- Docking tone ranging system and light beacons compatible with Apollo.
- Antennas and UHF air-to-air radio equipment compatible with Apollo. Also radio equipment permitting relay through the U.S. ATS-6 satellite.
- Standard Soyuz launch shroud modified to protect the outwardfacing guides of the APAS-75 docking unit.
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Figure 1-22. APAS-75 docking unit. Unlike previous docking systems, both units could
assume the active or passive roles as required. For docking, the spade-shaped guides
of the extended active unit (right) and the retracted passive unit (left) interacted
for gross alignment. The ring holding the guides shifted to align the active unit
latches with the passive unit catches. After these caught, shock absorbers dissipated
residual impact energy in the American unit; mechanical attenuators served the same
function on the the Soviet side. The active unit then retracted to bring the docking
collars together. Guides and sockets in the docking collars completed alignment.
Four spring push rods drove the spacecraft apart at undocking. The passive craft could
play a modified active role in undocking if the active craft could not complete the
standard undocking procedure. Pyrotechnic bolts provided backup.
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1.9.3 ASTP Soyuz Mission Descriptions
Dates are launch to landing.
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Cosmos 638
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April 3-13, 1974
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Unmanned test of the ASTP Soyuz. Carried APAS-75 androgynous docking system.
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Cosmos 672
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August 12-18, 1974
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Unmanned test of the ASTP Soyuz. Carried APAS-75 androgynous docking system.
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Soyuz 16
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December 2-8, 1974
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Anatoli Filipchenko, Nikolai Rukavishnikov
Crew code name—Buran
Manned test of the ASTP Soyuz. Carried the APAS-75 androgynous docking system.
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