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| Expedition 27 (ISS) | |
|---|---|
| Mission | Expedition 27 |
| Mission type | Long-duration mission to the International Space Station |
| Duration | March–September 2011 |
| Crew | Daniel Burbank; Anton Shkaplerov; Anatoli Ivanishin; Paolo Nespoli; Ronald Garan; Alexander Samokutyayev |
| Start date | 16 March 2011 |
| End date | 2 September 2011 |
| Spacecraft | Soyuz TMA-01M; Soyuz TMA-20 |
| Orbit | Low Earth orbit |
| Programme | International Space Station |
| Previous | Expedition 26 |
| Next | Expedition 28 |
Expedition 27 (ISS) Expedition 27 was the 27th long-duration Expedition to the International Space Station, operating during 2011 with multinational participation from NASA, Roscosmos, European Space Agency, and other partner agencies. The crew conducted maintenance, scientific investigations, and extravehicular activitys while hosting visiting vehicles including Space Shuttle missions and Progress resupply ships. The increment overlapped with geopolitical events and technological activities that influenced orbital operations and public engagement.
Expedition 27 continued the continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station following handover procedures from Expedition 26, featuring command transfer, crew rotations via Soyuz vehicles, and coordination with TsUP and MCC-H. The increment emphasized scientific research across facilities such as the Destiny Laboratory, Columbus Laboratory, and Kibo Module while supporting technology demonstrations like satellite deployment and spacecraft integration for COTS successor activities. International collaboration included astronauts and cosmonauts from agencies including Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, Italian Space Agency, and European Space Agency, maintaining logistics with Progress (spacecraft), HTV (H-II Transfer Vehicle), and planned Space Shuttle flights.
The core crew consisted of international crewmembers launched and returned aboard Soyuz TMA-01M and Soyuz TMA-20, with command held by Daniel Burbank representing NASA and cosmonaut responsibilities shared by Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoli Ivanishin of Roscosmos. Flight engineers included Paolo Nespoli of Agenzia Spaziale Italiana and Ronald Garan of NASA; Alexander Samokutyayev served as a Soyuz flight engineer and mission specialist. The crew conducted routine operations interacting with ground teams at Johnson Space Center, European Space Operations Centre, TsUP and other international flight control centers, coordinating with medical support from European Space Agency Medical Operations and training institutions like Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Expedition 27 began with undocking and crew handover activities after Expedition 26 conclusion, incorporated launches and dockings of Soyuz vehicles, and encompassed a sequence of scheduled events including resupply deliveries, spacewalks, and scientific milestones. Significant points included preparations for and execution of visiting vehicle operations with Progress M-09M, flight operations relating to the International Docking Adapter planning and payload handovers tied to STEM education outreach weeks. The increment concluded with crew return to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-20 and handover to Expedition 28, following deorbit burn procedures monitored by Roscosmos and NASA mission control teams.
During Expedition 27, the crew planned and executed extravehicular activities coordinated by EMU teams and Russian Orlan specialists to perform maintenance on station systems including thermal control and communications hardware. EVAs required integration of procedures from Johnson Space Center and TsUP and training-derived techniques from the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and European partners. Tasks included work on modules such as Zvezda and on external payloads associated with experiments from institutions like Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt and Centre National d'Études Spatiales.
Expedition 27 supported a wide array of investigations across life sciences, physical sciences, Earth observation, and technology demonstrations aboard facilities including Destiny, Kibo, Columbus, and the Microgravity Science Glovebox. Experiments involved biological research from teams at NASA Ames Research Center and European Space Agency labs, materials studies linked to Marshall Space Flight Center and European Space Research and Technology Centre, and Earth remote-sensing campaigns coordinated with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and US Geological Survey. Payloads included experiments from universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, University of Tokyo, and instrumentation developed by commercial partners like Boeing and Sierra Nevada Corporation for technology validation.
Expedition 27 oversaw dockings, undockings, and cargo transfers involving Soyuz TMA-01M, Soyuz TMA-20, and automated resupply flights such as Progress M-09M; coordination included international logistics with European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency assets. Plans interfaced with Space Shuttle manifesting and contingency scenarios, and operations were synchronized with ground nodes at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kennedy Space Center, and Tanegashima Space Center. Robotic operations were conducted using the Canadarm2 and Dextre remote manipulator systems under direction from Canadian Space Agency flight controllers to manage external payloads and visiting vehicle berthing.
The Expedition 27 insignia reflected the mission's multinational character and was used in education and outreach initiatives by NASA Office of Communications, European Space Agency Communications, and national agencies like Roscosmos Press Service and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana public affairs. Crew members participated in school contacts coordinated with organizations such as Sally Ride Science, National Science Teachers Association, Space Foundation, and media outlets including BBC News, CNN, and Reuters to promote STEM engagement. Outreach included amateur radio sessions organized with Amateur Radio on the International Space Station and cultural exchanges highlighting partners such as Italian Space Agency and Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Category:Expeditions to the International Space Station