How did the Soviet Union save the Saliut-7 space station?

10.3 meters long, China's 8.5-ton weight is losing control and can plunge into the Earth.

But perhaps this was a relatively appropriate occasion to recount a campaign that the Soviet Union had conducted 32 years ago in a similar situation - bringing two Soviet astronauts Vladimir Dzanhibekov and Viktor Savinykh into space. To save the station 'Saliut-7' also lost contact in orbit.

Please tell me briefly the progress of this campaign:

Saliut-7 Space Station.

On April 19, 1982, the 'Saliut-7' space station - an advanced achievement of Soviet space design and technology thinking at that time was put into orbit. The main task of the station is to conduct scientific and technical experiments and other research in the universe.

For research purposes, crew crews are frequently changed. In total, six main crews performed research missions and five space expeditions, including Soviet, French and Indian astronauts, were taken to the station.

Two expeditions have the longest time on 'Saliut-7' - lasting up to 211 days and nights and 237 days and nights. Astronauts have left the station out of space up to 13 times with the total time out of space being 48 hours 33 minutes.

In May 1982, the Soviet Union made the first flight to the station by the 'Soiuz-T5' spacecraft . In August 1982, Soviet astronaut Svetlana Savitskaia boarded the station (this is the second female Soviet space pilot), and between February and October 1984 there were 6 houses. Cosmic work on the station.

It is on this 'Saliut-7' station that the crew consists of Leonhid Kizim, Vladimir Soloviev and Oleg Atkov setting an absolute record of working time in the universe - up to 237 days and nights.

Later, in a relatively long time, no expedition was sent to the orbit, and on February 11, 1985, the Center could not contact 'Saliut-7'.

At the time of contact loss, the station is flying in automatic mode, there are no astronauts on the station. What happened and why didn't the station contact the Ground? No one can answer the exact question above. Only one thing can be confirmed - the station has not been completely destroyed.

The reason for such conclusion is that thanks to the optical devices of the Soviet anti-missile defense system - through these devices it is possible to see that 'Saliut-7' is still an intact object, that is, has not been destroyed by some impact.

The 'Saliut-7' station, as stated, aside from the great scientific values, the possibility that it could fall to Earth is also a threat - can cause unforeseen consequences. That is why the Soviet leadership and the leader of the Soviet space industry were headache to find solutions to handle this difficult situation.

Vladimir Dzanhibekov and Viktor Savinykh.

After many lengthy consultations, the Soviet Government decided - to save the 'Saliut-7' station. The only solution to make this decision - take up a rescue team 'Saliut' station for repairs.

Before that, there has never been a case of similar rescue in the history of the world's cosmology - and this time the Soviet astronauts have once again taken on the responsibility of becoming pioneers in the universe to leave Make an extremely difficult mission - save a space station that has lost contact.

Of course, this is an extremely high-risk campaign. First, no one has ever conducted similar campaigns before, so astronauts do not have both personal experience and ability to consult with certain 'predecessors' .

Second, astronauts can collide with the space station that has been out of control, dead or poisoned by substances after fire (if it has already caught fire on the station), permanently trapped in the universe. Because on the Ground did not know exactly what happened on the 'Saliut-7' station .

However, it was no longer possible - because according to calculations only after about half a year after losing control, 'Saliut-7' would definitely decrease in altitude and eventually fall to some place. on Earth, it is possible - into a large city, an industrial facility, even a nuclear power plant and serious loss of life and possibly - a technological disaster.

It is easy to understand that the leadership of the space industry can only trust the mission of making rescue flights for the most experienced and highly qualified astronauts.

It must be the best among the best - the elite of the Soviet space industry. It doesn't take too long to find such people after thoroughly studying the entire list of not many astronauts based on their age, health status and professional qualities.

Viktor Petrovich Savinykh.

The person chosen to be a ship engineer is Viktor Petrovich Savinykh . At that time he was 45 years old, had 20 years of experience working in the space industry. Vikror Petrovich was born in 1940.

He graduated from the Perm Rail Transport Engineering Middle School and later served in Railroad Army units, after retiring to the Department of Optical-Mechanical Engineering Geodetic Engineering University - no photos and copies. Moscow map.

Excellent graduate (in red) at the university, Viktor Savinykh was accepted to work at the central machine design department (since 1974, this room has been renamed 'Energy' science-industry group). , and was assigned to the design team in charge of the academy Boris Raushenbak.