Zarya - Soviet, Russian and International Spaceflight

Salyut Home

Salyut 6 Expedition 1

Salyut 6 Expedition 2

Salyut 6 Expedition 3

Salyut 6 and Soyuz-T

Salyut 6 Expedition 4

Salyut 6 and Soyuz T-3

Salyut 6 Expedition 5

Tests With Soyuz-T - Dec 1979 to Mar 1980

Salyut 6 was proving to be more reliable than originally planned. Over the winter of 1979-80, it was used as a ‘home’ for the first new design Soyuz-T vehicles while it was tested out for on a three-month stay in orbit.

Soyuz-T did not carry a crew as it was an early flight with a new vehicle. It had been tested within the 'Cosmos' programme - one of the flights was labelled as Cosmos 1001. It was interception of radio signals by amateur trackers within the Kettering Group that alerted observers of the Soviet space programme to the existence of the new craft.

Date (UTC)

Time (UTC)

Event

1979 Dec 16

12:29

Soyuz T-1 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 193 x 203 kilometre orbit with aboard - it is a test flight and carries no crew

1979 Dec 19

14:05

Soyuz T-1 docks at the forward port of Salyut 6 - orbit is 341 x 344 kilometres

1980 Mar 23

21:04

Soyuz T-1 undocks from Salyut 6

1980 Mar 25

22:01

Soyuz T-1 lands after two days of independent flight
Copyright Robert Christy