Pilot and cosmonaut and Hero of the Soviet Union, he belonged to the group of cosmonauts of the second recruitment. Artyukhin made his first and last space flight in 1974 on the Soyuz 14 transport vehicle. After that mission, he worked in the cosmonaut training centre, R&D association Molniya, and was directly involved in the development of the Russian shuttle Buran. Artyuhkin died at the age of 68 after a long illness. He was given the last tributes in the House of Cosmonauts in Star City. The burial ceremony was accompanied by the military honours to the dead.

• Soyuz (Almaz) 12 - - 1972 June - Assignment: Proposed Prime Crew.

  Planned first crew to the first Almaz space station. Cancelled after the loss of control of Almaz OPS 1 (Salyut 2) in orbit.

• Soyuz 14 - - 1974 Jul 3 - Assignment: Prime Crew. Flight Time: 15.73 days. Flight details: Soyuz 14.

  On 4 July Soyuz 14 docked with the Salyut 3 space station after 15 revolutions of the earth. The planned experimental program included manned military reconnaissance of the earth's surface, assessing the fundamental value of such observations, and some supplemental medico-biological research. All objectives were successfully completed and the spacecraft was recovered on July 19, 1974 at 12:21 GMT, landing within 2 km of the aim point 140 km SE Dzkezkazgan. After the crew's return research continued in the development of the on-board systems and the principles of remote control of such a station.

• TKS-1 - - 1981 Beginning of - Assignment: Proposed Backup Crew.

  Planned first test manned flight of the TKS large ferry craft. Would have docked with the Almaz OPS 4 military space station. Flight cancelled with the rest of the Almaz program in 1981. The spacecraft was instead flown unmanned to Salyut 6 as Cosmos 1267.

• TKS-2 - - 1981 Middle of - Assignment: Proposed Prime Crew.

  Second TKS flight that would have docked with the cancelled Almaz OPS 4 military space station. The spacecraft was instead flown unmanned to Salyut 7 as Cosmos 1443.