Salyut 6

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Salyut 6

Salyut 6
The Salyut 6 station as displayed in Moscow, November 1981. At the aft end a Progress resupply craft is docked. At the forward docking station is a Soyuz spacecraft, representing Soyuz 34 according to the lettering on the side. Unusually, the Soyuz Ferry (7K-T) spacecraft is shown with solar panels, which was thought never to be the case by Western observers.

Credit: © Mark Wade. 57,119 bytes. 575 x 389 pixels.

Article Number: 11F715. Manufacturer's Designation: 17KS s/n 125. Class: Manned. Type: Space Station. Nation: Russia. Manufacturer: Korolev.

Salyut 6 panel - Salyut 6 Control Panel - above and to the right of the main station control panel

Credit: © Mark Wade. 55,111 bytes. 356 x 529 pixels.

Autopilot: Digital. Propulsion/RCS Systems: Unitary. Main propulsion 2 x 300 kgf, stablization and orientation motors 32 x 24 kgf. Telemetry: High Rate. Rendezvous/Docking: Kurs. Equipment: - MKF-6 multispectral camera system - KT-140 high resolution topographical camera system (200,000 sq. km. per film frame) KRT-10 10 m diameter radio telescope - Splav alloying/materials processing furnace - Kristal containerless processor for semiconductor materials - BST-1M 1.5 m diameter cryogenic submillimeter/ ultraviolet/infrared telescope Refraktion and Zarya spectrometers for sun/moon views through earth's limb - Ispartitel experiment for coating of plates with materials - Yelena gamma ray telescope - Oasis plant growth unit - Polinom cardiovascular monitoring system.

Interior of Salyut 6 - Interior of Salyut 6 looking forward.

Credit: © Mark Wade. 42,371 bytes. 583 x 384 pixels.

Specification

Design Life: 1765 days. Total Length: 14.4 m. Maximum Diameter: 4.2 m. Total Habitable Volume: 90.00 m3. Total Mass: 19,824 kg. Total Payload: 1,500 kg. Total Propellants: 1,200 kg. Primary Engine Thrust: 600 kgf. Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Main Engine Isp: 305 sec. Electric system: 2.00 total average kW. Electrical System: Solar Panel Span: 17.0 m, area: 60 sq. m.

Module: Station core. Purpose: Space station civilian. Length: 14.4 m. Basic Diameter: 4.2 m. Max Diameter: 4.2 m. Overall Mass: 19,824 kg. Propellants: 1200 RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 14 X 10 kgf . RCS Fine No x Thrust: 18 X 1 kgf . Maneuver System Thrust: 400 kgf. Maneuver System Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Maneuver System Isp: 305 sec. Electric system: 2.00 average kW. Electric system type: Solar Panel Span: 17.0 m, area: 60 sq. m.
Salyut 6 - Salyut 6 as displayed in Moscow in 1981.
Credit: © Mark Wade. 29,637 bytes. 640 x 174 pixels.

Salyut 6 Chronology

29 September 1977 Salyut 6 Program: Salyut. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K. Mass: 19,824 kg. Perigee: 188 km. Apogee: 237 km. Inclination: 51.6 deg. Duration: 1,763.71 days.

Salyut 6 airlock - Salyut 6 airlock compartment

Credit: © Mark Wade. 37,174 bytes. 490 x 360 pixels.

Conduct of scientific and technical research and experiments; further testing of station design, on-board system and equipment. Soyuz 25 docking unsuccessful. EVA 20 Dec 1977 to examine forward docking port (no damage). EVA 29 July 1978 to retrieve externally mounted experiments (micrometeorites, biopolymers, radiation plates, materials tests). Soyuz 33 failure to dock due to propulsion failure April 1979. Soyuz 34 launched unmanned to provide replacement vehicle June 1979. EVA August 15 to dislodge 10 m diameter KRT-10 radio telescope from aft docking collar. Repair mission Soyuz T-3 December 1980 (temperature control hydraulics). Repair mission Soyuz T-4 March 1981 (stuck solar array). Salyut ejected a module on May 31 (perhaps retained Soyuz Orbital Module). Kosmos 1267 docks 19 June 1981. Commanded to reentry using Kosmos 1267 propulsion system over Pacific July 29 1982. Additional Details: Salyut 6.

Salyut 6 Cutaway - The Salyut 6 space station was the the first evolved design with two docking ports.

Credit: RKK Energia. 23,305 bytes. 436 x 290 pixels.

19 December 1977 EVA Soyuz 26-1 Program: Salyut. Flight Crew: Grechko, Romanenko.

Salyut 6 In Space

Credit: RKK Energia. 19,012 bytes. 298 x 227 pixels.

Inspected Salyut 6 docking port.

29 July 1978 EVA Soyuz 29-1 Program: Salyut. Flight Crew: Ivanchenkov, Kovalyonok.

Salyut 6 Main Panel - Salyut 6 Main Control Panel - adopted unchanged from Soyuz 7K-OK

Credit: © Mark Wade. 50,567 bytes. 559 x 337 pixels.

Retrieved material samples and equipment.

15 August 1979 EVA Soyuz 32-1 Program: Salyut. Flight Crew: Lyakhov, Ryumin.

Salyut 6 toilet - View of Salyut 6 toilet facility - you always wanted to know how they do it in space...

Credit: © Mark Wade. 17,264 bytes. 155 x 328 pixels.

Jettisoned KRT-10 antenna from rear docking port.

Bibliography:

21 - Semenov, Yuri P Editor, Raketno-kosmicheskaya korporatsiya 'Energia' imeni S P Koroleva, Moscow, Russia, 1996.
32 - Clark, Philip, The Soviet Manned Space Program, Salamander Books, London, 1988.
33 - Furniss, Tim, Manned Spaceflight Log, Jane's, London, 1986.
51 - Oberg, James, Red Star in Orbit, Random House, New York, 1981.
89 - Semenov, Yu. P., S P Korolev Space Corporation Energia, RKK Energia, 1994.

Salyut 6 - Salyut 6 as displayed in Moscow in 1981.

Salyut 6 Engines - Closeup of the engines of Salyut 6 as displayed in Moscow in 1981.

Salyut 6 rear int. - Salyut 6 view of rear interior of station

Salyut 6 model - Salyut 6 model showing cosmonaut on treadmill and bulk of solar camera on the right

Salyut 4 panel - Closeup of Salyut 4 propellant system control panel

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .