SPACECRAFT ACCIDENTS:EXAMINING THE PAST, IMPROVING

THE FUTURE

Soyuz 11

Bryan Palaszewski working with the

Digital Learning NetworkNASA Glenn Research Center

Soyuz 11 (USSR)

• Launched: June 6, 1971

• Mission: First occupancy of a long duration space station

• On return to Earth on June 29, 1971, a valve accidentally opened, allowing the air to escape the spacecraft. The crew did not survive.

Soyuz 11 (USSR) Results

• There were no flights of Russian human crew until September 27, 1973.

• Many robotic test flights were conducted to assure safety.

• Spacecraft (Soyuz 12) was redesigned to carry 2 persons with spacesuits.

• Original (Soyuz 11) spacecraft was considered so safe that spacesuits were not required for the 3 cosmonauts.

Soyuz 11

Soyuz 12

Soyuz 1