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Soyuz-11

Soyuz-11



Kosmos-496



dos-3


Kosmos-573


Soyuz-12


Kosmos-613


soyuz-13


 


 

The Salyut era: First space stations

During the 1970s, the USSR launched a series of progressively sophisticated orbital laboratories serving as habitats for increasingly lenghty crew visits. They were preparing the foundation for permanent presence of humans in the Earth's orbit.

afanasiev

Key figures in the Soviet space program attending launch in Tyuratam in the mid 1970s (left to right): cosmonauts Georgy Beregovoy and Vladimir Shatalov, Designer General of NPO Energia Valentin Glushko, Minister of General Machine-building Sergey Afanasiev, Director of NPO Energia's ZEM experimental plant Konstantin Vachnadze and General Kerim Kerimov, the Chairman of the State Commission. Photo-collage by Anatoly Zak


The USSR begins enduring space station program

Faced with the loss of the Moon Race in 1969, Soviet space strategists conceived a detour of the national human space flight effort to a less expensive but what would turn out to be a lasting effort — the development of a long-term habitat in space.

Building the first Salyut

Conceived, designed and assembled in merely 16 months, Salyut-1 was the product of a three-shift, no-days-off working marathon and the epitome of improvisation. Many design decisions were made right “in the field” during the actual assembly of the station, with leading engineers keeping round-the-clock vigil at the Khrunichev production plant.

Design of the first Salyut space station

The Salyut space station, identified in the industrial documentation as 17K, structurally consisted of a transfer compartment with a diameter of 2.1 meters, followed by the main work section, in turn containing a science instrument compartment, and closed up with an instrument section.

The USSR orbits its first space station

On April 19, 1971, at 04:40 Moscow Time, a three-stage UR-500K (Proton) rocket lifted off from the "Right" pad at Site 81 in Tyuratam and a few minutes later successfully delivered into orbit the first 17K space station (No. 12101). Unknown to the world, the name Zarya (sunrise) had been painted on its body, however the official Soviet media announced it as Salyut-1.

The USSR launches first space station crew

Four days after the Salyut space station entered orbit on April 19, 1971, the first crew was also on its way. After one aborted launch attempt, the Soyuz-10 transport ship lifted off with three cosmonauts in early hours of April 23, 1971, and reached the station the following day, but then ran into a string of potentially dangerous problems just inches away from its destination.

Soyuz-11 begins a fateful expedition to Salyut

On June 6, 1971, three Soviet cosmonauts, assigned to the flight at the last minute, departed Earth aboard the Soyuz-11 spacecraft for a record-breaking month-long flight aboard the Salyut space station.

Soyuz-11 crew lost at landing

On June 30, 1971, the three members of the Soyuz-11 crew lost their lives just minutes from landing when their Descent Module suddenly depressurized on its way back to Earth from the Salyut orbital laboratory.

Kosmos-496: Fixing Soyuz-11 flaws

On June 26, 1972, the Soviet space program made its first major step on a difficult road to recovery from the Soyuz-11 disaster a year earlier. The upgraded version of the 7K-T vehicle orbited the Earth without crew in the autonomous flight under name Kosmos-496.

DOS-7K No. 2: A failed Salyut

On July 29, 1972, the USSR attempted to launch a second copy of the Salyut space station, however, its UR-500K (Proton) rocket failed to reach orbit, so the mission was never publicly announced.

DOS-7K No. 3: Skylab's challenger

On May 11, 1973, the USSR launched its fourth space station and the first major upgrade of the original Salyut design, just days ahead of the American Skylab. The 19-ton Soviet lab reached orbit as planned, but an immediate crisis put Soviet engineering and mission control teams to a severe test... Today, it is often only an asterisk in history books, but in 1973, the launch of DOS-3 produced a political earthquake across the Soviet space program and even got the KGB involved.

Kosmos-573: Re-confirming Soyuz fixes

On June 15, 1973, a heavily modified version of the Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft went into orbit without crew or much publicity on its second mission to ensure that all the lessons from the fatal Soyuz-11 accident in 1971 had been learned. In addition, the test flight sought to resolve problems encountered during the ill-fated launch of a Salyut space station a month earlier.

Soyuz-12: USSR resumes crew missions after deadly accident

In September 1973, the Soyuz-12 spacecraft carried two cosmonauts on a test mission of the new crew vehicle variant modified after the loss of three cosmonauts aboard Soyuz-11 more than two years earlier.

Kosmos-613: Soyuz flies a two-month endurance mission

From Nov. 30, 1973, until Jan. 28, 1974, a Soyuz spacecraft without crew secretly orbited the Earth, testing the limits of its onboard systems and setting a new record for its autonomous mission.

Soyuz-13 flies pioneering astronomy mission

In December 1973, two cosmonauts launched into space aboard a custom-built Soyuz-13 spacecraft, carrying the Orion-2 telescope for astrophysical observations. During the eight-day flight, the overworked crew collected a wealth of ultraviolet data from mysterious and little-known objects in the Universe.

 

Soviet and Russian space station launches:

Official name
Type
Developer
Launch date
Crews onboard
Deorbited
Notes
Salyut-1
DOS-1 (DOS-7K)
TsKBEM
1
Oct. 11, 1971
The first crew docked but was not able to enter the station.
Unannounced
DOS-2
TsKBEM
July 29, 1972
-
-
Did not reach the orbit due to the Proton launcher failure.
Salyut-2
OPS-1 (Almaz)
TsKBM
April 3, 1973
-
May 28, 1973
Depressurized after being hit by debris from the exploded Proton upper stage.
Kosmos-557
DOS-3
TsKBEM
May 11, 1973
-
May 1973
A control system failure caused the drainage of the onboard fuel.
Salyut-3
OPS-2 (Almaz)
TsKBM
June 25, 1974
1
-
-
Salyut-4
DOS-4
TsKBEM
Dec. 26, 1974
2
Feb. 3, 1977
-
Salyut-5
OPS-3 (Almaz)
TsKBM
June 22, 1976
2
August 8, 1977
-
Salyut-6
DOS-5
NPO Energia
Sept. 29, 1977
16
July 28, 1982
The first crew was not able to dock with the station
Salyut-7
DOS-5-2
NPO Energia
April 19 , 1982
9
Feb. 7, 1991
-
Mir
DOS-7
NPO Energia
Feb. 20, 1986
-
Core module of the Mir space station
Zvezda
DOS-8
RKK Energia
July 12, 2000
-
In orbit
A service module for the International Space Station, ISS

 

 

Soviet launches related to space station projects and solo Soyuz flights in 1971-1985:

Official name
Industrial designation
Launch date
Landing date
Crew
Notes
Salyut-1
-
-
-
Soyuz-10
7K-T No. 31
April 23, 1971
April 24, 1971
Vladimir Shatalov
Aleksei Yeliseyev
Nikolai Rukavishnikov
Docked to Salyut-1 on April 24. Failed to transfer into the station
Soyuz-11
7K-T No. 32
June 6, 1971
Georgy Dobrovolskiy
Vladislav Volkov
Viktor Patsaev
Docked to Salyut-1 from June 7 to June 29. The crew is lost due to depressurization during landing.
Kosmos-496
7K-T No. 33A
June 26, 1972
July 1, 1972
-
A solo flight testing upgrades after the Soyuz-11 accident
Unannounced
DOS-7K No. 2
July 29, 1972
-
-
Did not reach orbit due to a Proton launcher failure
Salyut-2
OPS-1 (Almaz)
April 3, 1973
-
-
Depressurized after being hit by debris from an exploded Proton upper stage
Kosmos-557
DOS-7K No. 3
May 11, 1973
-
-
Control system failure caused loss of onboard propellant
Kosmos-573
7K-T No. 36
June 15, 1973
June 17, 1973
-
Unpiloted solo test flight
Soyuz-12
7K-T No. 37
Sept. 27, 1973
Sept. 29, 1973
Vasily Lazarev
Oleg Makarov
7K-T test flight
Kosmos-613
7K-T No. 34A
Nov. 30, 1973
Jan. 28, 1974
-
7K-T test flight
Soyuz-13
7K-T No. 33
Dec. 18, 1973
Dec. 26, 1973
Petr Klimuk
Valentin Lebedev
-
Kosmos-638
7K-TM No. 71
April 3, 1974
April 13, 1974
-
Soyuz-Apollo test flight
Kosmos-656
7K-T No. 61
May 27, 1974
May 29, 1974
-
7K-T test version for the Almaz project
Salyut-3
OPS-2 (Almaz)
June 25, 1974
 
-
 
Soyuz-14
7K-T
July 3, 1974
July 19, 1974
Pavel Popovich
Yuri Artyukhin
Docked to Salyut-3 from July 5 to July 19
Kosmos-670
7K-S No. 1L
Aug. 6, 1974
Aug. 8, 1974
-
7K-S/ST (Soyuz T) test flight
Kosmos-672
7K-TM No. 72
Aug. 12, 1974
Aug. 18, 1974
-
Soyuz-Apollo test flight
Soyuz-15
7K-T
August 26, 1974
August 28, 1974
Gennady Sarafanov
Lef Demin
Failed to dock with Salyut-3 due to Igla system failure
Soyuz-16
7K-TM
Dec. 2, 1974
Dec. 8, 1974
Anatoly Filipchenko
Nikolai Rukavishnikov
Solo test flight preparing the Apollo-Soyuz joint mission
Salyut-4
DOS-7K No. 4
Dec. 26, 1974
-
-
-
Soyuz-17
7K-T
Jan. 11, 1975
Feb. 9, 1975
Aleksei Gubarev
Georgy Grechko
Docked to Salyut-4 from Jan. 12 to Feb. 9, 1975
Soyuz-18-1
7K-T
April 5, 1975
-
Vasily Lazarev
Oleg Makarov
Suborbital flight due to third stage failure
Soyuz-18
7K-T
May 24, 1975
July 26, 1975
Petr Klimuk
Vitaly Sevastyanov
Docked to Salyut-4 from May 26 to July 26.
Soyuz-19
7K-TM
July 15, 1975
July 21, 1975
Aleksei Leonov
Valetry Kubasov
Docked with Apollo July 17-19.
Kosmos-772
7K-S No. 2L
Sept. 29, 1975
Oct. 2, 1975
-
7K-S/ST (Soyuz T) test flight
Soyuz-20
7K-T
Nov. 17, 1975
Feb. 16, 1976
-
Docked to Salyut-4 from Nov. 19, 1975 to Feb. 16, 1976
Salyut-5
OPS-3 (Almaz)
June 22, 1976
-
-
-
Soyuz-21
7K-T
July 6, 1976
Aug 24, 1976
Boris Volunov
Vitaly Zholobov
Docked to Salyut-5 from July 7 to August 24.
Soyuz-22
7K-T
Sept. 15, 1976
Sept. 23, 1976
Valery Bukovsky
Vladimir Aksenov
Solo remote-sensing flight at 64.7-degree orbit
Soyuz-23
7K-T
Oct. 14, 1976
Oct. 16, 1976
Vyacheslav Zudov
Valery Rozhdestvenskiy
Failed to dock to Salyut-5. Splashed down in Lake Tengiz
Kosmos-869
7K-S No. 3L
Nov. 29, 1976
Dec. 17, 1976
-
7K-S/ST (Soyuz T) test flight
Soyuz-24
7K-T
Feb. 7, 1977
Feb. 25, 1977
Viktor Gorbatko
Yury Glazkov
Docked to Salyut-5 from Feb. 8 to Feb. 25
Kosmos-929
July 17, 1977
Aug. 16, 1977 (unmanned capsule)
-
TKS test. Deorbited Feb. 2, 1978
Salyut-6
DOS-7K No. 5-1
Sept. 29, 1977
-
-
-
Soyuz-25
7K-T
Oct. 9, 1977
Oct. 11, 1977
Vladimir Kovalenok
Valery Ryumin
Failed to dock to Salyut-6
Soyuz-26
7K-T
Dec. 10, 1977
Jan. 16, 1978
Yury Romanenko
Georgy Grechko
(landed on Soyuz-27)
Docked to Salyut-6 from Dec. 11 to Jan. 16.
Soyuz-27
7K-T
Jan. 10, 1978
March 16, 1978
Vladimir Dzhanibekov
Oleg Makarov
(landed on Soyuz-26)
Docked to Salyut-6 from Jan. 11 to March 16.
Progress-1
-
Jan. 20, 1978
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from Jan. 22 to Feb. 6. Deorbited Feb. 8
Soyuz-28
7K-T
March 3, 1978
March 10, 1978
Aleksei Gubarev
Vladimir Remek
Docked to Salyut-6 from March 3 to March 10.
Kosmos-1001
7K-ST No. 4L
April 4, 1978
April 15, 1978
-
7K-ST (Soyuz T) test flight
Soyuz-29
7K-T
June 15, 1978
Sept. 3, 1978
Vladimir Kovalenok
Aleksandr Ivanchekov (landed on Soyuz 31)
Docked to Salyut-6 from June 16 to Sept 3.
Soyuz-30
7K-T
June 27, 1978
July 5, 1978
Peter Klimuk
Miroslaw Hermaszewski
Docked to Salyut-6 from June 28 to July 5.
Progress-2
-
July 7, 1978
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from July 9 to Aug. 2. Deorbited Aug. 4
Progress-3
-
Aug. 8, 1978
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from Aug. 10 to Aug. 21. Deorbited Aug. 24
Soyuz-31
7K-T
Aug. 26, 1978
Nov. 2, 1978
Valery Bykovskiy
Sigmund Jähn
(landed on Soyuz 29)
Docked to Salyut-6 from Aug 27 to Nov. 11. Redocked Sept. 7
Progress-4
-
Oct. 4, 1978
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from Oct. 6 to Oct. 24. Deorbited Oct. 26
Kosmos-1074
7K-ST No. 5L
Jna. 31, 1979
April 1, 1979
-
7K-ST (Soyuz T) test flight
Soyuz-32
7K-T
Feb. 25, 1979
June 13, 1979

Vladimir Lyakhov
Valery Ryumin
(landed on Soyuz 34)

Docked to Salyut-6 from Feb. 26 to June 13. Landed unmanned
Progress-5
-
March 12, 1979
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from March 14 to April 3. Deorbited April 5
Soyuz-33
7K-T
April 10, 1979
April 12, 1979
Nikolai Rukavishnikov,
Georgy Ivanov (Kakalov)
Failed to dock with Salyut-6
Progress-6
-
May 13, 1979
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from May 15 to June 8. Deorbited June 10
Soyuz-34
7K-T
June 6, 1979
Aug. 19, 1979
launched without crew
Docked to Salyut-6 from June 7 to Aug. 19. Redocked June 14
Progress-7
-
June 28, 1979
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from June 30 to July 18. Deorbited July 20
Soyuz T
7K-ST No. 6L
Dec. 16, 1979
March 26, 1980
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from Dec. 19 to March 24.
Progress-8
-
March 27, 1980
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from March 29 to April 25. Deorbited April 26
Soyuz-35
7K-T
April 9, 1980
June 3, 1980
Leonid Popov,
Valery Ryumin (landed on Soyuz 37)
Docked to Salyut-6 from April 10 to June 3.
Progress-9
-
April 27, 1980
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from April 29 to May 20. Deorbited May 22
Soyuz-36
7K-T
May 26, 1980
July 31, 1980
Valery Kubasov
Bertalan Farkas
(landed on Soyuz 35)
Docked to Salyut-6 from May 27 to July 31. Redocked on June 4.
Soyuz T-2
7K-ST No. 7L
June 5, 1980
June 9, 1980
Yuri Malushev
Vladimir Aksenov
Docked to Salyut-6 from June 6 to June 9.
Progress-10
-
June 29, 1980
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from July 1 to July 18. Deorbited July 19
Soyuz-37
7K-T
July 23, 1980
Oct. 11, 1980
Viktor Gorbatko
Pham Tuan
(landed on Soyuz 36)
Docked to Salyut-6 from July 24 to Oct. 11. (Redocked on Aug. 1)
Soyuz-38
7K-T
Sept. 18, 1980
Sept. 26, 1980
Yuri Romanenko
Arnaldo Tomayo Mendes
Docked to Salyut-6 from Sept. 19 to Sept. 26.
Progress-11
-
Sept. 28, 1980
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from Sept. 30 to Dec. 9. Deorbited Dec. 11
Soyuz T-3
7K-ST No. 8L
Nov. 27, 1980
Dec. 12, 1980
Leonid Kizim
Oleg Makarov
Gennady Strekalov
Docked to Salyut-6 from Nov. 28 to Dec. 12.
Progress-12
-
Jan. 24, 1981
-
-
Docked to Salyut-6 from Jan. 26 to March 19. Deorbited March 21
Soyuz T-4
-
March 12, 1981
May 26, 1981
Vladimir Kovalenok,
Viktor Savinukh
Docked to Salyut-6 from March 13 to May 26.
Soyuz-39
7K-T
March 22, 1981
March 30, 1981
Vladimir Dzhanibekov
Zhugderdemidiyn Gurragchaa
Docked to Salyut-6 from March 23 to March 30.
Kosmos-1267
April 21, 1981
May 24, 1981 (unmanned capsule)
-
Docked to Salyut-7 June 19. Deorbited with Salyut-6
Soyuz-40
7K-T
May 14, 1981
May 22, 1981
Leonid Popov,
Dumitru Prunariu
Docked to Salyut-6 from May 15 to May 22.
Salyut-7
DOS-5-2
April 19, 1982
-
   
Soyuz T-5
7K-ST
May 13, 1982
Aug. 27, 1982
Anatoly Berezovoy,
Valentin Lebedev (returned on Soyuz T-7)
Docked to Salyut-7 from May 14 to Aug. 27.
Progress-13
-
May 23, 1982
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from May 25 to June 4. Deorbited June 6
Soyuz T-6
7K-ST
June 24, 1982
July 2, 1982
Vladimir Dzhanibekov,
Aleksandr Ivanchenkov,
Jan Lou Chrétien
Docked to Salyut-7 from June 25 to July 2.
Progress-14
-
July 10, 1982
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from July 12 to Aug. 11. Deorbited Aug. 13
Soyuz T-7
7K-ST
Aug. 19 , 1982
Dec. 10, 1982
Leonid Popov,
Aleksand Serebrov,
Svetlana Savitskaya (landed on Soyuz T-5)
Docked to Salyut-7 from Aug. 20 to Dec. 10
Progress-15
-
Sept. 18, 1982
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from Sept. 20 to Oct. 14. Deorbited Oct. 16
Progress-16
-
Oct. 31, 1982
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from Nov. 2 to Dec. 13. Deorbited Dec. 14
Kosmos-1443
March 2, 1983
Aug. 23, 1983 (unmanned capsule)
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from March 10 Aug. 14. Deorbited Sept. 19
Soyuz T-8
7K-ST
April 20, 1983
April 22, 1983
Vladmir Titov,
Aleksandr Serebrov,
Gennady Strekalov
Failed to dock to Salyut-7.
Soyuz T-9
7K-ST
June 27, 1983
Nov. 23, 1983
Vladimir Lyakhov,
Aleksandr Aleksandrov
Docked to Salyut-7 from June 28 to Nov. 23
Progress-17
-
Aug. 17, 1983
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from Aug. 19 to Sept. 17. Deorbited Sept. 18
Soyuz T
7K-ST No. 16L
Sept. 26, 1983
-
Vladimir Titov,
Gennady Strekalov
Launch vehicle exploded on the pad. Escape system saved the crew
Progress-18
-
Oct. 20, 1983
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from Oct. 22 to Nov. 13. Deorbited Nov. 16
Soyuz T-10
7K-ST
Feb. 8, 1984
April 11, 1984
Leonid Kizim,
Vladimir Soloviev,
Oleg Atkov
Docked to Salyut-7 from Feb. 9 to April 11
Progress-19
-
Feb. 20, 1984
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from Feb. 22 to March 31. Deorbited April 1
Soyuz T-11
-
April 3, 1984
Oct. 2, 1984
Yuri Malyshev,
Gennady Strekalov,
Rakesh Sharma (landed on Soyuz T-10)
Docked to Salyut-7 from April 4 to - Oct. 2 Redocked on April 13
Progress-20
-
April 15, 1984
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from April 17 to May 6. Deorbited May 7
Progress-21
-
May 7, 1984
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from May 10 to May 26. Deorbited May 26
Progress-22
-
May 28, 1984
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from May 30 to July 15. Deorbited July 15
Soyuz T-12
-
July 17, 1984
July 29, 1984
Vladmir Dzhanibekov,
Svetlana Savitskaya,
Igor Volk
Docked to Salyut-7 from July 18 to July 29
Progress-23
-
Aug. 14, 1984
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from Aug. 16 to Aug. 26. Deorbited Aug. 28
Soyuz T-13
-
June 6, 1985
Sept. 26, 1985
Vladimir Dzhanibekov,
Viktor Savinykh (landed on Soyuz T-14)
Docked to Salyut-7 from June 8 to Sept. 25
Progress-24
-
June 21, 1985
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from June 23 to July 15. Deorbited July 15
Kosmos-1669
-
July 16, 1985
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 from July 18 Aug. 28. Deorbited Aug. 30
Soyuz T-14
-
Sept. 17, 1985
Nov. 21, 1985
Vladimir Vasyutin,
Georgy Grechko, (landed on Soyuz T-13)
A. Volkov
Docked to Salyut-7 from Sept. 18 to Nov. 21
Kosmos-1686
Sept. 27, 1985
-
-
Docked to Salyut-7 on Oct. 2, 1985

 

This page is compiled and maintained by Anatoly Zak

Last update: January 29, 2024

All rights reserved

 

insider content

 

Concept

An early Soviet concept of a space station formulated at TsNIIMash research institute.


launch

Soyuz launch to the Salyut-1 space station. Credit: RKK Energia


A possible view of the first Salyut space station in orbit. Credit: RKK Energia


After the loss of the first crew of the Salyut space station during landing, pressure suits (right) were introduced for launch, landing and docking operations. Standard Pinguin suits (left) were worn during work inside the station. The equipment shown was used during the Interkosmos program in the late 1970s. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak


The DOS-7K No. 2 space station.


Scale model of the second-generation Salyut space station, which included independently guided solar arrays. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak


The US Apollo and the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft docked for eternity in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Copyright © 2002 Anatoly Zak


A 3rd generation Salyut space station, differed from its predecessors by a second docking port and a capability to be refueled in orbit from Progress cargo ships. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak


A scale model of the 3rd generation Salyut space station docked with two transport spacecraft -- the Progress cargo ship and the Soyuz manned spacecraft. Apparently, no photos of such configuration exist. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak


Orlan

The Orlan spacesuit, which had been used onboard the Mir space station. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak


To negate influence of weightlessness after long-duration flights, the Salyut crewmembers were wearing Chibis suits at the end of their missions. The Chibis suits create low-pressure in the lower parts of the body, driving more blood toward legs as caused by gravity on Earth. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak