This page needs to be proofread.

2.6 Salyut 5/Almaz 3 (June 22, 1976-August 8, 1977)

Salyut 5 was the third Almaz station.
Like Salyut 3/Almaz 2 (figure 2-7),
which it closely resembled, its aims
were primarily military.

2.6.1 Salyut 5 Specifications

Length .................................................... 14.55 m
Maximum diameter .................................. 4.15 m
Habitable volume ..................................... 100 m3
Weight at launch ..................................... 19,000 kg
Launch vehicle ......................................... Proton (three-stage)
Orbital inclination ..................................... 51.6°
Number of solar arrays ............................. 2
Resupply carriers ..................................... Soyuz Ferry
Number of docking ports .......................... 1
Total manned missions ............................ 3
Total long-duration missions ..................... 2

2.6.2. Salyut 5 Notable Features

  • Consisted of a spherical transfer module with four hatches, a largediameter work compartment and a small-diameter living compartment.
  • As with Salyut 3, the large Agat Earth-observation camera dominated the floor of the largediameter work compartment. Agat images were used to compile maps; analyze tectonic structures; seek out oil, gas, and ore deposits; survey the sites of

planned hydroelectric facilities; study formation of storms; and spot forest fires.[1] These activities were in addition to the station’s primary Earth-observation objectives, which were military.

2.6.3 Salyut 5 Career

Entries below describe Salyut 5 operations during Soyuz missions to the station. For more information on the Soyuz missions, see section 1.8.4.4 Dates are hard dock to undock; if no hard dock achieved, launch to landing.

Soyuz 21 July 7-August 24, 1976
Boris Volynov, Vitali Zholobov
Crew code name—Baykal

The Salyut 5 crew’s stay coincided with the start of the Siber military exercise in Siberia. The cosmonauts observed the exercise as part of an assessment of the station’s military surveillance capabilities. They conducted only a few scientific experiments–these included first use of the Kristall furnace for crystal growth. Engineering experiments included propellant transfer system tests with implications for future Progress freighter operations. The Soyuz 21 crew seems to have left the station suddenly, ahead of their scheduled departure date. This has been attributed to a fire, an environmental control system

  1. Johnson, 1980, pp. 249-250.