Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L
Explosion of Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L | |
| Names | Soyuz T-10a, Soyuz T-10-1 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Salyut 7 crew transport |
| Operator | OKB-1 |
| Mission duration | 5 minutes and 13 seconds |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L |
| Spacecraft type | Soyuz 7K-ST |
| Manufacturer | OKB-1 |
| Launch mass | 6850 kg |
| Landing mass | 2800 kg |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 2 |
| Members | Vladimir Titov Gennadi Strekalov |
| Callsign | Okean (Ocean) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 26 September 1983, 19:37:49 UTC |
| Rocket | Soyuz-U s/n Yu15000-363 |
| Launch site | Baikonur, Site 1/5 |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | 26 September 1983, 19:43:02 UTC |
| Landing site | Baikonur (4 km or 2.5 mi away from the launch site) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit (planned) |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L, sometimes known as Soyuz T-10a or Soyuz T-10-1, was an unsuccessful Soyuz mission intended to visit the Salyut 7 space station, which was occupied by the Soyuz T-9 crew. However, it never finished its launch countdown; the launch vehicle was destroyed on the launch pad by fire on 26 September 1983. The launch escape system of the Soyuz spacecraft fired six seconds before the launch vehicle exploded, saving the crew. This is the only time a launch escape system has been fired before launch with a crew aboard.
The Soyuz T-10-1 explosion would also remain the only instance of a Russian crewed booster accident in 35 years, until the Soyuz MS-10 flight aborted shortly after launch on 11 October 2018 due to a failure of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle boosters.