Soyuz rendezvous and docking explained

This second video in the ‘Journey to the International Space Station’ series follows the Soyuz capsule from Earth orbit to docking with the Space Station. Featuring interviews with ESA astronauts Luca Parmitano, Frank De Winne and Paolo Nespoli, and an introduction by Alexander Gerst, it includes unique footage taken from inside the Soyuz spacecraft.
Produced by the ESA Human Spaceflight and Operations Astronaut Training Division in Cologne, Germany, in collaboration with the Human Spaceflight and Operations Strategic Planning and Outreach Office in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
Narration: Bernard Oattes
Technical experts: Stephane Ghiste, Dmitriy Churkin
Content design: Stephane Ghiste, Dmitriy Churkin, Matthew Day, Celena Dopart
Animation: Nelson Steinmetz, Yannis Nourrisson
Video editing: Celena Dopart, Andrea Conigli
Project coordination: Matthew Day
Special thanks to:
NASA
Roscosmos
Frank De Winne
Paolo Nespoli
Luca Parmitano
Alexander Gerst
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Also watch:
Journey to the ISS Part 1: The Soyuz launch sequence explained
kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4fZmKOBqZqoeaM
Journey to the ISS Part 3: Soyuz undocking, reentry and landing explained
kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y52afoBvrtSrf6s
Captions available in English, Spanish, German, French, Russian and Italian.
Click on the CC button to switch between languages.
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We are Europe's gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out www.esa.int/ESA to get up to speed on everything space related.
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#ESA
#ISS
#Soyuz

[@LunchBXcrue]

It just blows my mind the calculations and math that has to go into making sure the soyuz meets up with the ISS, that we can map that out and it just work. The ISS to me is the greatest achievement ever.

[@howtogetoutofbabylon8978]

Funny the hundreds of hours on record of building the golden gate bridge, twin towers, etc, but not as single minute of the construction of, as you so correctly say, the greatest construction feat in all of human history!!!

[@LunchBXcrue]

@@howtogetoutofbabylon8978 There are videos of the ISS docking... Do... do you think they literally constructed it in space?? What is it with you people. You can literally look up at night and see the ISS for fuck sake.

[@ShootLuckGaming]

@@howtogetoutofbabylon8978 The ISS made of many modules from many countries that dock together. Theres literally videos of it all...

[@nottoday3817]

@@LunchBXcrue Actually, it was built in space. Well, at least assembled. Like MIR was. The ISS is too big and too complex to be launched in a single go

[@LunchBXcrue]

@@nottoday3817 Yea it was assembled, not built. BIG difference.

[@DidntKnowWhatToPut1]

It's so refreshing to watch a video that treats me like an adult. Top marks, ESA.

[@BFE08STI]

This is soyuzeful to know!

[@Loweene_Ancalimon]

You. I like you.

[@LuanaVasco88]

Golden

[@JesusParangaricutirimicuaro]

Oh i see what you did there!

[@laughingchickene3371]

WHY

[@br0th3rtub34]

Ancalìmon Loweene xd

[@planpitz4190]

The Soyuz is really a marvelous machine, imagine it travelling for up to 2 days with 30 times the speed of sound ,searching and finding the space station then docking automatically on target with a margin of only a few centimeters !

[@edwinsiala3373]

Russian space technology at its best

[@caffeineted]

Watching this while docked on my sofa.

[@annieann1653]

😂😂😂

[@Hoplasa]

can confirm, my behind docking with sofa was a success. *throws paper into the air

[@aluminium5738]

Hoplasa- *Paper

[@tunechedward4960]

😂😂😂

[@istoleurfaceha3527]

My asshole is docked into the toilet and is currently transferring goods

[@Frostecc]

The most sincere smiles and joy on austonauts faces in the end i have ever seen

[@madhurdailyplays4651]

Сергей Йцу iiiii

[@madezra64]

You would be smiling and laughing to considering every time that hatch opens the only guarantee it's safe is a shit ton of redundant systems and human error checking to ensure you don't blow the whole station apart and kill everyone in literally a matter of seconds... It's a scary reality when you think about what it takes to ensure the space station stays safely in orbit...

[@veronicagorosito187]

Beautiful reasons.

[@themintgreenspaceship5787]

Makes me cry every time

[@MA-qz1sd]

all of this made possible with the help of ones and zeros. What a time to be alive.

[@Demons972]

This is going to help me a lot to Improve my Rendezvous and Docking skills on KSP xD

[@DanyJeey]

ahahahaahahah me tooooo !!! :')

[@SyriusMystic]

It's better then different game guids about docking)

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Innocence Pereira If you want to know much more you should check out a guy called David Courtney, his Channel has masses of really good knowledge on using Orbital Mechanics. He uses a game called Orbiter, which is more realistic, however everything in Orbiter related exactly to KSP.

[@ottovmkoskela]

Innocence Pereira If successfully docking on KSP feels good. This is gonna feel sooooo goood xD

[@gauravghosh3421]

+vr33m In ksp is rendvous first I go in a elliptical orbit after launch when station in close to the space craft then I get a intersect of 17km.

[@michaelciancetta6397]

These guys are the ultimate prototype of super human... above average intelligence and knowledge.. amazing strength and physical endurance not too mention power of mind and mental resilience.. :)

[@oskupelaaop8936]

Michael Ciancetta nope. They just got lucky and now sit in a craft.

[@sidharthcs2110]

Michael Ciancetta Trained by the Russians

[@Joe.484]

@@sidharthcs2110 trained by humans. how about that?

[@fatitankeris6327]

@@sidharthcs2110 Of cause not only by russians, ESA's and NASA's Astronauts get to ISS by Soyuz too. Russia goes down in there though, corruption probably. And SpaceX have already launched to ISS, so I guess, unfortunately as I think, Russia won't do good in Space for a long time from now...

[@fazuwanlazim4452]

not so true.. how about teamwork?

[@jimmynobody8344]

Knock knock. Who’s there. Soyuz. Soyuz who. Soyuz gonna let us in or what?

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

😂

[@dunkin_donut94]

HAHAHAH yessssiir

[@user-tk2jy8xr8b]

- Soyuz - Soyuz who? - SOYUZ NERUSHIMYJ RESPUBLIK SVOBODNYH SПLOTIЛA NAVEKИ ВЕЛIKAYA RUСЬ ДА ZДРАВСТVУЕТ SОЗДАННЫЙ ВОLЕЙ НАРОDОВ VEЛИКИЙ МОГУЧИЙ СОВЕТСКИЙ СОЮЗ

[@laughing747]

dude you did a joke so funny ESA hearted it and commented you got the whole space agency laughing dude gg

[@danilasolovjovs8019]

@@carriezisman7871 you mean binkior cosmodrome in Kazakhstan

[@kingdombarbershop1900]

my best moment here is when the teams from both sides meet and greet , 250 km away in space , our natural humanity instinct , wish we could display similar attributes here on earth

[@queencleo1151]

420km away from the earth!

[@magnet4214]

Wish we didn't fight and only develop....

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Here it is! The long awaited Part 2 in our 'Journey to the International Space Station' series. This video follows the Soyuz capsule from Earth orbit to docking with the ISS. Featuring interviews with ESA astronauts, it also includes unique footage taken from inside the Soyuz spacecraft. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2PCf5h8l6uWidk #Soyuz #ISS

[@aprilwhipple674]

Really cool.

[@tubaut]

really interesting !! It's a shame ,I don't have the sound .

[@gaetanopollio7237]

+ 1 -:)

[@aprilwhipple674]

I would love to be there.

[@leosand4216]

fantastic video!

[@3dgar7eandro]

This is amazing!!! I wish humanity walked together towards a brighter future in all aspects

[@josephegleston8834]

This helped me in KSP a lot more than any other video I've EVER seen.

[@butterbrot3929]

Haha dude :D

[@BeezerWashingbeard]

Yeah! The way they illustrate the transfer maneuver and rendezvous really helps you understand it.

[@N941254]

I first tried it in KSP just using wiki and then I watched this video. But this is a very good example of how it happens in reality:)

[@PirateReviewer]

Stop playing that fake game. The Earth is Flat.

[@M12Howitzer]

try Scott Manley

[@chaeferl]

Watching this entire Video made me very emotional. Especially the warm welcome of the crew members on the ISS. I would love to do this one day :)

[@esamdawood6529]

chaeferl oh yeah you can do it for 20 millions of dollars good luck

[@soumyajitdas6598]

Yes , you can dear.

[@fazuwanlazim4452]

Next life

[@richardhansen9114]

😂😂😂

[@oszkarpetz8079]

I wish you could!

[@petrov8086]

This is the proof of what can be done together on Earth and off the Earth, in Space. With friendliness and cohort brain storm! Thumbs Up!

[@asadulhuq]

ESA videos are better than Nasa videos to understand things.

[@anamarte9859]

Movie Fan as an American I can confirm we don’t say that stuff, we say stuff like yeee

[@jamessaad3680]

Does

[@Bhooshan2011]

but what about spaceX

[@janisnoland6896]

@@anamarte9859 ,c

[@blanco7726]

Bhooshan2011 space x is private company, they make more publicity than information

[@filipinordabest]

Viewer list: 40% KSP players 20% FE 40% other

[@N941254]

I am KSP player :)

[@WyrmholeChannel]

And an astrodynamics student :)

[@pricelessppp]

Same hear:)

[@Votisx007]

same :D

[@jerfin22]

So accurate.

[@OMGFishoo]

Okay after watching this I have a much better understanding on how to dock. Unfortunately for Jebediah Kerman I pressed the wrong button and staged the thrusters after getting in orbit. Which means he is now a new space station.

[@matebalog3924]

Jeah, you shouldn't afraid of flying by a plane, because you never stay up, but in space... Diffrent story.

[@Imammk]

🤣

[@rogerfederer1622]

LMAO

[@weeelev7884]

An exceptional achievement. And coming back seems more frightening to me than leaving. Congratulations to the engineers and cosmonauts.

[@alitlweird]

RIGHT??

[@phobos7076]

8:08 OMG SPACE GIRAFFE!!!

[@brucetrappleton6984]

one of the things about all these astronauts, male and female, is that most of them look like very humble people but at the same time pretty charismatic.

[@johanneszwilling]

😎 That's how stuff should be explained! 😜 Thank you for keeping in the technicalities 😘 😘 😘

[@sleepingbackbone7581]

Dislikes are from those who are jealous of those astronauts. Don't hate, educate.

[@atoum24]

Dislikes are from Aliens because they don't want as to go in space.

[@SotaProject]

Russian Mission Control Centre is based in Korolev city, near Moscow, but not in Moscow.

[@nottoday3817]

But Moskow region. Soo, maybe correct?

[@muddyham1380]

Thank you for these amazing videos! I never knew really anything about these procedures until these videos. One of my favorite!

[@jaganxbox]

Absolutely awesome. The precision required in the manoeuvres is mind boggling. Thanks guys.

[@rafaeld0]

Amazing series! I've learned so much! Thanks!!

[@OzgurNevres]

The moment they hugged to each other...

[@MrNardo88]

Wonderful!!! Amazing detailed documentary!!! You are always done step farther!!! Please, post soon another one !!!

[@vatoloco2116]

One*

[@DeHeld8]

It's quite odd to think that I din't know about the whole Hohmann transfer principle and phasing oribits until... I played a video game! It strikes me how similar the manouvers are in real life. All hail to Kerbal Space Program! And ofcourse to ESA, NASA and Roscosmos for the exploration of outer space.

[@NoName-de1fn]

Games draw inspiration from reality.

[@MrKafrovich]

The smiles at the the entrance are great!!

[@Saruman1000]

This video was top shelf. Thank you for making this content for us!

[@sergeontheloose]

KURS - a good name for an additional robot in Interstellar with TARS and CASE.

[@mdgarciab]

I am absolutely amazed that anybody could ever successfully perform a manual docking. Whichever person who could do that needs a huge pay raise these videos are the best videos on KZbin thank you very much for posting. I learn so much just from watching

[@abukhalid7447]

The calculations done here are the epitome of maths and physics.

[@ta666ak666]

Re-docking the ship surely must start with this announcement: "The owner of a white-gray Soyuz, plate number SPACE C0W80Y, please move the vehicle to another port."

[@MrKafrovich]

Hahahah

[@glennirish]

“No matter where you go, there you are.” ― Lawrence M. Krauss, :-)

[@abazarhabibinia4005]

An amazing video that you can watch it many times without getting tired or bored and the ending is priceless, true joy and accomplishment.

[@joethomasjr7291]

It's so beautiful how each Country works together and are happy to see each other!!! SpaceX 2020

[@Nackenzwei]

Very informative and nice video! Keep it on, ESA! Too bad current politics again seem to interfere in this beautiful field of manned space missions!

[@ggoyal2]

8:20 gives my claustrophobia by just watching

[@qwasd0r]

Incredible footage, thank you!

[@Dss-bm3rz]

This represents the best side of humanity in my opinion. Many rival nations working together as friends to learn about our universe and help prepare us for our inevitable journey to mars and beyond. Great video, I have a much greater appreciation for astronauts and the insane engineering that must have taken place just to make this all work. It's so incredibly complicated. Truly astonishing

[@caddozzeddu]

Bellissimo. Grazie!

[@asaamv]

what a joyful momment , astraunats from big countries and with peace . smiling and love

[@valeriaronsivalle3055]

Meraviglioso ! Ci avete mostrato in un modo affascinante, il magico viaggio di questi grandi uomini e donne verso il Futuro, cioè lo Spazio. E alla fine mi sono commossa... ho guardato il video 3 volte, e mi sono commossa tutte e tre le volte! :D Grazie di cuore per aver fatto partecipi, noi persone comuni, di questo grande sogno.

[@jboquiren1]

This video series is awesome sauce! Thanks for sharing!

[@aaaaaaaaaa97]

Just amazing the processes going into space travel and exploration. Insane thinking about all the procedures that had to be followed going to the moon.

[@MultiHunterOne]

+Jamiesyme999 And someone had to calculate everything of that for a good start, when we knew very little about spaceflights, someone had to go ahead and invent those transfer manouvers, ascent to orbit....very impressive.

[@artyparis]

I play KSP and happy to see it sounds like real space concepts. Taste Kerbal, it's good^^

[@TranOfficial]

Such a phenomenal 3 part series!

[@christianled5972]

I love how happy the astronauts look doing their jobs. Even the seemingly boring parts. They're living my childhood dream. I hope one day space travel will be more accessible.

[@tunechedward4960]

Thank you ISS crew for representing my dream to fly high over and over

[@kirkjamestkirk]

Excellent video ESA !!!

[@prince-solomon]

Man they look so incredibly happy when they finally meet everyone in space and enter ISS. Just some strangers all alone out there in space hugging each other like family. Mankind can be so beautiful.

[@usteupidu1950]

Engineering behind the scene is amazing.

[@CelticSaint]

I'd never get any work done on the ISS. I'd be constantly looking out of the window!

[@MultiHunterOne]

+Celtic Saint I would be floating all the time and messing around....ESA hire me!

[@calmerharsanyi7390]

And i would be pushing all the buttons on all the computers !

[@CelticSaint]

Calmer Harsanyi Both you guys and I would do as much work as the astronauts in the movie 'Dark Star'!!

[@Schweden99]

@Celtic Whisper me too .... ;-)

[@tunechedward4960]

@@calmerharsanyi7390 😂😂😂😂

[@pinkie24]

i would feel so claustrophobic in that soyuz which is ironic bc you're in space!!!!!!!!

[@oskupelaaop8936]

pinkie24 its not ironic, you are in a small capsule.

[@kkvsn7294]

"SPACE"

[@justanotherasian4395]

Just read a book or sleep

[@nasamscadane5302]

THIS IS FANTASTIC PRESENTATION

[@cacascacacacacascas]

You know..this explanation is fantastic

[@maartenw4827]

Awesome to see this kind of stuff! I’m studying physics and this reminds me why :)

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Glad to hear it!

[@bladerj]

seeing the astronauts from different nationalities smiling and hugging in the end makes you wonder what we could acomplished toguether as one planet without silly notions of borders

[@PortsladeBySea]

Totally agree. We must work more closely on Earth to protect the planet on which we together depend 🌍

[@rhanggaputra2741]

that was some emotional meeting indeed

[@caneslong8033]

This is a great video! It’s actually nice for someone to teach me something in a way that I know. Recommend this channel

[@ferriusnillan5323]

Suddenly, after KSP was created, its basicaly became a guide now

[@mikigm89]

Great video! You should make more videos from within the Soyuz spacecraft while it is en-route to the station, and it would be amazing to put one GoPro camera to record reentry through Soyuz window, I bet that would be a sight!

[@alfredlopez8472]

Bless the bravery of all. WOW!

[@fernandoreig5101]

How well done! I understand all the process much better and feel like seeing future launches much better informed.

[@verticalsmurf]

'knock knock knock Soyuz, knock knock knock Soyuz, knock knock knock Soyuz'... 'what do you want Sheldon?'

[@MrNemesisNuke]

verticalsmurf You just made my day 😂😂

[@RyuHayabusa09]

Docking Spacecraft to the ISS. been wondering for sometimes how did they do it.. with Hohmann Transfer and Bielliptic Transfer. this is the answer!

[@saraswatiabdulkodirjaelani3668]

This vidios answering my questions about docking very well,thenk you somuch,i love n enjoyed watching you guys

[@tigerchillyable]

This is the video I was looking for

[@svarogeuropeidentity4355]

In the space all work together, there is no racism,hatred against other like on the Earth.In Space are Russians and Americans Brothers!!

[@CarlosLopez58]

It happens all over the scientific world.

[@duracotton]

That's why we need to shoot every human into space. So let them see how small everything from there is and how shallow our problems down here really are.

[@CarlosLopez58]

+nunchaku101 Do you know who else was sure that all evil came from Freemasonry? Fascist dictators like Franco or Pinochet.

[@ZeroSpawn]

Space Force will launch the first gun into space and revert all of this!

[@sebast0409]

@@ZeroSpawn There have been many guns in space...

[@gillianorley]

Dad: "Junior! Did you wreck my car?" Son: "No, Pop. It's just a structural deformation."

[@wayangemuhkertaraharja798]

I feel I am nothing compared to these superhuman, on board, on the land, at that moment as well those who had worked hard for these achievement since the very beginning, including the scientists behind this. Bravo.

[@marvinkitfox3386]

five hours from launch to rendezvous and docking is AMAZING!

[@wookiedog]

Hey Look!! The Earth is round! Who would have thunk it.

[@ambulanceroid]

"That's no star." - Cosmonaut, probably

[@zaimahbegum-diamond1660]

That beautiful smile made me tear up🤗🤗

[@EttaEGBEJOSEPH]

Docking is powerful and amazing.

[@wsxcde21]

how about some docking live video? that would be something to see.

[@erzsebetnilsson580]

NO it may would pressure for the astronaut and this is a serious work where in my opinion their files and works should be considered as first... some of them took off several times but for some of them this is first time. what they do is more valuable and respectable than our time and wishing form the maybe safer place....

[@asasnat342]

Erzsebet Deer ????????😕😕😕😕😕

[@gillianorley]

Notice that they communicate directly with ground stations. This is one way in which the "out of contact" scenario in the film, "Gravity," was total B.S. No communications satellites are needed. That, plus debris that would hit the ISS in low orbit at around 250 miles would not also hit communications satellites in geostationary orbit at about 25,000 miles.

[@kucko2]

It was a science fiction film not a documentary. It's not necessary to scrutinize Gravity and the mistakes it makes. It was a fantastic film that brought interest of space exploration to the public.

[@strikeout1991]

Yeah, everybody knows about the scientific inaccuracys of that movie and what not. Still a good movie, at least they tried to make it realistic to some extend.

[@gillianorley]

I'm not so sure most people are aware of this innaccuracy. More importantly, this is not just some minor nit-pick. The notion that she was out of communication and totally alone, left to figure everything out on her own, is the central theme of the film. The whole thing was about how she was, both literally and metaphorically, alone and cut off from human contact. Take that away, and the film is totally different. So the fact that, in reality, she would be able to talk directly to ground stations and that communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit would have been unaffected by the debris in low orbit is not a minor point.

[@gillianorley]

On another point, I'm not so sure this raised interest in space travel. It would seem to have the opposite effect. Seeing this movie would make me scared shitless of going into space. Basically, in the film, space is a death trap in which flying debris punches a hole though your face. It's like saying Jaws raised interest in swimming. :)

[@elazouzialexis8339]

​@@gillianorley I agree, mistakes in movies are a thing. People are full of misconception about space and space travel (thanks Hollywood haha)

[@NYCeesFinest]

Incredible

[@Habibi46611]

Herrlich, die Freude der Begrüßung zu sehen!

[@agni2003]

My goodness, imagine 2 days in that small spaceship, sounds impossible!

[@__Paprika]

USSR even planned to send men around the Moon inside of it ! better not to be claustrophobic ! it was a different model though, not a TMA. (it pobably had even living space than the TMA actually haha)

[@genericfakename8197]

The orbital module isn't that bad, it has a kitchen and a washroom. The Soyuz was designed to carry two men to the moon. The orbital module is very rarely shown in really any video because people only go in there when there's not anything important going on.

[@snow6937]

thanx the space is... int cooperation makes the world much better, have a look at cosmonauts handshakes and smiles, nomatter their nationality, no borders... waiting for ESA, NASA, Roscosmos 's international MARS-mission

[@koteswar009]

5:45 Hohmann transfer- also used by India's ISRO to go to Mars successfully first time in history. Mangalyaan caught up with Mars in Sep 2014 just like Soyuz caught up with ISS. International contribution to science progresses humanity.

[@ancylostomiasis]

Man, this is like, the greatest video on U2

[@Sizzlik]

Im off to play some KSP

[@WheatleyOS]

Pshhhh. I already learned all of this from Scott Manley lol (that and some articles and what not but nvm that)

[@MythCraft00]

Hey Wheatley! Is the "SPAAACE" core with you?

[@mynaimrie]

Are you really sorry?

[@adurgh]

Impressive is an understatement!!!

[@prameshdevkota8535]

The most amazing thing I can feel that I’m in the space

[@RTony999]

настолько непростое дело, оказывается!!

[@Activan1]

Если кривыми руками да еще на ВАЗе, то да очень непростое. )

[@Animaterial]

+Василий Васильев Млять. Даже в таком позитивном и мотивирующем видео находятся брюзжащие личности, которые без обсерания чего-либо себя не комфортно чувствуют.

[@npcnoticer]

hello comrades, space is great together, :) USA Russia #1

[@skyhawk551]

play KSP to truly understand orbital mechanics

[@salomebachelet368]

so beautiful feeling that i can see the first space station and how we did it thousands years ago....

[@eeevoo]

it wasn't the first space station and we didn't flew to space thousand years ago

[@kassaufura677]

it’s amazing to me all time

[@bez9229]

You guys should buy Kerbal Space Program......

[@SawdEndymon]

And ESA And SpaceX

[@butterbrot3929]

so many KSP players in the comments :D

[@SawdEndymon]

ButterBrot AND SO MANY FLAT EARTHERS XD

[@grgdrp2553]

Jebediah going to the ISS with Valentina.

[@bez9229]

Grégoire Drapeau wow you are late

[@SuperBobos12345]

I would be punching something if we went into two day mode ..total bummer ..

[@queencleo1151]

Thank you so much for such an intriguing and fascinating description of this procedure! It's absolutely thrilling and it must be exhilarating for all involved. The amount of details be calculated and taken into consideration is mind-blowing! God bless you all...

[@EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mas09kho]

Thank you. It was a great video! I have got a lot of useful information.