Soyuz-T
Third-generation of the Soyuz spacecraft
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The Soyuz-T (Russian: Союз-T) was the third generation of the Soyuz spacecraft and operated from 1979 to 1986. The T designation stood for "transport" (Russian: транспортныйL, romanized: transportny), reflecting its primary role ferrying crews to and from space stations. The design was based on the second-generation Soyuz 7K-T and incorporated experience gained from the Military Soyuz program and the Soyuz 7K-TM used for the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project.
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-T Military Soyuz Soyuz 7K-TM |
| Derivatives | Soyuz-TM |
Soyuz-T introduced several major improvements over earlier models. It was the first Soyuz to use solid-state electronics and featured an upgraded onboard computer intended to reduce the docking difficulties encountered on previous missions. Solar panels returned to the design, enabling autonomous flight for up to 11 days, and the spacecraft adopted a new propulsion system, the KTDU-426. Unlike preceding versions, Soyuz-T could carry three cosmonauts wearing pressure suits.
Missions
Between 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 | Uncrewed test flight. Partial failure of systems led to early landing.[2] |
| Kosmos 1074 | None | 31 Jan 1979 | 1 Apr 1979 | 60 days | Uncrewed test flight. 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 to Salyut 6[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[17] |
