Soyuz T-6

Soyuz T-6

Mission duration	7 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes, 52 seconds
Orbits completed	125
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Soyuz-T
Manufacturer	NPO Energia
Launch mass	6,850 kilograms (15,100 lb)
Crew
Crew size	3
Members	Vladimir Dzhanibekov Aleksandr Ivanchenkov Jean-Loup Chrétien
Callsign	Pamir (Pamirs)
Start of mission
Launch date	24 June 1982, 16:29:48 (1982-06-24UTC16:29:48Z) UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-U
Launch site	Baikonur 1/5
End of mission
Landing date	2 July 1982, 14:20:40 (1982-07-02UTC14:20:41Z) UTC
Landing site	65 kilometres (40 mi) NE of Arkalyk
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee	189 kilometres (117 mi)
Apogee	233 kilometres (145 mi)
Inclination	51.7 degrees
Period	88.7 minutes
Docking with Salyut 7
Soyuz programme (Manned missions) ← Soyuz T-5 Soyuz T-7 →

Soyuz T-6 was a manned spaceflight to Earth orbit to the Salyut 7 space station in 1982. Along with two Soviet cosmonauts, the crew included a Frenchman, Jean-Loup Chrétien.

The Soyuz-T spacecraft arrived at Salyut 7 following launch on 24 June 1982 and one day of solo operations. During the T-6 mission's time docked to the station, the crew performed joint Soviet-French experiments, including cardiovascular echography, alongside the station's resident crew.

Crew

Position	Crew
Commander	Vladimir Dzhanibekov Third spaceflight  Soviet Union
Flight Engineer	Aleksandr Ivanchenkov Second spaceflight  Soviet Union
Research Cosmonaut	Jean-Loup Chrétien First spaceflight  France

Backup crew

Position	Crew
Commander	Leonid Kizim  Soviet Union
Flight Engineer	Vladimir Solovyov  Soviet Union
Research Cosmonaut	Patrick Baudry  France

Mission parameters

• Mass: 6850 kg
• Perigee: 189 km
• Apogee: 233 km
• Inclination: 51.7°
• Period: 88.7 minutes

Mission highlights

Soyuz T-6 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on 24 June 1982 at 16:29 GMT. Docking with the Salyut 7 station was completed manually after problems arose with the spacecraft's onboard automatic docking systems.

Once aboard Salyut 7, the crew completed joint Soviet-French, including echography and antibiotic experiments, with the station's resident crew, the crew of Soyuz T-5.

The mission transported the first French astronaut, Jean-Loup Chrétien, into space. While aboard the station, the resident crew afforded him the opportunity to eject Salyut 7's weekly bag of waste into space through the station's small trash airlock. Valentin Lebedev, writing in his diary, quoted Chrétien as saying Salyut 7 "is simple, doesn't look impressive, but is reliable."