Ramjet missile launched which accelerated under ramjet power to Mach 3.1 at 67,200-feet altitude, at NACA Wallops Island. References: 17 .

FBI agents interrogate Tsien Hsue-shen on allegations that he is a Communist. The same day his security clearance is revoked, making it virtually impossible to continue meaningful work in rocketry. The allegations seem unlikely to his associates at CalTech (his wife was the daughter of one of Chiang Kai-shek's leading military strategists). Two weeks later, Tsien announces his intention to return to China. Tsien, denied the possibility to work, becomes enmeshed in a tug-of-war between differing viewpoints in the US government bureaucracy: those that want to deport him as an undesirable alien, and those that want to keep him in the country because of what he knows. References: 31 .

Failed on static firing. Accidentally launched during ground test. Reached 6 km.

Army announced that sea urchin eggs fertilized before Jupiter nose cone flight continued to grow normally. References: 17 .

Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 99 .

Glide. Maximum Speed - 1483 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19540 m. Flight Time - 231 sec. References: 49 , 97 .

First space station flight, two years before the American Skylab. Soyuz 11 was guided automatically to 100 m, then hand-docked to the Salyut 1 scientific station. Equipment aboard Salyut 1 included a telescope, spectrometer, electrophotometer, and television. The crew checked improved on-board spacecraft systems in different conditions of flight and conducted medico-biological research. The main instrument, a large solar telescope, was inoperative because its 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 valve was not supposed to open until an altitude of 4 km was reached. 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. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 32 , 33 , 60 .

High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; maneuverable. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

Area survey photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

KH-8 type satellite. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Maximum Speed - 1786 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21980 m. Flight Time - 474 sec. References: 49 , 97 .

Docked with Salyut 6. Launched unmanned to provide return vehicle for Soyuz 32 crew of Lyakhov/Ryumin after Soyuz 33 primary propulsion system failure. Checked the operation of the spacecraft propulsion unit; transportated the crew of the Salyut-6 station back to earth. Recovered August 19, 1979 12:30 GMT. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 32 , 33 .

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system; transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita network and international cooperation. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

3rd generation, high resolution photo surveillance; film capsule; maneuverable (?); also performed earth resource tasks. Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

Released 25 Romb radar calibration subsatellites. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

ASAT target. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 272 .

Suborbital test of 1/8 scale model of Buran. Typical trajectory: ascent to 120 km; pitch down to drive model in atmosphere at 45 degree at Mach 18.5. None were reflown but at least 4 were recovered. References: 81 .

Replaced Cosmos 1518. Covered Oko constellation plane 5 - 74 degree longitude of ascending node. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 100 .

Docked with Salyut 7. Delivered to the Salyut-7 orbital station a crew consisting of flight commander V A Dzhanibekov and flight engineer V P Savinykh to carry out emergency repairs to inert Salyut 7 station and to conduct scientific and technical research and experiments. Returned crew of Soyuz T-14 to Earth. Recovered September 26, 1985 9:52 GMT. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 32 , 33 , 51 .

High resolution photo reconnaissance; returned film in two small SpK capsules during the mission and with the main capsule at completion of the mission. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 179 .

Completion of Peacekeeper Rail Garrison system facilities at Vandenberg AFB. References: 88 .

Retrieved and installed material samples References: 66 .

First launch in a new series of electro-optical military reconnaisance satellites. References: 4 , 274 .

First successful Proton/Briz-M launch. The Proton placed the Briz-M/Gorizont payload stack into a suborbital trajectory. The stage then performed four maneuvers to put the satellite into geosynchronous orbit:

• Burn 1 placed the stack into a 200 km, 51.6 deg parking orbit probably inclined at around 51.6
• Burn 2 raised apogee to 6000 km and changed inclination slightly
• Burn 3, at second perigee, four hours after launch put the stack in a 369 x 34,988 km x 48.8 deg transfer orbit. The Briz-M then jettisoned its empty toroidal supplementary fuel tank.
• Burn 4, ten hours after launch, placed Gorizont No. 45L in near-geostationary orbit.