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were available at the time of its launch, and it carried no docking apparatus.^[1] Scientific instruments like those used on Soviet space stations filled its orbital module (Oazis-2 plant growth unit) and replaced its docking mechanism (Orion-2 telescope suite). Like the U.S. astronauts aboard Skylab, the Kavkaz crew observed Comet Kohoutek.^[2] |}

1.8.4.2 Soyuz Ferry Missions to Salyut 3

For information on Salyut operations during these Soyuz missions, see section 2.4.3.

	Soyuz 14	July 3-19, 1974
	Pavel Popovich, Yuri Artyukhin Crew code name—Berkut First successful Soviet mission to a space station. It docked with Salyut 3 on July 4 and spent 16 days in space.

	Soyuz 15	August 26-28, 1974
	Gennadi Sarafanov, Lev Demin Crew code name—Dunay Failed to dock with Salyut 3 after its Igla system malfunctioned and the cosmonauts were unable to guide the spacecraft to a manual docking. Gyroscope problems nearly prevented orientation of the spacecraft for the deorbit burn. Reentry had to occur within 2 days of launch, lest Soyuz 15 exhaust its batteries. Landing occurred at night, in a lightning storm. Neither Sarafanov nor Demin flew again. This was taken to imply that they were punished for poor performance which contributed to mission failure. However, a recent Russian report vindicates the crew.[3]

1.8.4.3 Soyuz Ferry Missions to Salyut 4

For information on Salyut operations during these Soyuz missions, see section 2.5.3.

	Soyuz 17	January 10-February 9, 1975
	Alexei Gubarev, Georgi Grechko Crew code name—Zenit First to visit Salyut 4. Landed in a fierce blizzard.

	“The April 5 Anomaly”	April 5, 1975
	Vasili Lasarev, Oleg Makarov Crew code name—Ural Dubbed Soyuz 18a in the West. During ascent, an electrical malfunction in the Soyuz booster prematurely fired two of the four explosive latches holding the core of the first stage and the second stage together. This severed electrical connections necessary for firing the remaining latches. The launch escape system and shroud covering the Soyuz were discarded as normal. When the

1. Johnson, 1980, p. 172.
2. Johnson, 1980, pp. 172-175.
3. Mikhail Rebrov, “Bitter Aftertaste of Glory,” Krasnaya Zvezda, September 9, 1994, p. 2. Translated in JPRS Report, Science & Technology, Central Eurasia: Space, October 5, 1994 (JPRS-USP-94-007), pp. 3-5.