Cosmos 638

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

07:30:00

Wednesday April 3, 1974

Mission Details

Launch Notes

Uncrewed test flight of the new Soyuz 7K-TM version.

Cosmos 638

Wiki

Cosmos 638 was an uncrewed test of the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Soyuz. It carried an APAS-75 androgynous docking system. This was followed by another uncrewed test of this spacecraft type, Cosmos 672. It was a Soyuz 7K-TM spacecraft. When the air was released from the orbital module (which is ejected before re-entry of the capsule) it caused unexpected motions with the spacecraft. This led to the next test also being uncrewed. This is Soyuz's 26th flight. The Soyuz is a Soviet crewed spaceship, developed to made manned lunar missions. This version called 7K will fly 4 times on the giant launcher N1, and several tens of times on Proton to fly over the Moon, which will be successful during the mission Zond 4. Soyuz will become the first spacecraft to transport living beings to the Moon during the flight of Zond 5, with two turtles. Subsequently, it is adapted to low orbit and will fly on the Soyuz launcher to serve the Salyut and Mir stations and the ISS.

Low Earth Orbit

1 Payload

6,510 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Soyuz U

Active 1973 to 2017

RKK Energiya logo

Manufacturer

RKK Energiya

Price

$20.00 million

Rocket

Height: 51.32m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 6,860 kg

GTO: 0 kg

Liftoff Thrust

4,456 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 3m

Height: 15.59m

Stages

3

Strap-ons

4

Launch Site

Site 31/6

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Fastest Turnaround

47 hr 9 min

Stats

Soyuz U


5th

Mission

2nd

Mission of 1974

RKK Energiya


822nd

Mission

12th

Mission of 1974

1974


19th

Orbital launch attempt