Launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome; landing with Soyuz 35 capsule 180 km southeast Dzheskasgan.

Soyuz 36 was the fifth Interkosmos mission (with Bertalan Farkas, the first cosmonaut from Hungary). Following a one day solo flight Soyuz 36 docked with the Salyut 6 space station on May 27, 1980 and the crew performed common work with the fourth resident crew.

The mission was postponed from June 1979 because of the Soyuz 33 main engine failure.

Experiments in materials science and earth observation were carried out. One experiment was Pille, which measured radiation doses received by the crew with miniature thermoluminescent devices attached to their clothing and to the walls of the station. Another three experiments studied the formation of interferon in human cells under weightless conditions. Earth resources work using the on-board cameras were carried out, in coordination with ground crews, airplanes and helicopters.

The Soyuz craft was used to boost the station's orbit on May 29, 1980, then Valeri Kubasov and Bertalan Farkas swapped Soyuz craft with the long-duration crew, exchanging seat liners, pressure suits and personal items, before departing the station in Soyuz 35 on June 03, 1980.