THE SOYOUZ 4 AND 5 MISSION

The purpose of the mission was to verify that the mission planned for the Moon with Lunniy Korabl the lunar module and the LOK Soyouz was working properly. Both mooring between Soyouz 4 and 5 and a crew transfer between the two modules with exit in the space took place on January 16, 1969. Soyouz 5 as the LOK Soyouz orbiting around the Moon and waiting the LK Lunar module is equipped with a female docking system when the Soyouz 4 as the LK Lunar Module is equipped with a male one. Both Soyouz are based on the K-OK type of model. The mission which is foreseen on the Moon includes the meeting and mooring of the LK Lunar Module coming back from the Moon to the LOK Soyouz which was orbiting around it. Then, the cosmonaut coming back from the Moon was leaving the LK Lunar Module to move to the LOK Soyouz. Then the remaining system shall come back to Earth and land using the Soyouz Landing Module.

JANUARY 1969 MISSION PROGRAM

Soyouz 4 is put in orbit by a Semiorka launcher on January 14, 1969 with only one cosmonaut on-board : Vladimir A.Chatalov The vessel is stabilized on a elliptic orbit between an altitude of 173 and 225 km, then and after the fifth revolution, it is moved to a higher orbit between 205 and 237 km. The next day Soyouz 5 is launched with 3 cosmonauts onboard : Alexei S. Elisseev , Evguéni V. Khrounov , Boris V. Volynov . At first the Soyouz 5 orbit is 200-230 km then at the fifth revolution, it moves to a 211-253 km orbit. On January 16, 1969, both vessel are mooring to each other at 8:20 am UTC above Crimea.

The Soyouz 4 take-off

The Soyouz 4 and 5 created for Celestia and the real models

Alexei S. Elisseev , Boris V. Volynov , Evguéni V. Khrounov inside the Soyouz 5

It is the first mooring of the space conquest, now the two vessels forms the first space station. It is an historical event and a great victory for the Russian. As soon as both modules moor to each other, Khrounov, as first, get out of the Soyouz 5 to joing Soyouz 4 just above South America, then it is the turn of Elisseev to move to Soyouz 4 just above Russia, He is bringing with him the news papers which have been printed just after the Soyouz 4 launch ; the purpose being to prove the successfulness of the mission. Then and after 4:55 hours of being moored, both vessels leave each other with Volynov being alone in Soyouz 5 when Soyouz 4 have three cosmonauts onboard. They are coming back to earth on January 17, 1969 and the mission appears to be a complete success.

At the end of the 80's, the Russian recognized that the Soyouz 5 return to Earth was critical. The parting phase between the landing module and the rear motor block was malfuntionning with two braces remaining locked so that both parts remained partially locked together. The module starts its way down in the atmosphere with the thermal shield on the reverse side with a burning smell invading the module. Being sure to die but to leave a trace of the accident, Volynov start all recorders onboard. A few moment later, the tank of the motor block explodes because of the intense heat due to the atmosphere re-entry but freeing the two locked braces and fortunately the module reposition itself correctly for an atmosphere re-entry. Every body feel secure now, but it is just for a short time, at 10 km height, the Landing module parachute does not deploy itself properly. The landing module speed it too fast and Volynov thinks that he is going to know the same destiny than Komarov in the Soyouz 1. But his lucky star does not leave Volynov and finally the parachute deploys itself and Soyouz 5 will land several hundred kilometers far from the planed landing site. At the landing the shock was very fierce and Volinov being projected on the cabin surface broke his teeth. Knowing that he is far from the planed landing site, he succeeds to get out of the module, locates some chimnney smoke and moves towards it. The external temperature is as low as minus 35 degrees celsius and finally the vigorous cosmonaut reaches a farm where country men are assisting him.

Those who was supposed to receive him just found an empty module. However, they fund him after following his traces in the swnow. Volynov, after a short stay in hospital became the cosmonaut's manager for all Saliout missions.

Below you can watch an historical video from this mission and see Volynov with a big big stress...

Please click here

THE CELESTIA SOYOUZ 4 and 5 ADD-ON

After getting rare information on the Net regarding this mission, I did my best to shape the vessels in accordance to them. For their mission, the vessels were cover with several textile layers, but for asthetical reason, I preferred design them as we are seeing them in the museum. I could obtain precise information concerning the mooring timing and the position of the vessels. The ssc files have been elaborate by my friend Gilles Morére who designed a software allowing us to be as close as possible of the reality. The equations are very complex so that we have been obliged to adapt some parameters. Nevertheless and if we can obtain addional coherent data we will be able to have xyz trajectory exactly following the flight. For the time being and to simplify the things, the vessels are placed on a circular orbit but fly with the proper coordinates and timing. In the new pack the hatchways are opening and the transfer of the cosmonauts from Soyouz 5 to Soyouz 4 can be followed. The scripts are in both French and English and works either on Celestia 1.4.1 or 1.5.

The LC-31 and LC-1 launchpad will be included in the future release. Mustard an orbiter créator give me the permission to use his launchpad, i have done some texture modification and i' have just finished the Zemiorka rocket to launch the Soyuz 4.The rollout system is done and as you can see in the video below, it will be also include in the next pack.

Thank you Mustard to give me the permission.

Please have a look on the Mustard's orbiter page:   http://orbiter.mustard-fr.com/

Click on the picture below to discover my work in progress pictures

MOVIES FROM THIS ADDON

WARNING FOR THE NEW VERSION: some equation was adjusted and the new pack run on celestia 1,50 1,51 please play scripts included

The maps allowing me to position the vessels have been found on that site. In the Add-on, the vessels are moving according to the flight program. http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/trackind/soyuz45/soyuz45.html

Le Soyuz 5 from Back in USSR and the real Soyuz 5

NEW VERSION FOR CELESTIA 151:

You can download the Soyouz 4-5 EVA pack for Celestia 1.51 HERE.

Old pack for Celestia 1,41 HERE (pack revised).

Use the URL page to look at the vessels. However, to see the complete mission, the best is to launch the Cel Soyouz 4-5 script.

PAGE UPDATED ON DECEMBER 19, 2008