On July 15, 1975, the Soyuz-19 spacecraft with COSMONAUTs Alexei LEONOV and Valery Kubasov onboard lifted off from the Baikonur Space Center in the Soviet Union at 3.20 p.m. Moscow time.
Seven-and-a-half hours later, the Apollo-18 spacecraft with U.S. Astronauts Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand and Donald “Deke” Slayton onboard lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Soviet and U.S. crews visited each other’s spacecraft and conducted scientific experiments during their joint flight. Alexei Leonov said the ASTP crew had performed without a hitch and cooperated effectively. They also displayed excellent communication skills and fulfilled all tasks in a well-coordinated manner and in a friendly atmosphere.
The mission commanders remained friends after returning to Earth. Stafford frequently met with Leonov, treating him like his brother. He even named his grandson Alyosha. Leonov’s granddaughter was named Karina in honor of Stafford’s daughter.
Celebrating 35th anniversary of Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
07:59 GMT 16.07.2010 (Updated: 19:52 GMT 19.10.2022)
© RIA Novosti
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Thirty-five years ago, Soviet cosmonauts and U.S. astronauts shook hands in orbit for the first time, after their spacecraft docked during a six-day joint flight.
