonardo, which was left permanently docked to one of the station's ports. The shuttle also carried the third of four ExPRESS Logistics Carriers to the ISS, as well as a humanoid robot called Robonaut.
Low Earth Orbit