Status
Prelaunch Failure
Soyuz T-10-1
Mon Sep 26, 1983 19:37 UTC
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.
Rocket
Mission Details
Soyuz T-10-1
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.