Soyuz 11

Launch, orbit & landing data: Designation  05283 / 71053A Launch date - time  06 Jun 1971 - 04:55:09 UT Launch site  Baikonur, LC1 Launch vehicle  Soyuz 11A511 OKB name - S/N°  Soyuz 7K-T s/n 32 Basic shape  Sphere-cylinder + 2 wings Dimension (m)  7.5 long, 2.2 dia Mass (kg)  6790 kg Flight Crew (EO-1)  Dobrovolsky, Georgi T. (CDR) Volkov, Vladislav N. (FE) Patsayev, Viktor I. (CR) Call Sign  Yantar (Amber) Backup crew  Shatalov V., Yeliseyev A., Rukavishnikov N. Earth orbit on Jun 6.4:    - Perigee / Apogee  189 x 209 km    - Eccentricity  0.002    - Inclination  51.57°    - Period  88.41 min

Docking date - time  07 Jun 1971 - 04:45 UT Target spacecraft  Salyut 1 Docking orbit on Jun 9.9:    - Perigee / Apogee  256 x 264 km    - Eccentricity  0.001    - Inclination  51.56°    - Period  89.66 min Undocking date - time  29 Jun 1971 - 18:28 UT Deorbit date - time  29 Jun 1971 - 22:35:24 UT Landing date - time  29 Jun 1971 - 23:16:52 UT Landing location  50°N, 73°E 200 km SW from Koestanaj Flight Duration (d:hr:min)  23d 18h 21min 43s (23.75 days) Nbr orbits  384

Flight Crew

Mission details

• First space station flight.
• Soyuz 11 docked with Salyut 1 from 1971 Jun 7.32 to Jun 29.77; checked improved on-board spacecraft systems in different conditions of flight; conducted medico-biological research. Large solar telescope was inoperative because cover failed to jettison. A small fire and difficult working conditions led to decision to return crew before planned full duration of 30 days. Capsule recovered June 29, 1971 23:17 GMT, but when the hatch was opened it was found that the crew had perished due to a loss of cabin atmosphere. A pressure equalization valve was jerked loose at the jettison of the Soyuz Orbital Module. The three-man crew did not have space suits. The Soyuz was thereafter redesigned to accomodate only two crew, but in spacesuits. The actual Soyuz 11 Prime Crew was Leonov, Kubasov, and Kolodin. Dobrovolskiy, Volkov, Patsayev were their backups (and support crew to Soyuz 10). Kubasov was grounded by physicians few days before launch, and the back-up crew ended up going instead.
• Crew died from depressurisation after jettisoning orbital module Jun 29.95.

Salyut 1 from space - Credit: RKK Energia.

Salyut 1 Interior - Patsayev operates equipment aboard Salyut 1 - Credit: RKK Energia.

Volkov and Dobrvolosky conduct medical experiments aboard Salyut 1. - Credit: RKK Energia.

External links:

• AmericaSpace: 130427-Flight Information part 1
• AmericaSpace: 130428-Flight Information part 2

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel Leninck

Docking cancel Leninck

Docking with the space station, Moscou cancel.

Return to Earth, Moscou cancel.