Soyuz TM-15 was the 15th mission and the 12th long-duration expedition to Mir space station. The mission began on July 27, 1992, 06:08:42 UTC, launching Commander Anatoly Solovyev, Flight Engineer Sergei Avdeyev and Research Cosmonaut Michel Tognini into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts performed EVAs, various station repair and maintenance tasks, and carried out scientific experiments in materials research, space technology, astrophysics and earth observation. They were visited by several Progress resupply spacecrafts, and welcomed aboard the Soyuz TM-16 crew. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on February 1, 1993, 03:49:57 UTC.