Soyuz

American  

[saw-yooz, suh-yooz] / ˈsɔ yuz, sʌˈyuz /

noun

1. one of a series of Soviet spacecraft, carrying one, two, or three cosmonauts, who carried out scientific research and developed rendezvous and docking techniques: still used to ferry crews to Soviet space stations.

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Soyuz British  

/ sɔɪˈjʊz /

noun

1. any of a series of Russian spacecraft used to ferry crew to and from space stations

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Etymology

Origin of Soyuz

From the Russian word Soyúz literally, union

Example Sentences

Williams traveled to the station aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft.

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

The Korean satellite was supposed to be launched in 2022 with a Soyuz rocket, but the plan was scrapped after Russia’s attack on Ukraine that year, according to the website.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026

Throughout the 2010s, American astronauts reached the space station by hitching rides on Russian Soyuz rockets, until a burgeoning private-sector spaceflight industry stepped in.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

There is also a life-sized Soyuz model that is being used to test the rails that will carry MaiaSpace's rocket to its future launchpad.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

January 16, 1969: Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 dock and make the first in-orbit crew transfer.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson