Soyuz 40

Launch & orbit data: Designation  12454 / 81042A Launch date - time  14 May 1981 - 17:16:38 UT Launch site  Baikonur, LC1 Launch vehicle  Soyuz 11A511U OKB name - S/N°  Soyuz 7K-T s/n 56 Basic shape  Sphere-cylinder + 2 wings Dimension (m)  7.5 long, 2.3 to 2.72 dia Mass (kg)  6800? kg Flight Crew (EP-12)  Popov, Leonid I. (CDR) Prunariu, Dumitru D. (CR) Call Sign  Dnepr (Dnieper River) Backup crew  Romanenko Y., Dediu D. Earth orbit on May 14.9:    - Perigee / Apogee  191 x 269 km    - Eccentricity  0.006    - Inclination  51,62°    - Period  89.05 min

Docking & landing data: Docking date - time  15 May 1981 - 18:50 UT Target spacecraft/port  Salyut 6/aft Undocking date - time  22 May 1981 - 10:40 UT Landing date - time  22 May 1981 - 13:58:30 UT Landing location  46° N, 70° E Flight Duration (d:hr:min)  07d 20h 41m 52s (7.86 days) Nbr orbits  124

Flight Crew

Mission details:

• Launch from Baikonur; landing 225 km southeast of Dzheskasgan; ninth Intercosmos-mission; docking on Salyut 6; scientific research and experiments including exploration of Earth magnetic field.
• Manned two crew. Transported to the Salyut-6 orbital station the ninth international crew under the INTERCOSMOS programme, comprising L I Popov (USSR), and D. Prunariu (first Romanian cosmonaut), to conduct scientific research and experiments.
• Soyuz 40 docked with Soyuz T4 - Salyut 6 (2nd airlock) on 1981 May 15.83. Undocked 1981 May 22.44

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel Baikonur, signed by crew.

Cosmic Mail: Cover on board of Salyut 6, with Russian board cancel:180581, small Salyut boardcancel and Soyuz T-4 cancel, signed by Kovalyonok and Savinykh. With confirmation: “on board Salyut 6 - Soyuz T-4“.

Docking cancel: 160581, Salyut 5 and 6 boardcancel, signed by crew.

Cover with Russian board cancel:18-581, Salyut boardcancel and Baikonur undocking cancel 23-581, signed by crew.