Impressive heat shield section attested as having covered the yaw thruster of the Soyuz-TM 32 spacecraft that launched the pioneering ISS EP-1 mission on April 28, 2001, and successfully docked with the International Space Station two days later. The heat shield, which bears extensive darkening and burn marks from reentry, measures 21.5˝ x 15˝ x 4˝, features 10 mounting holes, and has two thruster ports, both of which are approximately 6˝ in length. The heat shield is mounted to a metal display stand, 22˝ x 8˝, with affixed plaque, “Flown Soyuz ™-32 Landing Capsule Heat Shield Yaw Thrusters Cover,” which suspends the heat shield to roughly 19.5˝ in height. In fine condition, with expected wear due to atmospheric reentry.
Soyuz TM-32 launched from Baikonur on April 28, 2001, carrying the ISS EP-1 mission crew of Commander Talgat Musabayev, Flight Engineer Yuri Baturin, and American businessman Dennis Tito, the world’s first space tourist. After eight days docked to the ISS, the crew returned to Earth on May 6, 2001, aboard Soyuz TM-31, completing a successful short-duration mission that marked a milestone in commercial human spaceflight. The Soyuz TM-32 returned to Earth on October 31, 2001, with a crew of CDR Viktor Afanasyev and Flight Engineers Claudie Haigneré and Konstantin Kozeyev.
