Soyuz T-14

Infobox Space mission
mission_name = Soyuz T-14
sign = Cheget
crew_members = 3
launch = September 17, 1985
12:38:52 UTC
Gagarin's Start
landing = November 21, 1985
10:31:00 UTC
180 km SE of Dzhezkazgan
duration = 64d/21:52:08
orbits = 1021
next = Soyuz T-15
previous = Soyuz T-13 |

Soyuz T-14 was the 9th Russian expedition to Salyut 7.

Crew

Number in parentheses indicates number of spaceflights by each individual prior to and including this mission.

Launched:
* Vladimir Vasyutin (1) - Commander
* Georgi Grechko (3) - Flight Engineer
* Alexander Volkov (1) - Research Cosmonaut

Landed:
* Vladimir Vasyutin (1) - Commander
* Viktor Savinykh (2) - Flight Engineer
* Alexander Volkov (1) - Research Cosmonaut

Backup crew

*Aleksandr Viktorenko - Commander
*Gennady Strekalov - Flight Engineer
*Yevgeni Saley - Research Cosmonaut

Mission parameters

* Mass: 6850 kg
* Perigee: 196 km
* Apogee: 223 km
* Inclination: 51.6°
* Period: 88.7minutes

Mission highlights

Cosmonaut Vasyutin returns to earth early due to illness.

Soyuz T-14 demonstrated the wisdom of maintaining a Soyuz at Salyut 7 as an emergency medical evacuation vehicle: the mission commander Vasyutin fell ill which forced an early termination of the planned 6 month mission.

The main goals of the Chegets were to receive Cosmos 1686, a modified TKS, and conduct spacewalks with application to future space stations. The first goal was achieved on October 2. Cosmos 1686 contained 4500 kg of freight, including large items like a girder to be assembled outside Salyut 7, and the Kristallizator materials processing apparatus. However, the Chegets were unable to achieve their second goal. By late October Vasyutin was no longer helping with experiments because he was ill. On November 13 the cosmonauts began scrambling their communications with the TsUP. Return to Earth occurred soon after.