Detailed ‘how it works’ Haynes Manual treatment on the Soyuz spacecraft, 1967–2014 (All Models). A fascinating insight into the design, construction and operation of the Soyuz from an expert author who has worked on the Apollo and Shuttle space programmes.

The Soyuz spacecraft played a major role in Russia's plans for a manned landing on the Moon and several test models were flown at the height of the ‘space race’. Originally designed for circumlunar flight, Soyuz has been the mainstay of Russia's space programme for 45 years, and unmanned cargo ships are still operational today. In all, almost 120 Soyuz spacecraft have flown in the past 45 years. Soyuz has also been adapted into an unmanned cargo-freighter/fuel-tanker carrying solids and liquids to Salyut space stations, Mir and the International Space Station.

The story of the Soyuz spacecraft also tells the story of Russia's manned space stations. This fits in neatly with the Haynes International Space Station Manual, as none of the early Soviet Salyut 1 to 7 stations are covered. What is it like to fly Soyuz? An illustrated minute-by-minute account of launch and of re-entry and landing.

Table of Contents

DRAFT CONTENTS The origins of Soyuz: The early 1960s, prior to official approval for the Moon programme, and the designers have lunar circumnavigation in their sites. Development of the first generations, including design, systems and test flights up to and including the first flight in 1967, in which cosmonaut Komarov is killed. Early missions: Flights resume in 1968 and early missions demonstrate rendezvous and docking. Zond flights around the Moon indicate an imminent Soviet circumlunar mission. Russia uses Soyuz as a major part of its Moon programme (this section will be described in detail and include the Russian Lunar Module and images of actual hardware).

Author Biography

Dr David Baker, an Englishman, worked with NASA on the Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programmes between 1965 and 1990 and has written more than 80 books on spaceflight technology. His previous titles for Haynes include NASA Mars Rovers Manual (H5370), International Space Station Manual (H5218) and NASA Space Shuttle Manual (H4866). He lives in East Sussex.