Resources
selected space history documents

Soyuz TM-32 KRUD (Translational Hand Controller Commutator)

Soyuz TM-32 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:37am ET on April 28, 2001, carrying cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Yuri Baturin ~~ as well as the first self-funded space tourist, American businessman Dennis Tito ~~ to the International Space Station.

A so-called "taxi" flight, the crew returned to Earth after 7 days, 22 hours in the TM-31 spacecraft. Meanwhile, the TM-32 capsule remained at the ISS, serving as a lifeboat for the station's crew, ultimately landing with the following taxi crew on October 30, 2001, at 11:58pm ET.

While docking and undocking from the ISS, the commander or pilot of the Soyuz TM can make adjustments to the spacecraft's orientation by using two hand controllers.

On the right is the KRUO, or Rotational Hand Controller Commutator, that adjusts the roll, pitch, or yaw. To the left is the KRUD, or Translational Hand Controller Commutator, that can move the craft up, down, forward, back, left or right through the use of both a joystick and switch.

This particular KRUD was recovered from the TM-32 spacecraft upon its return to Star City, Russia.

back to collectSPACE

© 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.
Questions? E-mail contact@collectspace.com
-->