Launch Overview
Vehicle
Soyuz-U
Agency
Soviet Space Program
Site / Pad
NIIP-5 / LC1
Outcome
Success
Flight
Ye15000-159
COSPAR Designator
1978-081
Mission
Soyuz 31 (Human Exploration)
Soyuz 31 was the sixth mission to visit the Salyut 6 space station and carried the the EP-4 crew, which visited the long-duration Soyuz 29 resident crew. The mission began on August 26, 1978, 14:51:30 UTC, launching Commander Valery Bukovsky and Research Cosmonaut/Flight Engineer Sigmund Jähn, the first German cosmonaut, into orbit. They docked with the station the next day. During their stay on the station, crew conducted various scientific experiments. Soyuz 31 crew swapped vehicles with the Soyuz 29 (EO-2 expedition) crew, which allowed for a longer stay in orbit for EO-2. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on September 3, 1978, 11:40:34 UTC.
Vehicle & Provider
Rocket
Soyuz U
Provider
Soviet Space Program
Agency launches
1238 (56 YTD)
Site launches
528 (21 YTD)
Pad launches
168 (6 YTD)
Payloads (12)
| Piece | Name | Owner | State | Track |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-081 | Bitovoy otsek | MOM | SU | |
| 1978-081 | Priborno-agregatniy otsek | MOM | SU | |
| 1978-081 | 11S59B | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081 | 11S59V | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081 | 11S59G | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081 | 11S59D | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081 | 11S59A | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081 | Soyuz SAS | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081 | 11S511 Fairing | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081 | 11S511 Fairing | RVSN | ||
| 1978-081A | Soyuz 7K-T No. 47 | NPOE | SU | Track |
| 1978-081B | 11S510 | RVSN | SU | Track |