Salyut 7 - The forgotten rescue of a dead space station

In 1985 one of the most audacious space rescue missions was launched by the Soviets to recover a space station that had been dead for months due to an unknown fault.

A feat that was unparalleled in space exploration and rewrote the books on what was thought possible: and yet, its story has fallen into obscurity and conspiracy theories.

This is the story Salyut 7 and how the Soviet crew of two, Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Victor Savinikh against the odds rescued it in a daring mission that was the first of its kind in space exploration.

**Apologies to all the Russian speakers out there on the mispronunciations of the crew names, hopefully, next time I will have a better source for how they are meant to sound**

Presented by
Paul Shillito

Written and Researched by
Andy Munzer

Additional Material by
Paul Shillito

[timtamsteve]

FUN SPACE FACT! When Skylab's orbit decayed and it fell back to earth, it landed in the Western Australian Desert and The Western Australia state government fined NASA $700 for littering. NASA actually paid the fine on 2009.

[oliversanson]

"the crew matched the rotation of their craft to the satellite"
* Interstellar music in the distance*

[levakod]

At 3:04, the cosmonaut guy is Bertalan Farkas, Hungary's first and to date only person in space. I had the chance to see him speaking a couple of years ago. He still talks about space like an amazed child, with such enthusiasm and passion. A truly remarkable person.

[AnexoRialto]

Great story. Due to the cold war, everything to do with the Soviet space program was played down in the USA, so I only vaguely remembered the story of Salyut 7. Can't imagine what it must have been like to search for an electrical fault in a frozen space station. Sounds like science fiction.

[kevindondrea]

I felt a lot of pride watching this video and I'm not Russian :). I have total respect and pride for all Astronauts, it doesn't matter what country they come from.

[meatballsnacker-sitregald]

This amount of Soviet balls deserves an Oscar-worthy movie.

[tm_cloudfire]

I love this guy. You speak so clearly, and your voice is so calming. Soothes the nerves, thank you!

[fabian]

This sounds like it came right out of a sci-fi movie. I'm honestly impressed.

[timcutright]

In a PBS documentary on the Soviet space stations years ago; The "ALMAZ" space station wasn't cancelled immediately ; with 2 being built, launched, and manned, with a 3rd never launched due to program cancellation. Their Cosmonauts revealed that their missions were to find and map military installations, resources, and strengths. This was during the "Cold War". Both the US and Soviets began secretly ramping up their "space station" design programs in the early 60's. Years later President Johnson revealed ours during a speech at a UN assembly meeting regarding our own US station program of the US Air Force called "MOL" (manned orbiting labratory) ; which would've been crewed by USAF astronauts. The Soviets didn't believe that "ours" was just an orbiting lab. Our MOL station was only test launched( as a empty shell with no crew) with the "Gemini- B" modified capsule --once ; and sucessfully returning. But the Soviets were first in getting their "Almaz" stations into orbit fully functional in the early 70's. They stated that with their optics, they mapped a multitude of areas in the US, world, including major cities; and NYC. They watched people walking, outrageous traffic jams, birds on buildings, aircraft in flight, ships, highways, and they could even tell a Chevy from the few Toyota's that were then new to the US. But something they feared a lot was the possibility of our MOL space station being "Armed" with a gun. So on the 2nd "Almaz" they installed a gun to defend their station, but were reluctant to test it while they were still on board due to it's high power ( it was a small artillery cannon)and instead tested it after they'd left for the very last time. --The US improved their surveilance satellites and cancelled their "MOL" station program and the accompaning USAF astronaut training. It's a shame that our ( 15 ?? ) USAF astronauts who trained for the "MOL" space stations never got to space. Then after around 2 years of total service the Soviets cancelled their "ALMAZ" program (1977) ; and shutdown their two stations when they too also improved their satellites. ---The cost of deploying satellites was far less then training space personel, station maintinance, resupply and repair. Thanks; --Tim C

[leonlerdo]

I saw Salyut 7 reentry. Im from Argentina and in 1992 I was 17 years old. I have recorded in my mind that spectacular night, with almost all sky full of lights, most of them yellow or orange but anothers in blue, green or white. I was so excited that I started screaming "why I dont have my camera here!!!". A day after everybody was talking about Salyout (was in a little town called Ingeniero Luiggi, in La Pampa, maybe 3K people at that time) and somebody told me: "did you hear that crazy guy screaming for his camera?" hehehehe.

[afanasievnikitin]

"
A planet is the cradle of mind, but one cannot live in a cradle forever
" (c)
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

[polarisgemini]

I had no idea about this! I didn't know they actually rescued a space station! This must have been pioneering work.

[MyCatInABox]

There are some absolutely amazing high quality stories & animation you guys have on this Channel. I'm CONSTANTLY looking forward to the newest episodes and stories. Good stuff.

[ThatMontmorency]

"Salyut 7" is the space station that propelled France and India into the space age: the first French cosmonaut and the first Indian consmonaut stayed on this station. It is a wildly famous space station recognized and remembered in the Free World. Anyone to whom it appears "forgotten" is just too isolated from the Free World to know that.

[AnimalFacts]

First I've heard of it. Thank you very much.

[memonk]

Amazing stuff. We in the west tend to minimize the Soviets accomplishments in space.

[Sethrod]

Just imagine the progress and break throughs there could have been during this time if the US and Russia could've worked together

[thethirdman]

This was well covered in Phillip Clark's book, _"The Soviet Manned Space Programme."_ Every space enthusiast should get themselves a copy. Good video, BTW.

[SuperTimeStretch]

Can't wait until you go viral, because you certainly deserve it.

[brianarbenz]

"Baikonur, we've had a problem."... Seriously, congrats to the Soviets for saving Salyut. A superb accomplishment.