Soyuz 21

Soyuz 21
OperatorSoviet space program
COSPAR ID1976-064A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.8934
Mission duration49 days, 6 hours and 23 minutes
Orbits completed791
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftSoyuz 7K-T No.9
Spacecraft typeSoyuz 7K-T/A9
ManufacturerNPO Energia
Launch mass6,750 kg (14,880 lb)[1]
Landing mass1,200 kg (2,600 lb)
Crew
Crew size2
MembersBoris Volynov
Vitaly Zholobov
CallsignБайкал (Baikal - "Lake Baikal")
Start of mission
Launch date6 July 1976, 12:08:45 UTC
RocketSoyuz 11A511
Launch siteBaikonur 1/5[2]
End of mission
Landing date24 August 1976, 18:32:17 UTC
Landing site200 km at the southwest of Kokshetau, Kazakhstan
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[3]
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude193 km (120 mi)
Apogee altitude253 km (157 mi)
Inclination51.6°
Period88.7 minutes
Docking with Salyut 5[4]
Docking date7 July 1976, 13:40:00 UTC
Undocking date24 August 1976, 13:40:13 UTC
Time docked48 days

Vimpel Diamond patch

Soviet stamp featuring Volynov and Zholobov (1976)

Soyuz 21 (Russian: Союз 21, Union 21) was a 1976 Soviet crewed mission to the Salyut 5 space station, the first of three flights to the station.[4] The mission's objectives were mainly military in scope, but included other scientific work. The mission ended abruptly with cosmonauts Boris Volynov and Vitaly Zholobov returning to Earth after 49 days in orbit. The precise reason for the early end of the mission was the subject of much speculation, but was reported to be an emergency evacuation after the Salyut atmosphere developed an acrid odor.

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  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference spacefacts was invoked but never defined (see the help page).