Chronicle of an extraordinary space journey (ballistic analysis of Soyuz T-15 flight)

Abstract

35 years ago, in March 1986, a unique flight of the Soyuz T-15 transport manned vehicle was performed, including in its program the flight of the crew from one orbital station to another (from the Mir station to the Salyut-7 station) and back. In the 60-year history of manned space exploration, such a double flight continues to be the only one of its kind. The article considers the circumstances that developed at the time of the Mir station launch into orbit — the first station of the 3rd generation. The approaches adopted during the development of the ballistics profile and the operational changes required during its implementation are described in detail. In conclusion, the actual fuel consumption of all spacecraft involved in this scheme is presented. It is assumed that the experience gained during the implementation of flights can be used in future promising manned missions, both in near-Earth orbit and in the implementation of the future Lunar program. Key words: orbital station Salyut, orbital station Mir, manned vehicle, orbital flights, prospective human missions.