TKS Manned Ferry Credit - © Mark Wade

Vladimir Chelomei's TKS manned ferry vehicle was designed to provide a reusable resupply and crew return spacecraft much more capable and flexible than either the Soyuz or Apollo designs. Although the TKS completed its development program as part of the military Almaz space station program it was never used for manned spaceflight. However the TKS resupply vehicle provided the basis for the successful FGB space station modules used with the Salyut, Mir, and International Space Station.

The initial Almaz program planned in 1965 consisted of two phases. In the second phase sustained operations would be conducted with Almaz dual-docking port stations serviced by TKS manned resupply vehicles. After many delays, second phase flights of Almaz-2 stations and the TKS were to be flown in 1981-1982. Unmanned flight tests of the TKS, its VA re-entry capsule, and construction of dual-port Almaz stations were completed, but Phase 2 was cancelled in 1979. The three TKS already built were instead flown unmanned to civilian Salyut space stations in 1981-1985.

On 1 January 1965 a decree of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers was issued: 'On work on space stations at OKB-52'. This defined Almaz as an OOS - Manned Orbital Station - in specific reply to the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory program. The draft project for the phase 2 RKK-B station, with three crew, was to be completed by 21 June 1967. The Almaz RKK-B / OPS+TKS was designed for a minimum one year active life. Crews would be rotated by the TKS ferry spacecraft to the OPS. Both the OPS and TKS would be equipped with VA re-entry capsules. The TKS ferry came in at 17.5 metric tons and 45 cubic meters. The OPS and TKS were each equipped with a VA re-entry capsule, with a mass of 4.2 metric tons each. The complete complex provided a grand total of 89.4 cubic meters of habitable volume for six crew. The TKS had enough guidance, consumables, and electricity to dock dozens of times with the station. It could also maneuver independently. The VA capsules were designed for ten reuses.

Three to four dockings of the TKS would rotate crews and bring fresh supplies to the station. Phase B was to last 5 to 6 years. Following many revisions to the Almaz phase one program, Chelomei was finally able to obtain a formal go-ahead for development of the TKS ferry. This was contained in a 16 June 1970 Decree 437-160 'On creation of the TKS and termination of the 7K-TK'. It was finally agreed that for Almaz phase 2 the Soyuz 7K-TK would be replaced by Chelomei's own TKS transport-supply spacecraft. This would consist of the 11F74 VA landing capsule (designed for the original one-launch Almaz station design), together with a new 11F77 functional-cargo block (FGB). The TKS would transport three crew and sufficient supplies for 90 days operation of the Almaz. TKS design was to be completed in fourth quarter 1972.

Design work began on the TKS had actually begun in 1969. To assure reliability all systems were qualification tested on dynamic, static, heat, and flammability test stands. These included complete ECS, docking, rendezvous, and electrical analogue system tests. At Zagorsk test stands were built for the payloads, engine tests, and vacuum trials. At Chkalovsk ECS and thermo-regulation system trial were conducted. Full scale stand was built for testing of the docking system as well as a full scale VA.

At this time development of Almaz Phase 2 seemed uncertain. The official plan was that Almaz would be succeeded by Mishin's enormous MKBS space base. However TKS was preserved as the ferry for MKBS. This was reiterated by Afanasyev in a reply to a joint letter from Chief Designers Mishin and Chelomei of 3 February 1972.

Chelomei was so enraged with Mishin's delays in qualifying the Soyuz for phase 1 Almaz and its marginal technical characteristics that he sent a letter to the Soviet leadership on 28 February 1973. In this he complained that the 7K-T did not have the propulsive capability for multiple docking attempts with Almaz; did not have the docking equipment and necessary backups systems to guarantee crew safety in all flight modes; did not have the capability to provide full function unless recharged by the OPS for 2 to 3 days after docking. Therefore he recommended that Almaz should be unmanned (!) for Phase I flights until the TKS was available. Chelomei's recommendation was not taken up.

Following three successful Skylab missions came the shocking news that Mishin had been authorized to build a new-design fifth DOS station using Almaz facilities. Chelomei wrote a bitter letter to Afanasyev on 28 December 1973. He noted that the K-00534 TTT requirements for Almaz of the Ministry of Defense envisioned a two phase program. Instead his Khrunichev ZIKh factory was hijacked for DOS production. Now it had been further assigned to build DOS-5 for Mishin. He asked Afanasyev how to resolve this situation.

It was clear that the phased development plan for Almaz was wrecked. Therefore a decision had to be made as to how to develop the VA re-entry capsule for Almaz-2 and TKS. V A Ozertskovskiy, head of section test, defined the generic parameters for VA development. Flight trials would be necessary to develop the SAS abort system to pull the VA away from the Proton rocket in case of an emergency situation. Therefore it was suggested that one Proton launch would handle two VA's in the 82LB72 configuration. This plan was approved in 1974. Two VA's were enclosed in a cylindrical housing called the LVI. The external geometry of the 82LB2 was exactly the same as the TKS' FGB+VA. Originally two launches of two pairs of capsules were planned: VA#030 (technology article) with analogue #009 in 1975, to be followed by VA 009A with SAS and 009 analogue inside the shroud in 1976.

Fifty articles of the VA were built for development, including articles for development test stands, hatch tests, static test, and drop test, static and dynamic test, medical article #004, and those for development of the ADU rocket unit of the SAS abort system. From 1974-1977 five launches were undertaken from area 51 at Baikonur of the SAS system (three using VA #005, two using VA #007). These were attached to a complete mock-up of the FGB including the hatch tunnel and connector umbilical. When the 'Abort' command was sent, the 86 metric ton thrust motor of the ADU pulled the VA capsule away from the pad. 10 seconds from the abort command the ADU/TUD/NO separated and the landing systems went into operation. The braking parachute deployed for seven seconds, followed by the main chute with 1770 square meters of area. The capsule made a soft landing 2 km away. All five tests went well.

Phase 1 Almaz flight were finally underway as Salyut 3 and 5. Meanwhile Phase 2 of the Almaz project continued, with the Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 476-13 'On course of work on Almaz and the TKS' being issued on 19 January 1976. Six full-up TKS flight spacecraft were originally planned, together with nine separate unpiloted launches of the VA capsule. Two unmanned TKS flights would be followed by four manned missions (later changed to five manned flights). The decree set forth the following program for completion of Almaz Phase 1 and Phase 2:

• First quarter 1976 - Unmanned flight tests of VA capsule
• Second quarter 1976 - Completion of draft project of OPS with two docking ports for service by rotating crews
• End 1976 - Unmanned flight tests of TKS
• End 1977 - End of Phase 1 with flight of OPS-3
• End 1977 - First flight test of OPS-4 with two docking ports with return capsule on front port
• End 1978 - Manned TKS flights
• End 1980 - Acceptance into service of OPS/TKS/VA systems

However soon after this decree was issued Marshal Grechko suffered a heart attack. With this Chelomei lost his most active patron and was unable to withstand the slow strangulation of his projects by Ustinov and Glushko.

VA capsules would be tested two at a time in the special 82LB72 Proton booster configuration. The original two-launch program had been expanded to five launches of two capsules in the LVI housing. The last two launches in 1978 were to be manned.

The VA capsule had a hypersonic lift to drag ratio of 0.25, allowing it to generate lift during re-entry. This allowed the BSU-V manned capsule guidance system to maneuver the spacecraft to its landing point using the optimum path for minimal heating and G-forces. The reusable heat shield material developed for the VA was far superior to that used on the Soyuz capsule and was used as well on Chelomei's K-1 and LKS manned spacecraft designs. The SAS system abort system for the VA separated the capsule with 15 G's of acceleration from the booster in case of a malfunction and soft landed the capsule 1.0-1.5 km from the launch pad. In the lab the 92-2 LVI mock-up was used to test automatic systems, conduct trials tests, use of the TDU engine at the centre of mass, hermetic sealing of the LVI section, and separation of the DU.

10 December 1976 the first Proton 82LB72 VA test vehicle was placed on the pad. The VA capsules included the Probki radioactive sensor system within the Kaktus gamma ray altimeter, which set off the DU braking unit for a soft landing of the capsule. In place of space suits telemetry equipment was installed.

Launch of mission LVI-1 came at 04:00 on 15 December. Both capsules were recovered at 44 deg N, 73 deg E, on December 15, 1976 3:00 GMT. The flights were officially given the designations Cosmos 881 (VA 009A) and Cosmos 882 (VA 009).

While the tests of the VA was behind schedule, the first complete TKS was delivered to Baikonur at the beginning of 1977 and launched on 17 July 1977 as Cosmos 929. The TKS maneuvered extensively, making orbital altitude changes equivalent to a total of nearly 300 m/s of delta V. The VA capsule (serial number given as 009) returned to earth August 16, 1977. The FGB of the TKS remained in controlled flight until it was deorbited on February 2, 1978 after 201 days aloft.

The next LVI-2 VA test came a month later, on 2 August. However the booster failed at 49 seconds after launch. The SAS launch escape system pulled the top capsule (009P) away from the exploding Proton rocket and it was successfully recovered. The lower capsule was lost with the booster.

Given the circumstances the plans to crew the upper VA in the next test was abandoned. LVI-3 (VA's 102P and 102L / Cosmos 997 and Cosmos 998) was launched unmanned four months behind the original schedule on 30 March 1978. Both capsules were recovered after one orbit.

On 15 August 1978 a VA integrity test was conducted at the large vacuum chamber at Monino with cosmonaut Sergei Vladimirovich Chelomei (son of the chief designer) suited in the capsule. At the beginning of the test a valve opened in his helmet. His suit protracted him from a deep vacuum as designed by pumping oxygen at a high rate to match the loss through the helmet. Although the chamber was repressurised barely in time, Chelomei survived the incident.

On 20 April 1979 LVI-4 VA (VA s/n 103 and s/n 008) was awaiting launch. The booster ignited, but then shut down on the pad. This triggered the launch escape system, which pulled the top capsule away from the booster. The parachute system failed and the capsule crashed to the ground. The lower capsule remained in the rocket.

The launch vehicle was undamaged, and just a month later, with a switch of payload, LVI-4 was orbited as Cosmos 1100 and 1101 on 23 May 1979. The pair launched were the 102P/102L twins from LVI-3. One capsule failed when the automatic system suffered an electrical distribution failure and it did not land correctly, spending two orbits in space, while the other landed as planned after one orbit. The launch again successfully demonstrated the reusability of the VA capsule.

Meanwhile changes were underway with the phase 2 Almaz. Weight growth meant that the planned launch with a VA attached to the second port was not within Proton capability. So the plan was revised for the station to be equipped with one hatch capable of docking with Soyuz, the other with TKS. At the beginning of 1978 project funding was cut back and the first launch delayed. Nevertheless in December 1978 TsKBM four cosmonaut engineers were selected and began training for missions to Almaz OPS-4.

The final revised flight plan for Almaz OPS-4 was as follows:

• December 1980: Launch of Almaz-2 OPS-4
• January 1981: TKS-1: Planned first manned flight of the TKS. Crew Berezovoi, Glazkov, Makrushin. Would have docked with the Almaz OPS-4 military space station, three month duration.
• April 1981: TKS-2: Second manned TKS flight to OPS-4, four month duration. Crew Kozelsky, Artyukhin, Romanov.
• August 1981: TKS-3: Third TKS flight to OPS-4 military space station, crew Sarafanov, Preobrazhensky, Yuyukov.
• April 1982: Soyuz Almaz 4: Soyuz flight to dock with the Almaz OPS 4 space station, crew Malyshev, Laveykin.

This was the last iteration of the full-time manned Almaz program. At the end of 1978 it was decided to consolidate the Almaz and DOS projects into a single Mir space station. The existing Almaz-2 spaceframes would be converted into man-tended automatic radar reconnaissance satellites. An official resolution in February 1979 cancelled Almaz and incorporated some of the planned military experiments into the Mir project. Mir's docking ports were to be reinforced to accommodate 20 metric ton space station modules based on the TKS in place of the lighter modules planned by Glushko.

Meanwhile it was still planned that two of the TKS would be flown manned to Salyut stations. In September/October 1979 three crews were formed for flights TKS-2 and TKS-3:

• TKS-2: Glazkov/Makrush/Stepanov
• TKS-3: Sarafanov/Romanov/Perub
• Backups: Artyubhkin/Yuyukov/Berzervoi

On 20-28 November 1979 GKNII conduced state ground trials test of TKS using two crews. Many problems were uncovered requiring rework.

On April 25, 1981 TKS-1 was launched unmanned as Cosmos 1267. The VA capsule was recovered on 24 May 1981. The FGB docked with Salyut 6 on June 19 at 10:52 AM MT after 57 days of autonomous flight. It remained attached to Salyut 6 until they were both deorbited and destroyed on Salyut July 29, 1982.

Despite the success of Cosmos 1267, Ustinov was not finished with Chelomei. He cancelled the entire remaining Almaz program. A decree of 19 December 1981 halted further work on manned flights of the TKS and reoriented the flights as tests of modules for the Mir station. The TKS training group was dissolved.

On 2 March 1983 TKS-2 was launched unmanned as Cosmos 1443. Aboard were 2700 kg of payload and 4000 kg of propellant. This time the VA remained attached and the TKS docked with just two days after launch. TKS-2 separated from Salyut 7 on 14 August. The VA re-entry capsule separated and the space station deorbited itself on September 19, 1983. The VA capsule continued in space for four more days, demonstrating autonomous flight, before successfully re-entering on 23 August 1983. It landed 100 km south-east of Arkalsk and returned 350 kg of material from the station.

But manned 'flights' of TKS were not completely dead. In 1982 a cosmonaut training group was formed again to fly the TKS and also to operate the military experiments aboard TKS-3 after it had docked with Salyut 7. These crews were:

• First Crew: Vasyutin, Savinykh, Volkov
• Second Crew: Aleksandrov, Saley, Viktorenko
• Backups: Solovyov, Serebrov, Mosklaneko.

Salyut 7 problems resulted in a complete breakdown of the TKS-3 plans. The first crew was bumped and instead a repair crew of Dzhanibekov and Savinykh was launched aboard Soyuz T-13 on 6 June 1985. The first 'TKS' crew was only completed with the launch to Salyut of Soyuz T-14 with Grechko, Vasyutin, and Volkov aboard on 17 September 1985. Grechko returned with Dzhanibekov aboard Soyuz T-13 on 26 September, clearing the aft port of Salyut for the TKS.

TKS-3 was launched unmanned as Cosmos 1686 on 27 September 1985. All VA landing systems, the ECS, seats, and manned controls had been removed and replaced with high-resolution photo apparatus and optical sensor experiments (infrared telescope and Ozon spectrometer) of the Ministry of Defense. The TKS successfully docked with Salyut 7 and remained with it for the rest of its life. For almost two months the crew of Vasyutin, Savinykh, and Volkov conducted military experiments. However Vasyutin became sick and the crew returned prematurely on 21 November 1985, leaving the station unmanned. Salyut 7 was moved to a higher orbit to await the second 'TKS' crew, but then control of the station was lost. There were plans to return it aboard Buran for inspection, but first flight of the spaceplane was delayed. Salyut 7 and Cosmos 1686 burned up in the atmosphere together in a fiery show over Argentina on February 7, 1991.

This was the last flight of the TKS in its original configuration with the VA re-entry capsule. Surplus FGB TKS modules were used in the Polyus star wars battle station, and as a tug to deliver the Kvant module to the Mir station. Derivatives of the TKS were used as the Priroda, Kvant-2, Kristall and Spektr modules of Mir, as well as the ISS Zarya first module of the International Space Station. They continue to be proposed as commercial or Russian add-on modules to the ISS.

Crew Size: 3. Design Life: 7 days. Orbital Storage: 200 days. Typical orbit: 223 km x 266 km at 52 degrees inclination. Length: 17.51 m (57.44 ft). Maximum Diameter: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Span: 17.00 m (55.00 ft). Habitable Volume: 45.00 m3. Mass: 17,510 kg (38,600 lb). Payload: 12,600 kg (27,700 lb). Main Engine Thrust: 7.840 kN (1,763 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Main Engine Propellants: 3,822 kg (8,426 lb). Main Engine Isp: 291 sec. Spacecraft delta v: 700 m/s (2,290 ft/sec). Electrical System: Solar panels 17 m span 40 sq m. Electric System: 2.40 average kW.

• TKS SAS.  Other Designations: Sistem avariyovo spaceniya. Part of: TKS. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft Module. Purpose: Emergency escape system.

  The SAS system abort system for the VA separated the capsule with 15 G's of acceleration from the booster in case of a malfunction and soft landed the capsule 1.0-1.5 km from the launch pad. When the 'Abort' command was sent, the 86 metric ton thrust motor of the ADU pulled the VA capsule away from the pad. 10 seconds from the abort command the ADU/TUD/NO separated and the landing systems went into operation. The braking parachute deployed for seven seconds, followed by the main chute with 1770 square meters of area. The capsule made a soft landing 2 km away. The SAS was jettisoned after the Proton booster had cleared the atmosphere.

  Mass: 2,950 kg (6,500 lb). Main Engine Thrust: 843.000 kN (189,513 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: Solid. Spacecraft delta v: 140 m/s (450 ft/sec).

• TKS BSO.  Other Designations: Bloka Skhoda s Orbiti. Part of: TKS VA BSO. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft Module. Purpose: Deorbit Block.

  The BSO was equipped with the retro-rocket for deorbit of the VA capsule following separation from the space station. It also provided the additional battery power, orientation rockets, and radio equipment that gave the VA a 31 hour autonomous flight duration after separation from the station.

  Mass: 450 kg (990 lb). Spacecraft delta v: 100 m/s (320 ft/sec).

• TKS VA.  Other Designations: Vozvrashchaemiy apparat. Part of: TKS VA BSO. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft Module. Purpose: Reusable re-entry capsule.

  The VA reentry capsule was similar in configuration to the American Apollo, but 30% smaller. It was derived from earlier capsule designs for the Chelomei ballistic Raketoplan and LK-1 manned circumlunar spacecraft of the 1960's. Although extensively flight tested, it never flew with a crew aboard.

  The TKS VA BSO test configuration of the TKS VA was used to prove the recovery systems. Two TKS capsules were orbited in a single launch. The upper spacecraft consisted of the TKS SA capsule, the TKS BSO module on its nose for orbital maneuvering and retrofire, and the SAS launch escape tower. The lower spacecraft consisted of only the TKS and BSO and was lost in the event of a launch vehicle failure.

  The VA was capable of 31 hours of autonomous flight after separation from the FGB. The crew of three were provided with seats with customized form-fitting liners facing a control panel similar to that used in Soyuz T. Access to the FGB on the pad was through a square hatch in the side of the capsule. This could also be used to conduct EVA's in orbit, with the VA acting as an air lock for the FGB. Access to the FGB was via a hatch in the heat shield below the middle seat.

  With the crew, 50 kg of payload could be returned. Without the crew 500 kg of payload could be returned. Total internal volume was 8.37 m3. Retrofire was initiated by the BSO block on the nose of the VA. The VA capsule had a hypersonic lift to drag ratio of 0.25. This allowed the BSU-V manned capsule guidance system to maneuver the spacecraft to its landing point using the optimum path for minimal heating and G-forces.

  The reusable heat shield material developed for the VA was far superior to that used on the Soyuz capsule and was used as well on Chelomei's K-1 and LKS manned spacecraft designs. Once the capsule was subsonic a drogue parachute deployed for seven seconds, followed by the main chute with 1770 square meters of area. The capsule made a soft landing using a retrorocket in the parachute lines. This was triggered by the Probki radioactive sensor system within the Kaktus gamma ray altimeter, which set off the DU braking unit for a soft landing of the capsule.

  Crew Size: 3. Length: 3.64 m (11.94 ft). Basic Diameter: 2.79 m (9.15 ft). Maximum Diameter: 2.79 m (9.15 ft). Habitable Volume: 4.56 m3. Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Crew mass: 255 kg (562 lb). Miscellaneous Contingency: 50 kg (110 lb). Payload: 1,880 kg (4,140 lb). L/D Hypersonic: 0.25. Electrical System: Batteries. Associated Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K.

• TKS FGB.  Other Designations: FGB Functional / Cargo Block. Part of: TKS. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft Module. Purpose: Orbital Living and Service Module.

  The FGB module provided the TKS with living space, storage racks for equipment and supplies to be delivered to the Almaz station, propulsion, and electricity. Derivatives of the FGB were the add-on modules to the Mir station, as well as the first module of the International Space Station.

  Total combination of propellant and payload in internal racks that could be carried with the VA attached was 6700 kg. Up to 4528 kg of payload or 3822 kg of propellant could be carried. Disposable payload with standard equipment, VA, and full propellant load 1600 kg. A typical unmanned mission to Salyut carried 2700 kg of payload and 3822 kg of propellant. The FGB was entered from the VA capsule via a short tunnel at the forward end of the pressure vessel. At the aft end a pilot's station was equipped with controls and windows for manual docking with the Almaz space station. The docking port was also located here. Operational TKS would have delivered KSI film return capsules to Almaz stations. These would have been located around the docking port and grappled by a small manipulator arm on the Almaz for transfer to the film capsule airlock for loading.

  Crew Size: 3. Length: 13.87 m (45.50 ft). Basic Diameter: 2.90 m (9.50 ft). Maximum Diameter: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Habitable Volume: 37.00 m3. Mass: 13,260 kg (29,230 lb). Payload: 4,528 kg (9,982 lb). RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 20 x 390 N. RCS Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Main Engine Thrust: 7.840 kN (1,763 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Main Engine Propellants: 3,822 kg (8,426 lb). Main Engine Isp: 291 sec. Spacecraft delta v: 700 m/s (2,290 ft/sec). Electrical System: Solar panels 17 m span 40 sq m. Electric System: 2.40 average kW.

• 1970 June 16 - Development of TKS ferry for Almaz authorised. Soyuz 7K-TK cancelled - Launch Vehicle: Proton.
  Decree 437-160 'On creation of the TKS and termination of the 7K-TK' was issued. In 1969 Chelomei proposed replacement of the 11F72 Soyuz 7K-TK with his own transport-supply spacecraft 11F72 (transportnovo korablya snabzheniya - TKS). This would consist of the same 11F74 VA landing capsule used on the Almaz station, together with a new 11F77 functional-cargo block (funktsionalno-gruzovovo blok, FGB). This would transport three crew and sufficient supplies for 90 day operation of the Almaz.

• 1971 March 6 - Space Plan for 1971 unrealistic. - Program: Salyut, Almaz. Flight: Soyuz 10, Soyuz 11, Soyuz 12 / DOS 1.
  The space plan for 1971 has finally been approved. There are to be three space stations launched, manned by ten Soyuz launches and a total of over 12 different crewmembers in space during the year. But it is clear to Kamanin that the second DOS and first Almaz station will not really be ready this year. And there won't be more than two Soyuz and two TKS transports available by the end of the year. Ranazomov says that Chelomei's TKS, being designed to fly to the Almaz, will cover many of he same requirements of the Spiral spaceplane. He proposes that Mikoyan should collaborate with Chelomei on Spiral. Meanwhile simulators at TsPK remain underfunded.

• 1972 June 15 - Almaz / TKS project rescheduled. - Launch Vehicle: Proton.
  Ministry of General Machine Building (MOM) Decree 'On schedule of work for the Almaz and TKS programs' was issued.

• 1976 January 19 - Almaz / TKS flight tests approved. -
  Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 46-13 'On course of work on Almaz and the TKS' was issued.

• 1977 July 17 - Cosmos 929 - Program: Almaz. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81/24. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 19,000 kg (41,000 lb). Perigee: 226 km (140 mi). Apogee: 260 km (160 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 89.40 min. Duration: 199.62 days.
  First test of TKS manned shuttle. Maneuvered extensively. TKS-VA capsule returned to earth August 16, 1977. Deorbited February 2, 1978.
  Maneuver Summary:
  214 km X 261 km orbit to 215 km X 279 km orbit. Delta V: 5 m/s
  207 km X 261 km orbit to 208 km X 264 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
  208 km X 260 km orbit to 209 km X 267 km orbit. Delta V: 2 m/s
  192 km X 222 km orbit to 219 km X 232 km orbit. Delta V: 9 m/s
  219 km X 232 km orbit to 303 km X 327 km orbit. Delta V: 51 m/s
  303 km X 327 km orbit to 312 km X 318 km orbit. Delta V: 4 m/s
  312 km X 319 km orbit to 314 km X 325 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
  284 km X 294 km orbit to 290 km X 301 km orbit. Delta V: 3 m/s
  288 km X 300 km orbit to 286 km X 305 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
  285 km X 303 km orbit to 439 km X 447 km orbit. Delta V: 84 m/s
  437 km X 448 km orbit to 335 km X 437 km orbit. Delta V: 31 m/s
  335 km X 437 km orbit to 337 km X 438 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
  337 km X 438 km orbit to 90 km X 337 km orbit. Delta V: 100 m/s
  Total Delta V: 193/293 m/s
  Officially: Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space.

• 1978 January 1 - Manned Almaz program terminated - Program: Almaz.
  Almaz station portion of the project already severely cut back after Marshal Grechko's heart attack in early 1976. Chelomei lost his most active patron and was unable to withstand the slow strangulation of his projects by Ustinov and Glushko. Almaz finally completely scrapped in 1980, but Chelomei hid the completed space stations in a corner of his complex, labelling them as 'radioactive material'. Chelomei finally forced to retire in October 1983. TKS shuttle craft used to dock with Salyut stations but never in manned mode. Following Ustinov's death, Almaz stations finally flown as unmanned radarsats, but Chelomei did not live to see this.

• 1979 February 1 - Almaz cancelled and consolidated with Mir -
  Following the decision to cancel Chelomei's manned Almaz military space station programme, a resolution consolidated the programs, with the Mir docking ports to be reinforced to accommodate 20 tonne space station modules based on Chelomei's TKS manned ferry spacecraft. NPO Energia was made responsible for the overall space station, but subcontracted the work to KB Salyut due to the press of in-house work on Energia, Salyut 7, Soyuz-T, and Progress. The subcontractor began work in the summer of 1979.

• 1981 January 1 - TKS-1 (cancelled) - Program: Almaz. Crew: Berezovoi, Glazkov, Makrushin. Flight: TKS-1.
  Planned first test manned flight of the TKS large ferry craft. Would have docked with the Almaz OPS 4 military space station. Flight cancelled with the rest of the Almaz program in 1981. The spacecraft was instead flown unmanned to Salyut 6 as Cosmos 1267.

• 1981 April 1 - TKS-2 (cancelled) - Program: Almaz. Crew: Kozelsky, Artyukhin, Romanov. Flight: TKS-2.
  Second TKS flight that would have docked with the cancelled Almaz OPS 4 military space station. The spacecraft was instead flown unmanned to Salyut 7 as Cosmos 1443.

• 1981 April 25 - Cosmos 1267 - Program: Almaz. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 19,000 kg (41,000 lb). Perigee: 192 km (119 mi). Apogee: 259 km (160 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 88.90 min. Duration: 459.91 days.
  TKS space station ferry. Flown unmanned to the Salyut 6 space station after the Almaz military station program was cancelled. Capsule recovered 24 May 1981. Docked with Salyut 6 on June 19 at 10:52 AM MT after 57 days autonomous flight. Deorbited and destroyed with Salyut July 29, 1982. Additional Details: Cosmos 1267.

• 1981 August 1 - TKS-3 (cancelled) - Program: Almaz. Crew: Sarafanov, Preobrazhensky, Yuyukov. Flight: TKS-3.
  Third TKS flight that would have docked with the cancelled Almaz OPS 4 military space station. The spacecraft was instead flown unmanned to Salyut 7 as Cosmos 1686.

• 1983 March 2 - Cosmos 1443 - Program: Almaz. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 20,000 kg (44,000 lb). Perigee: 194 km (120 mi). Apogee: 261 km (162 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 89.00 min. Duration: 200.62 days.
  TKS manned ferry spacecraft from the cancelled Almaz OPS-4 mission. Flown unmanned to the Salyut 7 space station. Docked with Salyut 7 on 4 March 1983. Separated from Salyut 7 on 14 August. The VA re-entry capsule separated and the space station deorbited itself on September 19, 1983 at 0:28 GMT. The VA capsule continued in space for four more days, demonstrating autonomous flight, before successfully re-entering on 23 August 1983. Returned 350 kg of material from the station. Additional Details: Cosmos 1443.

• 1985 September 27 - Cosmos 1686 - Program: Almaz. Flight: Salyut 7 EO-4-1a, Salyut 7 EO-4-2. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 20,000 kg (44,000 lb). Perigee: 280 km (170 mi). Apogee: 284 km (176 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 90.20 min. Duration: 1,958.80 days.
  Modification of cancelled TKS manned ferry; docked with Salyut 7. All landing systems were removed from the VA re-entry capsule and replaced with military optical sensor experiments (infrared telescope and Ozon spectrometer). Burned up in the atmosphere and together with the Salyut 7 station over Argentina on February 7, 1991 04:00 GMT. Re-entered with unused 3 m diameter recoverable capsule of 2-3,000 kg mass, solid rocket motors, and cesium sensors.
  
  Maneuver Summary:
  172 km X 302 km orbit to 284 km X 319 km orbit. Delta V: 36 m/s
  281 km X 315 km orbit to 290 km X 336 km orbit. Delta V: 8 m/s
  290 km X 336 km orbit to 335 km X 352 km orbit. Delta V: 16 m/s
  Maneuvers after docking with Salyut 7:
  336 km X 353 km orbit to 338 km X 358 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
  338 km X 358 km orbit to 358 km X 359 km orbit. Delta V: 5 m/s
  331 km X 333 km orbit to 333 km X 385 km orbit. Delta V: 14 m/s
  333 km X 385 km orbit to 332 km X 468 km orbit. Delta V: 23 m/s
  332 km X 468 km orbit to 466 km X 468 km orbit. Delta V: 37 m/s
  466 km X 468 km orbit to 470 km X 475 km orbit. Delta V: 2 m/s
  470 km X 475 km orbit to 475 km X 475 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
  Total Delta V: 143 m/s
  Officially: Testing the equipment, assemblies and design components of a satellite in various modes of flight, including joint flight with the Salyut-7 station.