Soyuz TMA-8 was a transport mission for portions of the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 13 crew. The flight delivered ISS CommanderPavel Vinogradov and ISS Flight Engineer Jeffrey Williams to the station to replace Expedition 12 crew members. Flight Engineer Marcos Pontes joined the TMA-8 crew for the ascent and docking with ISS, spent approximately seven days aboard the ISS conducting experiments, then returned to Earth with the outgoing members of Expedition 12 aboard Soyuz TMA-7 Vinogradov and Williams were joined on their return trip to Earth by Spaceflight Participant Anousheh Ansariwho launched aboard Soyuz TMA-9 and spent approximately eight days aboard ISS conducting experiments for the European Space Agency.

Marcos Pontes became the first astronaut from Brazil. This mission carried out the ISS Expedition 13. Following a two-day solo flight Soyuz TMA-8 docked to ISS on April 01, 2006. Pavel Vinogradov and Jeffrey Williams replaced the Expedition 12 crew.

The Missão Centenário started after a deal of between the Brazilian Space Agency and Roscosmos in October 18, 2005. Its main goal was to make possible the flight of Marcos Pontes, the first Brazilian in space. The Missão Centenário costed US$10 million for the Brazilian Space Agengcy (or R$ 10,000 by Brazilian by the year of 2010) and happened during the Brazilian participation in the ISS Program.
The name is in reference the celebration from the centennial of the 14-Bis flight of Santos-Dumount in Paris, October 23, 1906.
During his mission, Marcos Pontes executed 8 Brazilian experiments:

- Microgravity Enzymes Kinetics (FEI): its goal was to study the micro gravity effects in two enzymes: Lipase and Invertase. Each enzyme was tested in different levels of reagents with a total of 15 mixings;
- DRM - DNA Repair in Microgravity (UERJ and INPE): Investigation of the Effects of High Levels of Radiation on DNA Repair Mechanisms in Microgravity;
- Capillary Evaporator in Microgravity (UFSC): The experiment consists of a capillary evaporator mounted on a biphasic heat transfer circuit using de-ionized water as the working fluid. It is designed for application oriented to the cooling of satellites or of space probes. One main result was that the equipment worked in micro gravity in the same way as in the Earth, making possible to conclude that it can be used for thermal control in micro gravity hardware.

- MHP - Mini Heat Pipe (UFSC): Device developed for allow the flow of high levels of temperature, even when under a small level of temperature.
- GSM - Germination in Microgravity (EMBRAPA): the goal was to evaluate the micro-gravity, illumination and radiation effects in seeds of Astronium fraxinifolium/schott.
- NIP - Protein Interaction Clouds (CenPRA/MCT): its goal was to study the interaction of atomized bio-luminescent enzymes in micro gravity.
- Germination of common bean seeds (Secretaria Municipal de Educação de São José dos Campos-SP): the experiment evaluated the defects of water, light and micro gravity on the germination of beans seeds (Phaseplus Vulgaris). Was executed in sync between the ISS and four municipal schools in São José dos Campos. The main goal was to make the students participate with interest in the experiment, what really happened.
- Observation of the Chlorophyll Chromatography Process in Weightlessness (Secretaria Municipal de Educação de São José dos Campos-SP): also executed with the schools, the goal was to observe the separation of the pigments from the leaf of Brassica oleracea through chromatography and see the results side with the school experiments in São José dos Campos.