Jun 15

Space Rocket History #441 – Salyut 4

The Salyut 4 space station, designated DOS-4, marked the second phase of the Soviet Union’s civilian space station program. It was an improved version of the failed Salyut 2 station, with several notable enhancements.

Salyut Stations

Salyut 4

Salyut 4

 

Jun 01

Space Rocket History #440 – Salyut 3 – Soyuz 14 & Soyuz 15 Part 2

Initially, the rendezvous with Salyut 3 proceeded smoothly. However, as the Soyuz spacecraft approached the station, a critical problem arose. The Igla rendezvous system, designed to guide the spacecraft to the station, malfunctioned.

Salyut 3 cutaway

Gennady Sarafanov

Lev Dyomin

May 17

Space Rocket History #439 – Salyut 3 – Soyuz 14 Part 1

Salyut 3 featured a “self-defense” gun purportedly designed by Alexander Nudelman for station use. Some reports suggest it was outfitted with a Nudelman-Rikhter “Vulkan” gun, a modified version of the 23mm Nudelman aircraft cannon, or conceivably a Nudelman NR-30 30mm gun. Subsequent Russian accounts propose the gun was the relatively obscure Rikhter R-23, not widely recognized in Western sources. Allegedly, Pavel Popovich has corroborated these assertions.

Almaz Military Salyut Station Configuration

Pavel Popovich

Yuri Artyukhin

Mar 01

Space Rocket History #434 – Salyut 2, Mars 4, 5, 6, 7 & Tang Ceremony

At this point in 1973, the Soviets were attempting to fly 2 types of space station, the long duration orbital station scientific version called DOS.  The other station was a military spy space station equipped with a machine gun, called Almaz or OPS which stood for orbital piloted station.

Salyut-2, OPS-1, Almaz

Mars 4 or 5

Mars 6 or 7