Soyuz 3

Launch, orbit & landing data: Designation  03516 / 68094A Launch date - time  26 Oct 1968 - 08:34:18 UT Launch site  Baikonur, LC31 Launch vehicle  Soyuz 11A511 OKB name - S/N°  Soyuz 7K-OK s/nº 10 (active). Basic shape  Sphere-cylinder + 2 wings Dimension (m)  7.5 long, 2.2 dia Mass (kg)  6575 kg Flight Crew  Beregovoy, Georgi T. (CDR) Call Sign  Argon Backup crew  Shatalov, Volynov Earth orbit on Oct 27.3:    - Perigee / Apogee  177 x 203 km    - Eccentricity  0.002    - Inclination  51.66°    - Period  88.3 min Recovered date - time  30 Oct 1968 - 07:25:03 UT Landing location  50°N, 72°E near Karaganda Flight Duration (d:u:min)  3:22:51 (R - 3.94 days) Nbr orbits

Flight Crew

Mission details:

• Automatic rendezvous with unmanned spacecraft Soyuz 2 on 26 Oct 1968 at 09:36 UT (distance 180 m), but failed to dock with target.
• First successful manned Soyuz flight. Complex testing of spaceship systems; development, in joint flight with space ship Soyuz 2 of processes of space ship manoeuvring and docking in artificial earth satellite orbit; development of elements of celestial navigation; conduct of research under space flight conditions. The failed docking was blamed on manual control of the Soyuz by Beregovoi, who repeatedly put spacecraft in an orientation that nulled the automatic docking system.
  Maneuver Summary:
  • 186km X 206km orbit to 173km X 232km orbit. Delta V: 10 m/s
  • 173km X 232km orbit to 205km X 231km orbit. Delta V: 9 m/s
  • Total Delta V: 31 m/s.

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel Lenink

FDC Moscou, signed by Beregevoy.