Launch Prelaunch Failure
Liftoff Time (GMT)
19:37:51
Monday September 26, 1983
The Soyuz escape system was triggered six seconds before the launch vehicle exploded, saving the crew. This was the first time that an escape system had been activated with a crew on board.
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. The crew was sitting on the pad awaiting fueling of the Soyuz-U booster to complete prior to liftoff. Approximately 90 seconds before the intended launch, a bad valve caused nitrogen pressurisation gas to enter the RP-1 turbopump of the Blok B strap-on. The pump began spinning up, but with no propellant in it, the speed of rotation quickly exceeded its design limits which caused it to rupture and allow RP-1 to leak out and start a fire which quickly engulfed the base of the launch vehicle.
Low Earth Orbit
1 Payload
Manufacturer
RKK EnergiyaPrice
$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
345th
Mission
35th
Mission of 1983
75th
Mission of 1983