Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
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
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
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
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
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
Orion-2 Observatory
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
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
