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Article Number: 11F715. Manufacturer's Designation: 17KS s/n 126. Class: Manned. Type: Space Station. Destination: Space Station Orbit. Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Manufacturer: Korolev. Salyut 7 was the back-up article for Salyut 6 and very similar in equipment and capabilities. It was in use for four years and two months, during which time it was visited by 10 crews constituting 6 main expeditions and 4 secondary flights (including French and Indian cosmonauts). A total of 22 cosmonauts visited the station, five of them twice and one three times. From two to six crew were aboard at any one time. 11 Soyuz T and 15 Progress spacecraft made a total of 25 dockings and 3 redockings. Mission durations of 211 and then 237 days were achieved, during which 13 EVA's were conducted during 861 total days of piloted flight. On 19-22 August 1986 The station was moved to a 492 x 474 km orbit, which was expected to take a very long time to decay. Retrieval at a future date by a Buran shuttle was planned. However much greater than expected solar activity resulted in it returning to earth much more rapidly than expected. Equipment aboard Salyut 7 included: Unitary Propulsion/RCS Systems. Kurs Rendezvous/Docking System - 24 hr hot water - food refrigerator. Experimental Equipment included: - Kristal materials processing furnace - EFO-7 star electrophotometer Improved Oasis plant growth unit - Aelita cardiovascular diagnostic unit - French echography ultrasonic medical system - Korund semiconductor materials furnace Military experiments: observations of ground aerosols; ABM intercept; naval exercises; laser pointing/tracking hardware tests Typical orbit: 281 km circular orbit, 51.5 deg inclination. Length: 14.40 m (47.20 ft). Maximum Diameter: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Span: 17.00 m (55.00 ft). Mass: 19,824 kg (43,704 lb). RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 14 X 98 N. RCS Fine No x Thrust: 18 x 10 N. Main Engine: KRD-79. Main Engine Thrust: 3.920 kN (881 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Main Engine Propellants: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). Main Engine Isp: 305 sec. Electrical System: Solar Panel Span: 17.0 m, area: 60 sq. m. Electric System: 2.00 average kW. Associated Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K.
Salyut 7 Chronology - 1982 April 19 - Salyut 7 - Program: Salyut 7. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K. Mass: 18,900 kg (41,600 lb). Perigee: 279 km (173 mi). Apogee: 284 km (176 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 90.20 min. Duration: 3,215.34 days.
Second Soviet replenishable long-duration ‘civilian’ space station. Objectives: Continuation of scientific research on board manned space complexes in the interests of science and the Soviet national economy; testing of advanced systems and apparatus for orbital stations. Continuation of the scientific research in progress on board manned space complexes in the interests of science and the national economy; testing of advanced systems and apparatus for orbital stations. Although of the same design as Salyut 6, technical breakdowns throughout its life made Salyut 7 a much less productive station. Replaced finally by Mir. Two different TKS resupply craft, originally designed for the Almaz military station, docked with Salyut 7 to provide a larger complex. With the cancellation of Almaz, a large proportion of the experiments carried out on board had military objectives. As of January 1990 out of fuel, unable to manoeuvre, uncontrolled re-entry expected in three to four years. Re-entered in 1991 with 70 kg fuel remaining over Argentina. Controllers attempted to control impact point (set for Atlantic Ocean) by setting Salyut 7/Kosmos 1686 assembly into a tumble. This however failed and Salyut 7 re-entered February 7, 1991 04:00 GMT. Many fragments fell on the town of Capitan Bermudez, 25 km from Rosario and 400 km from Buenos Aires, Argentina. At 1 am local time the sky was lit up with hundreds of incandescent meteors travelling from Southwest to Northeast. At dawn the inhabitants discovered numerous metal fragments, which seemed to have fallen in distinct groups at various locations in the city. Luckily no one was hurt in the metallic shower.Additional Details: Salyut 7 (2822).
- 1991 February 6 - Salyut-7 Burnup In Earth's Atmosphere (Soviet Union Space Station) -
- 1991 February 7 - Salyut 7 re-enters - Program: Salyut 7.
Salyut 7 had been put into a high storage orbit in June 1986, which was supposed to allow it to remain in orbit for ten years before decaying. But much greater than expected solar activity caused the orbit to decay rapidly. By the end of 1990 the station was no longer controllable, and on 7 February 1991 the station came down over South America.
Bibliography and Further Reading
- Vladimirov, A, Novosti kosmonavtiki, "Tablitsa zapuskov RN 'Proton' i 'Proton K'", 1998, Issue 10, page 25.
- Semenov, Yu. P., S P Korolev Space Corporation Energia, RKK Energia, 1994. ISBN: 1896522815. Dual English/Russian language picture book of the history of the Energia Corporation. Many unique photos and drawings of Korolev's rockets and spacecraft. Republished by Apogee books in 2000. More at amazon.com...
- Kaesmann, Ferdinand, et. al., Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, "Proton - Development of A Russian Launch Vehicle", 1998, Volume 51, page 3.
- Wilson, Keith T., Spaceflight, "EVA Log 1965-1997", 1998, Volume 40, page 85.
- Oberg, James, Red Star in Orbit, Random House, New York, 1981. ISBN: 0394514297. Oberg's book was, at its time, the most accurate, and still the most lively account of the Soviet manned program. More at amazon.com...
- Furniss, Tim, Manned Spaceflight Log, Jane's, London, 1986. ISBN: 0710604025. Summary of all manned spaceflights up to 1986. Pre-Glasnost, so many 'war stories' of Soviet manned spaceflight are not included. More at amazon.com...
- Semenov, Yuri P Editor, Raketno-kosmicheskaya korporatsiya 'Energia' imeni S P Koroleva, Moscow, Russia, 1996. Russian in-house history of the Energia Corporation and its predecessors. Unprecedented detail, photographs, designations, and drawings, on the products of Korolev's OKB.
- McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
- Ludueña, Alejo M, "Personal communication, describing crash of Salyut 7.", E-mail of 27 February 1999..
- Clark, Philip, The Soviet Manned Space Program, Salamander Books, London, 1988. ISBN: 051756954X. By far the best account of the Soviet manned program, though now out of date due to the flood of revelations since Glasnost and the end of the cold war. More at amazon.com...
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