The U.S.-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

On July 15, 1975, the Soyuz 19 manned spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur Space Center in the Soviet Union at 3.20 p.m. Moscow time, marking the start of the first international manned space flight, carried out by the United States and the Soviet Union under the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP).

That same day, the Apollo 18 spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 10.50 p.m., the Russian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation recalls in a special report on its website at http://rgantd.ru/vzal/epas/index.htm.

The Soviet craft was crewed by cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Valery Kubasov, while the U.S. crew consisted of astronauts Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand and Donald “Deke” Slayton.

Soviet and U.S. spacecraft approached each other and docked for the first time in history. Photo: The Soviet mission control center outside Moscow during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

The spacecraft docked on July 17, 1975, 140 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. Three hours after docking, Leonov shook hands with Stafford and said in English “Glad to see you.” Stafford replied in Russian “Privyet, rad tebya vidyet” (“Hello, glad to see you.”) The men then embraced.

Cooperation between Soviet and U.S. scientists dates back to the launch of the first Soviet satellites. In June 1962, the Soviet Academy of Sciences and NASA signed their first cooperation agreement in the field of civil space exploration, resulting in extensive sharing of opinions and results of space experiments. Photo: Apollo 18 Mission Commander Thomas Stafford (left) and Soyuz 19 Mission Commander Alexei Leonov after a training session of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project became the first stage of a large-scale and complex endeavor. Photo: The Soyuz 19 spacecraft in orbit, taken by the Apollo 18 crew.

The main goals of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project were to create an advanced multirole rescue pod, improve technical systems and methods for joint mission control, and conduct joint scientific experiments and orbital rescue operations. Photo: Soviet cosmonaut and Hero of the Soviet Union Alexei Leonov, center, flanked by U.S. astronauts Thomas Stafford, left, and Donald “Deke” Slayton after the docking.

Specialists had to perform a tremendous amount of work before the flights because early models of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft lacked docking adapters, according to the Russian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation. Photo: Testing the docking mechanisms of the Soyuz and Apollo spacecraft at the Soviet Academy of Sciences’ Space Research Institute.

The Soviet Union upgraded its Soyuz launch vehicle and developed six modified Soyuz-7K-TM cargo-spacecraft for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Photo: Testing operational versions of the Apollo-Soyuz docking adapters at the Space Research Institute.

An androgynous docking module was developed for the project. Photo: The deputy technical director of the ASTP, Arnold Aldrich, left, and Rockwell International vice president R. Larson at the Soviet Academy of Sciences’ Space Research Institute.

The docking module was designed by Soviet and U.S. specialists, who also developed new approach-and-docking radar systems. The United States developed an airlock that allowed safe passage between spacecraft. The Soviets invented new non-flammable underwear and flight-suit fabrics. Photo: Testing the Apollo and Soyuz docking modules.

Separate and joint scientific experiments were conducted during the flight. The Soviet and U.S. crews also made radio and television broadcasts from orbit, and took pictures and video recordings. Astrophysical, biological and technological experiments performed during the mission provided new information about outer space, verified a new solar-corona research method using an artificial solar eclipse and tested an alloy-production process in zero-gravity conditions. Photo: Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, left, and U.S. astronaut Thomas Stafford answering journalists’ questions during the first orbital news conference of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

A considerable part of the mission was devoted to symbolic gestures. Soviet and U.S. crews exchanged flags, souvenirs and plaques. Photo: The two halves of this medal were joined together after the docking of the Apollo 18 and Soyuz- 19 spacecraft.

The Apollo 18 spacecraft.

The Apollo and Soyuz space crews.

Both crews returned safely to Earth. Soyuz 19 soft-landed on Soviet soil on July 21, 1975, while Apollo 18 splashed down near the Hawaiian Islands on July 25. Photo: Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov signing the reentry module after landing.