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An evening reception sponsored by the Space Foundation will be held at the Lunar and Planetary Institute adjacent to Johnson Space Center. The group will depart Ellington Field the morning of July 25 for a reunion celebration at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission resulted from a 1972 agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union to work toward a common docking system for future spacecraft. The special docking module, compatible with both the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft, was developed by the United States for use by both countries.
Both the Soyuz and Apollo spacecraft were launched on July 15, 1975. Apollo lifted off about 73 hours after Soyuz. On its 1i7th orbit, Soyuz maneuvered to the planned docking orbit about 138 miles above Earth. The successful rendezvous and docking was completed on July 17, 1975, when the Apollo spacecraft gradually piloted toward the orbiting Soyuz.
During the following two days, the crews accomplished four transfer operations between the <wo spacecraft and completed five scheduled experiments. While the two spacecraft were docked, the crews provided television views of their activities, the interior of the two spacecraft and demonstrated various aspects of space operations.
The Soyuz landed on July 21, and Apollo ianded July 24.
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NOTE TO EDITORS:
Still photography and video products documenting the ASTP mission are available through the JSC Media Services Branch. For still photography, call 713-483-4231; for video products, call 713-486-9606.
