a Soviet mission that included the planned linking of two spacecraft and exchange of crewmen

On October 13, 1969, Vladimir Shatalov and Aleksei Yeliseyev were launched into orbit aboard Soyuz 8. The mission plan was for their craft to rendezvous and dock with Soyuz 7, which had been launched with three cosmonauts aboard the previous day, while Soyuz 6 and its two-man crew maneuvered nearby and took motion pictures. The plan also called for at least one cosmonaut from both Soyuz 7 and 8 to "trade places" while docked. A failure of electronics in all three spacecraft prevented the docking, however, and the Soyuz 8 mission ended when the craft returned to Earth on October 18.

Spaceship Commander V. A. Shatalov and Flight Engineer A. S. Yeliseyev wave from the bridge before donning their suits and climbing aboard Soyuz 8.

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This page was last updated on 05/27/2017.