The Soyuz-T (Russian: Союз-T, Union-T) spacecraft was the third generation Soyuz spacecraft, in service for seven years from 1979 to 1986. The T stood for transport (транспортный, Transportny). The revised spacecraft incorporated lessons learned from the Apollo Soyuz Test Project, Soyuz 7K-TM and Military Soyuz.
 Soyuz-T spacecraft | |
| Manufacturer | Korolev |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USSR |
| Operator | Soviet space program |
| Applications | Carry three cosmonauts to Salyut and Mir space stations and back |
| Specifications | |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Production | |
| Status | Out of service |
| Launched | 18 |
| Maiden launch | 4 April 1978 Kosmos 1001 |
| Last launch | 16 March 1986 Soyuz T-15 |
| Related spacecraft | |
| Derived from | Soyuz 7K-TM Soyuz 7K-T Soyuz 7K-S |
| Derivatives | Soyuz-TM |
The Soyuz-T was a major upgrade over previous Soyuz spacecraft, sporting solid-state electronics for the first time and a much more advanced onboard computer to help overcome the chronic docking problems that affected cosmonauts during space station missions. In addition, solar panels returned, allowing the Soyuz-T to fly up to 11 days independently as well as a redesigned propulsion system, the KTDU-426. Finally, it could carry three cosmonauts with pressure suits.
Missions
editBetween 1979 and 1986, a total of 18 Soyuz T spacecraft were launched into LEO, 13 of which carried cosmonauts to and from the space stations Salyut 6, Salyut 7, and Mir.[1]
| Mission | Crew | Launch | Landing | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kosmos 1001 | None | 4 Apr 1978 | 15 Apr 1978 | 11 days | [2] |
| Kosmos 1074 | None | 31 Jan 1979 | 1 Apr 1979 | 60 days | Last Soyuz spacecraft with a Kosmos designation[2] |
| Soyuz T-1 | None | 16 Dec 1979 | 25 Mar 1980 | 100 days | Uncrewed test flight to Salyut 6[2] |
| Soyuz T-2 | Salyut 6 EP-6: Yury Malyshev Vladimir Aksyonov |
5 Jun 1980 | 9 Jun 1980 | 4 days | Crewed test flight[3] |
| Soyuz T-3 | Salyut 6 EO-5: Leonid Kizim Oleg Makarov Gennady Strekalov |
27 Nov 1980 | 10 Dec 1980 | 13 days | First Soyuz mission with a three cosmonaut crew since the fatal flight of Soyuz 11[4] |
| Soyuz T-4 | Salyut 6 EO-6: Vladimir Kovalyonok Viktor Savinykh |
12 Mar 1981 | 26 May 1981 | 75 days | [5] |
| Soyuz T-5 | Salyut 7 EO-1: Anatoli Berezovoy Valentin Lebedev |
13 May 1982 | 27 Aug 1982 | 106 days | Both Berezovoy and Lebedev returned to Earth aboard Soyuz T-7 after 211 days in space[6] |
| Soyuz T-6 | Salyut 7 EP-1: Vladimir Dzhanibekov Aleksandr Ivanchenkov Jean-Loup Chrétien |
24 Jun 1982 | 2 Jul 1982 | 8 days | Chrétien becomes the first French citizen in space[7] |
| Soyuz T-7 | Salyut 7 EP-2: Leonid Popov Aleksandr Serebrov Svetlana Savitskaya |
19 Aug 1982 | 10 Dec 1982 | 113 days | Savitskaya becomes the second woman in space after Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. All cosmonauts returned to Earth aboard Soyuz T-5 after 8 days in space[8] |
| Soyuz T-8 | Vladimir Titov Gennady Strekalov Aleksandr Serebrov |
20 Apr 1983 | 22 Apr 1983 | 2 days | Failed to reach Salyut 7 after its Igla docking system was damaged during launch[9] |
| Soyuz T-9 | Salyut 7 EO-2: Vladimir Lyakhov Aleksandr Aleksandrov |
27 Jun 1983 | 23 Nov 1983 | 149 days | [10] |
| Soyuz T-10-1 | Vladimir Titov Gennadi Strekalov |
26 Sept 1983 | 5 minutes and 13 seconds | Failed to reach Salyut 7 after its carrier rocket caught fire and exploded, thus activating its launch escape system[11] | |
| Soyuz T-10 | Salyut 7 EO-3: Leonid Kizim Vladimir Solovyov Oleg Atkov |
8 Feb 1984 | 11 Apr 1984 | 63 days | All cosmonauts returned to Earth aboard Soyuz T-11 after 237 days in space[12] |
| Soyuz T-11 | Salyut 7 EP-3: Yuri Malyshev Gennady Strekalov Rakesh Sharma |
3 Apr 1984 | 2 Oct 1984 | 182 days | Sharma becomes first Indian citizen in space. All cosmonauts returned to Earth aboard Soyuz T-10 after 8 days in space[13] |
| Soyuz T-12 | Salyut 7 EP-4: Vladimir Dzhanibekov Svetlana Savitskaya Igor Volk |
17 Jul 1984 | 29 Jul 1984 | 12 days | [14] |
| Soyuz T-13 | Salyut 7 EO-4a: Vladimir Dzhanibekov Viktor Savinykh |
6 Jun 1985 | 26 Sept 1985 | 112 days | Repaired the crippled station during their stay. Savinykh returned to Earth aboard Soyuz T-14 after 168 days in space[15] |
| Soyuz T-14 | Salyut 7 EO-4b: Vladimir Vasyutin Alexander Volkov Salyut 7 EP-5: Georgi Grechko |
17 Sept 1985 | 21 Nov 1985 | 65 days | Grechko returned to Earth aboard Soyuz T-13 after 9 days in space. Mission ended prematurely after Vasyutin fell ill aboard the station[16] |
| Soyuz T-15 | Salyut 7 EO-5 / Mir EO-1: Leonid Kizim Vladimir Solovyov |
13 Mar 1986 | 16 Jul 1986 | 125 days | Visited both Salyut 7 and Mir, the only crewed spaceflight to visit two space stations simultaneously[17] |
References
edit- ^ David S. F. Portree (1995). Mir Hardware Heritage (PDF). NASA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 March 2023.
- ^ a b c Mark Wade. "Soyuz T". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-2". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-3". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-4". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-5". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-6". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-7". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-8". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-9". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Suborbital spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-10A". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-10". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-11". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-12". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-13". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-14". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-15". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
External links
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