Human Spaceflights

International Flight-No. 27

Soyuz 4

Amur

USSR

Patch Soyuz 4

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Launch, orbit and landing data

Launch date:  14.01.1969
Launch time:  07:30 UT
Launch site:  Baikonur
Launch pad:  31
Altitude:  173 - 225,3 km
Inclination:  51,72°
Docking Soyuz 5:  16.01.1969, 08:20 UT
Undocking Soyuz 5:  16.01.1969, 12:55 UT
Landing date:  17.01.1969
Landing time:  06:50 UT
Landing site:  40 km NW of Karaganda
Vladimir Shatalov

Crew

No.   Surname Given names Job Flight No. Duration Orbits
1 USSR  Shatalov  Vladimir Aleksandrovich  Commander 1 2d 23h 20m  48 

Crew seating arrangement

Launch
1  Shatalov
2  
3  
Soyuz spaceship
Landing
1  Shatalov
2  Khrunov
3  Yeliseyev

Animations: Soyuz

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

1. Double Crew

No.   Surname Given names Job
1 USSR  Shonin  Georgi Stepanovich  Commander
Georgi Shonin

2. Double Crew

No.   Surname Given names Job
1 USSR  Dobrovolsky  Georgi Timofeyevich  Commander
Georgi Dobrovolsky

Flight

Launch from Baikonur; landing 40 km northwest of Karaganda.

Planned launch on January 13, 1969 was scrubbed due of bad weather. That was the first time in Soviet space history. Docking with Soyuz 5 (Soyuz 4 had the active part). The two spacecrafts were electrical and mechanically connected, but there was no direct way from one spaceship to the other. It was the first docking of manned spacecrafts. Soyuz 5 cosmonauts Khrunov and Yeliseyev entered the Soyuz 4, in a spacewalk. After pressurisation of the Soyuz 4 capsule they were greeted by Shatalov. All three cosmonauts landed with the Soyuz 4 spacecraft. Scientific (medical and biological) and technical experiments were also performed, but all in all it were tests of lunar landing techniques.

The landing was 40 km far from the planned point.

Photos

Soyuz 4 launch Soyuz 4 and 5 prior to docking
Soyuz 4 onboard after EVA Spacewalkers Yeliseyev and Khrunov
Shatalov explains the docking of Soyuz 4 and 5 Soyuz 4 recovery

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Last update on June 26, 2010.

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