Human Spaceflights

International Flight No. 53

Soyuz 18

Kavkaz

USSR

Patch Soyuz 18 first Salyut patch
early Salyut patch

hi res version (288 KB)

Launch, orbit and landing data

Launch date:  24.05.1975
Launch time:  14:58 UTC
Launch site:  Baikonur
Launch pad:  31
Altitude:  193 - 247 km
Declination:  51,69°
Docking Salyut 4:  25.05.1975, 21:30 UTC
Undocking Salyut 4:  26.07.1975, 10:56 UTC
Landing date:  26.07.1975
Landing time:  14:18 UTC
Landing site:  56 km E of Arkalyk

walkout photo

Crew Soyuz 18

alternate crew photo

alternate crew photo

alternate crew photo

Crew

No.   Surname Given names Position Flight No. Duration Orbits
1 USSR  Klimuk  Pyotr Iliyich  Commander 2 62d 23h 20m  993 
2 USSR  Sevastiyanov  Vitali Ivanovich  Flight Engineer 2 62d 23h 20m  993 

Crew seating arrangement

Launch
1  Klimuk
2  Sevastiyanov
Soyuz spaceship
Landing
1  Klimuk
2  Sevastiyanov

Animations: Soyuz

Launch deorbit entry
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with friendly permission of www.marscenter.it

Double Crew

No.   Surname Given names Position
1 USSR  Kovalyonok  Vladimir Vasiliyevich  Commander
2 USSR  Ponomaryov  Yuri Anatoliyevich  Flight Engineer
Crew Soyuz 18 (double)

Flight

Launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome; landing 56 km east of Arkalyk.

The crew was originally for backup crew for Soyuz 18A crew, but that launch failed. Following a one day solo flight the Soyuz docked with Salyut 4 on 25.05.1975. The cosmonauts became the 2nd crew of spacestation Salyut 4. They stayed 62 days onboard. For that reason the focus of the mission research into long-term stays in space, with the crew performing various biomedical experiments (includig intensive physically exercise) and growing plants in orbit. They also made solar observations and took photos of the Earths surface.

The crew remained aloft aboard the station during the ASTP joint flight.

Photos / Drawings

Salyut 4 crew in training
Soyuz 18 on the way to the launch pad Soyuz 18 on launch pad
Soyuz 18 onboard Salyut 4  

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Last update on January 14, 2012.

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