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
Soyuz-T spacecraft
ManufacturerKorolev
Country of originUSSR
OperatorSoviet space program
ApplicationsCarry three cosmonauts to Salyut and Mir space stations and back
Specifications
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Production
StatusOut of service
Launched18
Maiden launch4 April 1978
Kosmos 1001
Last launch16 March 1986
Soyuz T-15
Related spacecraft
Derived fromSoyuz 7K-TM
Soyuz 7K-T
Soyuz 7K-S
DerivativesSoyuz-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

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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 [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

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  1. ^ David S. F. Portree (1995). Mir Hardware Heritage (PDF). NASA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Mark Wade. "Soyuz T". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-2". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-3". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-4". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-5". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-6". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-7". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-8". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-9". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Suborbital spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-10A". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-10". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-11". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-12". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-13". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-14". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Spaceflight mission report: Soyuz T-15". SPACEFACTS.de. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
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