Knowra Soyuz programme Soyuz programme The Soviet and later Russian human-spaceflight programme built around Soyuz spacecraft and missions. It has carried crews to orbit and supported long-running space-station operations.
Soyuz spacecraft : A family of Soviet and Russian crewed spacecraft used for orbital flights, space-station transport, and return to Earth. Its crewed vehicles are the programme’s central means of reaching orbit and returning safely.
Sergei Korolev : A Soviet rocket engineer who led the design bureau responsible for Sputnik, Vostok, and early Soyuz development. Korolev’s design bureau began the spacecraft programme that became Soyuz.
Soyuz 1 : The first crewed Soyuz flight, launched in 1967 and ending in the death of cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov during landing. Its fatal design failures prompted extensive changes to the spacecraft and flight process.
Salyut programme : The Soviet programme of space stations launched from 1971 to 1986, including both civilian and military stations. Soyuz spacecraft carried crews to Salyut stations and enabled their long-duration missions.
Salyut 1 : The first space station, launched by the Soviet Union in 1971 and visited by the Soyuz 11 crew. Its short-lived operation established the crewed-station role Soyuz would serve for decades.
Soyuz launch vehicle : A family of Russian orbital rockets derived from the R-7 missile, used to launch crewed and uncrewed spacecraft. This rocket family has launched Soyuz spacecraft throughout the programme.
Vostok programme : The Soviet human-spaceflight programme that launched the first person into space and developed the Vostok spacecraft. Vostok established Soviet crewed-flight capabilities that Soyuz succeeded and expanded.
Soyuz 11 : The 1971 mission that carried the first crew to Salyut 1, ending with the crew’s death during depressurization on return. The accident led to major changes in Soyuz crew protection and suit requirements.
Mir : A Soviet and Russian modular space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001. Soyuz served as Mir’s crew transport and emergency return vehicle.
Mir Core Module : The first module of the Mir space station, launched by the Soviet Union in 1986. Soyuz transport helped sustain the long-duration missions that made Mir a major orbital outpost.
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