# Soyuz 9

> crewed flight of the Soyuz programme

**Wikidata**: [Q753546](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q753546)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_9)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/soyuz-9

## Summary

Soyuz 9 was a spacecraft of the Soyuz 7K-OK type[1].

## Summary
Soyuz 9 was a crewed spaceflight mission of the Soviet Soyuz programme, launched on June 1, 1970, and landing on June 19, 1970. It carried cosmonauts Andriyan Nikolayev and Vitaly Sevastyanov on a record-setting 18-day mission in low Earth orbit.

## Key Facts
- Launched: June 1, 1970 from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31
- Duration: 17 days, 16 hours, 58 minutes (1,529,935 seconds)
- Crew: Andriyan Nikolayev (spacecraft commander) and Vitaly Sevastyanov (Flight Engineer 1)
- Call sign: Sokol (Сокол)
- Mass: 6,590 kg at takeoff
- Orbits completed: 288
- Orbital period: 88.5 minutes
- Orbital inclination: 51.72 degrees
- Landing site: Kazakhstan (coordinates: 50°N, 72°E)
- Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-OK
- Launch vehicle: Soyuz
- Mission type: Human spaceflight
- Satellite of: Low Earth orbit
- Operator: Soviet space program

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Soyuz 9?
A: Soyuz 9 was a crewed spaceflight mission designed to test the endurance of humans in space for an extended period, setting a record for the longest crewed spaceflight at the time.

### Q: Who were the cosmonauts on Soyuz 9?
A: The crew consisted of Andriyan Nikolayev as spacecraft commander and Vitaly Sevastyanov as Flight Engineer 1.

### Q: How long did Soyuz 9 stay in space?
A: Soyuz 9 remained in orbit for 17 days, 16 hours, and 58 minutes, completing 288 orbits around Earth.

## Why It Matters
Soyuz 9 represented a significant milestone in human spaceflight endurance and capability. At the time, it set the record for the longest crewed spaceflight, demonstrating that humans could survive in space for nearly three weeks. This mission provided crucial data about the physiological and psychological effects of extended space travel, which was essential for planning future long-duration missions, including potential trips to the Moon and eventually Mars. The success of Soyuz 9 proved the reliability of the Soyuz spacecraft for extended missions and contributed to the Soviet Union's growing expertise in human spaceflight operations. This mission helped bridge the gap between short-duration flights and the more ambitious long-duration missions that would follow in both the Soviet and American space programs.

## Notable For
- Set the world record for longest crewed spaceflight at the time (17 days, 16 hours, 58 minutes)
- First crewed mission to last more than two weeks in space
- Demonstrated the feasibility of extended human spaceflight for future lunar and planetary missions
- Carried the backup crew of Anatoly Filipchenko (commander) and Georgy Grechko (Flight Engineer 1)
- Featured the call sign "Sokol" (Falcon) during the mission

## Body
### Mission Overview
Soyuz 9 was the fourth crewed flight of the Soyuz programme and the second crewed Soyuz mission to successfully complete its objectives. The mission launched on June 1, 1970, at 19:00 UTC from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Soviet Union. The spacecraft, designated 7K-OK, was the operational version of the Soyuz spacecraft designed for Earth orbital missions.

### Technical Specifications
The Soyuz 7K-OK spacecraft had a mass of 6,590 kg at takeoff. It operated in a low Earth orbit with an apoapsis of 227 km and a periapsis of 176 km, maintaining an orbital inclination of 51.72 degrees relative to Earth's equator. The spacecraft completed one orbit every 88.5 minutes, allowing the crew to circle the Earth 288 times during their mission.

### Crew and Operations
The prime crew consisted of Andriyan Nikolayev, who served as spacecraft commander, and Vitaly Sevastyanov, who served as Flight Engineer 1. The backup crew included Anatoly Filipchenko as commander and Georgy Grechko as Flight Engineer 1. During the mission, the crew used the call sign "Sokol" (meaning "Falcon" in Russian).

### Mission Duration and Landing
Soyuz 9 remained in space for 17 days, 16 hours, and 58 minutes, setting a new record for human spaceflight endurance. The mission concluded with a successful landing on June 19, 1970, in Kazakhstan at coordinates 50°N, 72°E. The extended duration of the mission provided valuable data on human adaptation to microgravity and the psychological challenges of long-duration spaceflight.

### Historical Context
This mission was part of the Soviet Union's broader efforts to demonstrate space superiority during the Cold War space race. The success of Soyuz 9 came after the failure of Soyuz 10 to dock with the Salyut 1 space station earlier in 1971, though Soyuz 9 itself was not intended as a space station mission. The mission's success helped pave the way for future long-duration missions and contributed to the Soviet Union's growing expertise in human spaceflight operations.

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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](http://www.spacefacts.de/mission/english/soyuz-9.htm)