Soviet cosmonauts embark on a daring mission to rescue humanity from the plummeting 'dead' space station

In June 1985, Soviet cosmonauts successfully manually docked their spacecraft with the 'dead' Salyut 7 space station.

According to Russia Beyond, this mission is still considered one of the most challenging and perilous in the history of aerospace.

Lost Communication

At 9:23 am on February 11, 1985, the Mission Control Center of the Soviet Union continuously sent signals to the Salyut 7 station to check if all systems were operational. The space station had been unmanned for six months due to prolonged space explorations, operating in autonomous mode. However, this time, there was no response from Salyut 7. Something undoubtedly had happened, but no one on Earth could determine why the station abruptly lost communication.

Without electronic trajectory adjustments, Salyut 7 is on track to become a 19-ton 'comet' uncontrollable as it approaches Earth. Even with the most optimistic calculations, the reality is unavoidable catastrophe – unburned debris in the atmosphere could threaten cities.

However, this scenario didn't entirely convince both TsUP and Soviet leaders. The primary reason to initiate a rescue mission (though seemingly skeptical) is the colossal disaster that such an event would irreparably inflict on the reputation of the Soviet aerospace industry.

Emergency Training

Preparations for the rescue mission began immediately after Salyut 7 lost communication. By mid-March 1985, the crew for this mission had been approved. The most experienced individuals were selected: mission commander Vladimir Dzhanibekov and flight engineer Viktor Savinykh.

Their training lasted for 4 months. During this time, Dzhanibekov had to 'chase down' the space station in mid-flight, solving various scenarios in a simulation. Any mistake could cost the lives of the astronauts and the people on Earth.

As the reason for the space station's disconnection remained a mystery, Savinykh had to study all available documents about Salyut 7. Additionally, he had to learn how to crawl around the space station model in complete darkness, as there might be no power on Salyut 7.

The rescue spacecraft Soyuz T-13 underwent design modifications. A compartment within the spacecraft was repurposed to store food for an extended period, considering the uncertainty of how long the astronauts would take to rescue the 'dead' Salyut 7. The reserve food in its storage compartments might have been compromised due to the frigid conditions of space.

Space Chase

On the early morning of June 6, 1985, Dzhanibekov and Savinykh initiated the rescue mission from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The rescue team had only one shot at success at an altitude of 300km above Earth's surface.

On the second day of the journey, Dzhanibekov and Savinykh approached Salyut 7. According to their calculations, the Soyuz spacecraft was just 10km away from the target. A small 'star' twinkled outside the window, gradually becoming brighter.

The rescue team prepared for the most challenging maneuver in the history of space travel. In automatic approach mode, Dzhanibekov reduced the distance to 2.5km and began docking with Salyut 7. However, as they got close enough, the astronauts realized they had made a mistake...

Salyut 7's docking port was inactive and facing the rescue force. In this position, they had only two choices: return to Earth or attempt to orbit the space station to dock on the other side. However, the latter action could cost both astronauts their lives. Dzhanibekov sought permission from TsUP. The silence lingered, adding tension, but after a few minutes, the astronauts received feedback: they had to try.

Successfully circling the space station was a result of Dzhanibekov's extensive training and experience. Now, he observes Salyut 7's operational docking port through a window. All that remains is completing the manual docking operation with almost absolute precision. If Dzhanibekov twitches the control lever even a millimeter, the Soyuz spacecraft could easily damage the docking port or puncture Salyut 7, equating to mission failure.

The spacecraft momentarily hesitated. The astronauts felt a gentle thrust, followed by the echoing sound of the automatic latch – Soyuz had safely docked with the 'dead' Salyut 7.

Feasible Mission

Even then, the rescue mission wasn't over; they had to bring the space station back to life. Dzhanibekov and Savinykh prepared to enter Salyut 7. All tasks had to be done manually as the automatic system malfunctioned. They opened a small valve on the door to channel air from Soyuz to the compartments of Salyut 7. Once the pressure balanced, they entered the station.

They confirmed no power on the space station. All systems were off, and devices were exposed to low temperatures; it was uncertain whether they could be reactivated. The batteries were also damaged. Supplying energy from Soyuz was too risky because if the electrical system failed, it could disable all electronic devices on Soyuz, inevitably leading to their deaths.

There was only one solution: directly start Salyut 7's power from the solar panels. Using Soyuz's engines, they maneuvered the space station so that sunlight hit the solar panels directly. And the station's devices began showing signs of activity. A day later, Savinykh decided to connect the batteries to the station's power system, and Salyut 7 came back to life.

In total, the astronauts spent over 100 days on Salyut 7. During this period, they not only repaired the space station but also updated a significant portion of its electronic devices. While fixing it, they discovered the cause of the incident: one of the sensors on the batteries malfunctioned, sending incorrect signals that all batteries were fully charged. The computer on the space station shut down the solar panels, so, over time, Salyut 7 ran out of energy, and the station ceased operations.

On November 21, 1985, the Soyuz spacecraft returned to Earth, while the Salyut 7 space station was placed in orbit and continued operating in autonomous mode.

By 1990, the Salyut 7 space station reached the end of its operational life and began descending towards Earth at a speed of 6 - 8 km per day. During the night from February 6 to February 7, 1991, Salyut 7 entered the upper atmosphere at a speed of 30,000 km/h, where it virtually burned up completely.

The debris of Salyut 7 was identified falling into Argentina, with some charred equipment fragments discovered in the town of Capitan Bermudez but with no casualties reported.