Mar 15

Space Rocket History #435 – Soyuz 12 & 13

This second generation of the Soyuz spacecraft, the Soyuz 7k-T was flown on Soyuz 12 through Soyuz 40 missions from 1973–1981. The new 7K-T spacecraft was designed to accommodate only two cosmonauts who would wear pressure suits at all times during launch, docking, undocking, and reentry.

Soyuz 12 Crew with Pressure Suits

Soyuz 13 Crew with Pressure Suits

Soyuz 13 Crew with Pressure Suits

Orion-2

Orion-2 Observatory



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



May 04

Space Rocket History #159 – Zond 6

Trouble began on the sixth day of the flight, November 17. The capsule developed an atmospheric  leak, the pressure first dropping from 760 to 380 mm of Mercury.  With the drop in cabin pressure all the animal test subjects died.  It would have killed any Cosmonaut not wearing a spacesuit.

Proton-K with 7K-L1

Proton-K with 7K-L1

Zone 6 mission profile

Zone 6 mission profile

Zond 6 Double-dip reentry

Zond 6 Double-dip reentry

Mar 16

Space Rocket History #153 – Zond 5 – Tortoises in Space & Nasa Stennis

The first attempt for a Zond 4 follow-up launched on April 22.  It failed when the Launch Escape System sent an erroneous abort command at T+260 seconds and shut down the Proton booster’s second stage. The escape rocket fired and pulled the descent module to safety.

Zond 5

Zond 5

Zond 5 Recovery

Zond 5 Recovery Indian Ocean

Scientist observing lunar Tortoises

Scientist observing lunar Tortoises