Mar 20

Space Rocket History #294 – Space 1970 – Soyuz 9 – Part 2

Posted on March 20, 2019 by spac9750

At midnight June 1, 1970 Soyuz 9 lifted off from Area 31 at Baikonur and successfully entered low earth orbit with an apogee of 227 km and a perigee of 176 km.

Soyuz 9 launch, credit Space Facts
Soyuz 9 landing, credit Space Facts
Soyuz 9 recovery, credit Space Facts

Mar 13

Space Rocket History #293 – Space 1970 – Soyuz 9 – Part 1

Posted on March 13, 2019 by spac9750

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The original Soyuz 9 mission was planned to fly two Soyuz spacecraft in the August to September 1970 time frame for a rendezvous and docking; however, at the end of December 1969 the communist party bosses ordered that the mission be changed to a single spacecraft on a 20 day long duration flight to be launched in April 1970 to coincide with Lenin’s birthday.

Andriyan Nikolayev Credit Spacefacts.de
Vitali Sevastiyanov Credit Spacefacts.de
The wedding ceremony of cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova & Andriyan Nikolayev

Mar 06

Space Rocket History #292 – Space 1970 – Venera 7

Posted on March 6, 2019 by spac9750

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The VENERA 7 lander was the hardiest of the Soviet Venus probes yet built. Its creators wanted the vessel to land on the planet’s surface in working order.