Galileo returned the first images of an asteroid.

Lockheed Advanced Development Company began a study to determine the feasibility of developing a prototype and operational system. The study objectives were to assess technical attributes, to determine flight qualification requirements, and to develop cost and schedule estimates.

Manned three crew. Docked with Mir. Mir Expedition EO-10. Transported to the Mir manned orbital station an international crew comprising the cosmonauts A Volkov (USSR), T Aubakirov (USSR) and F. Viehbock (Austria), to conduct joint scientific and technical research with the cosmonauts A. Artsebarsky and S Krikalev. Austria paid $ 7 million for mission. Kazakh cosmonaut added at last minute. On March 25, Volkov, Krikalyov and Flade undocked from the front port in Soyuz TM-13 and landed in Kazakhstan at 08:51 GMT on March 25. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 51 .

Materials research; carried German, French experiments. Continuation of space materials research conducted jointly with Germany and France. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 69 .

Long duration film return military reconnaissance satellite. After returning multiple film capsules, the spacecraft was deorbited. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 102 , 106 .

Radar calibration mission. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

LEAP-1. Missile Tracking and Discrimination for SDIO.

Unmanned resupply vessel to Mir. First attempted to dock with Mir on 19 October 1991. The docking was automatically aborted at a distance of 150 m from the station. Successfully docked with the forward port of Mir on on 21 Oct 1991 03:40:50 GMT. Unloading began next day. Undocked on 20 Jan 1992 07:13:44 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 20 Jan 1992 12:03:30 GMT. Total free-flight time 4.35 days. Total docked time 91.15 days. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 275 .

Stationed at 80 deg E. Maintenance of telephone and telegraph radio communications and transmission of television broadcasts. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 111 , 274 .

International communications; 27.5 deg W. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Second launch by Titan 4 of new generation of NOSS naval reconnaissance satellites. However earlier NOSS weighed only 2,000 kg; Titan 4 booster has seven times this capacity. What else was launched? References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 172 .

Six satellites launched by a single carrier rocket. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 105 .

9 microgravity experiments

WSMC and ESMC redesignated 30th Space Wing and 45th Space Wing, respectively. Simultaneously, the word 'Test' was removed from the geographic designation, 'Western Test Range.' References: 88 .

High resolution photo reconnaissance; returned film in two small SpK capsules during the mission and with the main capsule at completion of the mission. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 179 .

Stationed at 13 deg W. Relaying of telegraph and telephone information. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 112 , 274 .

Manned six crew. Deployed Defense Support Program satellite. Payloads: Defense Support Program satellite/ Inertial Upper Stage, Interim Operational Contamination Monitor, Terra Scout, Military Man in Space, Shuttle Activation Monitor, Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor, Radiation Monitoring Equipment Ill, Air Force Maui Optical Site Calibration Test, Ultraviolet Plume Instrument, Visual Function Tester 1. Additional Details: STS-44. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 .

Military early warning; deployed form STS 44 11/25/91. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 127 .

Soyuz TM-13 and TM-14 crews were reshuffled extensively due to commercial seat bookings by Austria and Germany and the necessity of flying a Kazakh-born cosmonaut as part of the Baikonur rental agreement. This was the original crew assignment. The Kazakh researchers were moved to the earlier Soyuz TM-13 flight. References: 94 .

Military navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 4 of constellation. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 107 .

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .

NASA, North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T University built a full-scale model of the HL-20 for human factors research on the concept. In the end, space station Freedom became the International Space Station. As the initial crew emergency rescue vehicle, the Russian Soyuz spacecraft was selected. However NASA, looking for a higher-capacity alternative and concerned about reliable availability of the Soyuz in the future, did begin development of the X-38 CERV in 1997. The X-38 was however based on the Johnson concept of parachute-assisted landing, and used the pure-USA X-24 lifting body shape....

Planned Soyuz flight to Mir. Main purpose was to provide spaceflight experience to Bachurin and Borodai, who had been selected as back-up crew of the first manned Buran flight (the original back-up crew of Levchenko and Shchukin both died in 1988). Cancelled in cut-backs after fall of the Soviet Union. References: 382 .

Soyuz TM-13 and TM-14 crews were reshuffled extensively due to commercial seat bookings by Austria and Germany and the necessity of flying a Kazakh-born cosmonaut as part of the Baikonur rental agreement. This was the second crew assignment. The Kazakh researchers were moved to the earlier Soyuz TM-13 flight and paying German researchers took their place in the final crew. References: 382 .

Stationed at 16 deg E. Telecommunications satellite. French registration 1991-8. Transfer orbit was 663 min, 200 x 36000 km x 7.0 deg. Registered by France in ST/SG/SER.E/249 until EUTELSAT can register the satellite. EUTELSAT is the European Telecommunications Satellite Organi zation. Launch vehicle put payload into supersynchronous earth orbit with IFR trajectory option. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .

Global maritime and mobile communications; 178 deg E. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

French communications; 3 deg E. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 101 , 102 .

Solar activity monitoring; hosted experiments from Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary. Comprehensive study of the effects of artificial impact of modulated electron flows and plasma beams on the ionosphere and magnetosphere of the Earth (forming part of the Apex international scientific project, conducted jointly with Bulgaria, Czechoslovak ia, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania.) Launched with the Czechoslovak satellite Magion-3, separated from the space object Intercosmos-25 on 28 Dec 1991, in accordance with the scientific programme of the Apex project. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 116 .

Separated from Intercosmos 25 on 12/28/91; geophysical. Research of magnetosphere nad the ionosphere of the Earth by passive and active methods. Launched on 18 Dec 1991. The Czechoslovak satellite Magion 3 forms, together with the spacecraft Intercosmos 25, part of the Apex scientific project. Magion 3 was sep arated into an autonomous orbit on 28 Dec 1991. Magion 3 was launched into orbit by the Soviet spacecraft Intercosmos 25. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Telephone and telegraph communications and transmission of television programmes. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 .

Suborbital. References: 5 .

Soviet Union breaks up after President Gorbachev's resignation; constituent republics form Commonwealth of Independent States

Third stage failure; unusable orbit. Operational communications. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .