Soyuz 16

Soyuz 16 mission is the designation for the flight of a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. It was the 31st flight of the Soviet Sojusprogramm. He served in preparation for the Apollo - Soyuz Test Project ( ASTP ).

Crew

Main occupation

  • Anatoly Vasilyevich Filipchenko ( second space flight), Commander
  • Nikolai Nikolayevich Rukavishnikov ( second space flight ), flight engineer

Filipchenko and Rukavishnikov were provided as backup crew for the Apollo - Soyuz Test Project, and therefore received the allocation for this flight preparation.

Backup crew

  • Vladimir Alexandrovich Dzhanibekov, Commander
  • Boris Andreyevich Andreyev, Flight Engineer

The support team consisted of Yuri Romanenko and Alexander Ivanchenkov.

Mission overview

With the flight of Soyuz 16, the entire program of the ASTP Soviet side was simulated. It focused in particular on the testing of the androgynous coupling system and the change in the cabin atmosphere. The Apollo atmosphere was pure oxygen. When a Soyuz normal atmosphere (nitrogen / oxygen) was used. In order not to make too long at the planned Umstiegen the lock stays for blood matching, the oxygen content of the cabin pressure of 760 mm was in Soyuz increased and decreased to 540 mm of mercury. For the newly developed coupling unit hydraulic couplings were simulated with an entrained counterpart performed ( 32 and 38 mission in orbit ).

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