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Soyuz T
Part of Soyuz
Soyuz T
Soyuz T
Credit: © Mark Wade
Russian manned spacecraft. Soyuz T had a long gestation, beginning as the Soyuz VI military orbital complex Soyuz in 1967. Launched 1978 - 1986.

AKA: 11F732;7K-ST. Status: Operational 1978. First Launch: 1978-04-04. Last Launch: 1986-03-13. Number: 18 . Thrust: 3.92 kN (881 lbf). Gross mass: 6,850 kg (15,100 lb). Unfuelled mass: 6,150 kg (13,550 lb). Specific impulse: 305 s. Height: 7.48 m (24.54 ft). Span: 10.60 m (34.70 ft).

It finally emerged as a complete redesign of the Soyuz in the late seventies. The Soyuz T introduced a revised Igla rendezvous system and a new service module with unitary translation / attitude control thrusters as part of a single bipropellant system with the main pump-fed engine. Solar panels were reintroduced; the fuel load was increased; and all new digital avionics were developed. Crew safety was improved with a new launch escape system and accommodation was provided for the first time for a three-man crew in spacesuits.

The USSR Defense Ministry issued a requirement for an "Orbital Research Station" (OIS) in March 1967 (reaffirmed in the decree of May 1968). This small station was to operate at an inclination of 51.6 degrees, an altitude of 250-270km, and have a flight duration of 30 days. Kozlov's Kuibyshev Branch of the former OKB-1 delivered a proposal for a Soyuz VI (7K-VI) complex in November 1967. (Not to be confused with the quite different Soyuz VI developed by Kozlov in the 1965-1967 period).

The new Soyuz was called by the OKB the 7K-S, and given the article number 11F732 by the military. The Soyuz-VI (abbreviation for military research) complex would consist of the OIS (with 700 to 1,000 kg of scientific equipment) and the Soyuz 7K-S. The Soyuz would have a crew if two, a probe-drogue docking system and an internal transfer tunnel.

The draft design for the OIS was released on 21 June 1968, followed by that for the 7K-S on 14 October 1968. Drawing release began in 1969. The OIS was cancelled in February 1970 after the start of the Salyut project. The Soyuz 7K-S, however continued in two parallel designs - the base variant, which was for special-purpose solo missions; and a space station transport variant 7K-ST. The revised designs for the 7K-S were completed on 11 August 1972.

The initial Soyuz 7K-S program was to consist of four unmanned, followed by two manned test flights, then two operational launches. Cosmonauts (among them Lyakhov and Voronov ) were assigned to the project in 1973. A State Commission was formed on 21 June 1974 to oversee the flight tests.

The draft design for 7K-ST space station transport version was completed in August 1974.

After the fourth N1 launch failure, a major reorganization of Soviet space enterprises was undertaken. Mishin was fired as head of the former OKB-1. After Kozlov turned down the job, Glushko was made head of a newly formed NPO Energia, combining OKB-1 and Glushko's Energomash engine production OKB. The 7K-S was cancelled; experiments planned for the 7K-S solo flights were transferred to the Salyut program.

Development of the launch escape system for 7K-S had run from 1968 to 1972. The new design was used for Soyuz Apollo-Soyuz Test Project version.

At the time the Soyuz 7K-S was cancelled, one of the uncrewed test vehicles was already at Tyuratam being prepared for launch. The first three were launched unmanned as technology tests - Cosmos 670 (7K-S No.1), Cosmos 772 (7K-S No.2), and Cosmos 869 (7K-S No.3).

The Soyuz 7K-ST transport project continued, except now being redesigned for a crew of three. The revised design for the new version was issued in 1975; and the first Soyuz T flew in 1978 as Cosmos 1001. The basic Soyuz T was adapted in the TM version for use with the Mir space station, and it would continue in use into the 21st Century as the Assured Crew Rescue Vehicle for the International Space Station.

Crew Size: 3. Orbital Storage: 180 days. Habitable Volume: 9.00 m3. Spacecraft delta v: 320 m/s (1,040 ft/sec). Electric System: 0.60 average kW.


More at: Soyuz T.

Family: Manned spacecraft, Space station orbit. Country: Russia. Engines: KDU-426. Spacecraft: Salyut 6, Soyuz T SA, Soyuz T BO, Soyuz T PAO, Salyut 7, Mir. Flights: Soyuz T-8, Soyuz T-10-1. Launch Vehicles: R-7, Soyuz-U, Soyuz-U2. Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Launch Sites: Baikonur, Baikonur LC1, Baikonur LC31. Agency: Korolev bureau, MOM. Bibliography: 121, 2, 21, 32, 33, 382, 42, 51, 6, 89, 94, 6909, 13134.
Photo Gallery

Soyuz-T interiorSoyuz-T interior
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz-T interiorSoyuz-T interior
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz TSoyuz T
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz T panelSoyuz T panel
Soyuz T control panel
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz Descent ModuleSoyuz Descent Module
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz T panelSoyuz T panel
Soyuz T control panel 1
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz T panelSoyuz T panel
Soyuz T control panel 2
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz T panelSoyuz T panel
Soyuz T control panel 3
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz T panelSoyuz T panel
Soyuz T control panel 4
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz T panelSoyuz T panel
Soyuz T control panel 5
Credit: © Mark Wade


Panel Soyuz TMPanel Soyuz TM
Control panel of the Soyuz T/TM later version of the space station ferry vehicle..
Credit: © Mark Wade


Soyuz T-15Soyuz T-15
Credit: Manufacturer Image



1974 July - .
1978 April 4 - . 15:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1979 January 31 - . 09:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1979 December 16 - . 12:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1980 June 5 - . 14:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1980 November - .
1980 November 27 - . 14:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1981 March 12 - . 19:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1982 May 13 - . 09:58 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1982 June 24 - . 16:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1982 August 19 - . 17:11 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1983 April 20 - . 13:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1983 June 27 - . 09:12 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1983 September 26 - . 19:37 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U. FAILURE: Launch vehicle blew up on pad.. Failed Stage: 0.
1984 February 8 - . 12:07 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1984 April 3 - . 13:08 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
1984 July 17 - . 17:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U2.
1985 March - .
1985 June 6 - . 06:39 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U2.
1985 September 17 - . 12:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U2.
1986 Early - .
1986 March 13 - . 12:33 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U2.
1986 June - .
1986 September - .

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