Soyuz 18 launched 1975

Soyuz 18a crew: Vasily Lazarev, Oleg Makarov

Soyuz 18a, launched and landed April 5, 1975 to Salyut 4, lasted only 21 minutes.  Its crew consisted of Commander Vasily Lazarev and Oleg Makarov.   The spacecraft exceeded an altitude of 100 km, which is the threshold for a sub-orbital flight.

About 90 miles up, when the second and third stages of the booster separate, only three of the six locks released.  The third stage ignited with the second stage still attached.  The thrust broke the remaining locks but caused the spacecraft deviating from its proper trajectory.  An automatic abort program activated.  Because the capsule was already pointed downward, the cosmonauts experienced a significant acceleration, beyond what was expected.  They experienced up to 21.3 g.  Fortunately, the parachutes opened properly and slowed their descent to a safe landing, 21 minutes after lift-off.

Cosmonaut Oleg Makarov born 1933

Oleg Grigoryevich Makarov, born January 6, 1933 in the former Soviet Union, was a veteran of four trips into space. 

His first trip into space was aboard Soyuz 12 in September 1973.  After the tragedy of Soyuz 11, the Soviets reduced crew capacity of the capsule to two (from three) to allow pressure suits to be worn during take off, re-entry and landing.  Makarov and fellow cosmonaut Vasily Lazarev spent two days testing the new suits.

His second mission was the unsuccessful launch of Soyuz 18a in April 1975.  The mission was scheduled to dock with Salyut 4 space station, but the crew failed to make orbit, due to the failure of the launch vehicle.

His third attempt was successful.  He flew as flight engineer for Soyuz 27, which docked with Salyut 6 space station in January 1978.  Makarov and cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov made up the crew of expedition EP-1.  They spent five days aboard the space station and returned in Soyuz 26.

Makarov's fourth and final flight was aboard Soyuz T-3 November-December 1980 as flight engineer.  The mission flew to the Salyut 6 space station and was the first Soyuz spacecraft to carry three cosmonauts since Soyuz 11 in 1971.

He died May 2003 in Moscow from a heart attack.

Soyuz 12 launched 1973

Soyuz 12, launched September 27, 1973, was intended to help improve safety for cosmonauts, in light of the tragedy of Soyuz 11.  Its crew consisted of Commander Vasili Lazarev and Flight Engineer Oleg Makarov.  They wore spacesuits which limited the crew to only two, instead of three.

The original plans were for Soyuz 12 to dock with Salyut 2, but the space station failed.  Lazarev and Makarov stayed in space for 2 days before returning to Earth.

Vasily Lazarev, cosmonaut, born 1928

Vasily Lazarev, born February 23, 1928  in the Soviet Union, flew aboard Soyuz 12 and the flawed Soyuz 18a in April 1975. 

The Soyuz 12, with Lazarev and Oleg Makarov, was the first manned mission after the trafic events of the Soyuz 11, when 3 cosmonauts perished when their capsule depressurized.

On April 5, 1975, Lazarev and Makarov launched in Soyuz 18a.  Onlky minutes after take-off, the spacecraft suffered a high-altitude booster accident and the mission was aborted.  The cosmonauts landed on a snow-covered slope and began sliding downhill until the parachutes, which opened correctly, snagged on vegetation, stopping their decent.

Lazarev never recovered completely from his injuries and did not go into space again.  He passed away December 31, 1990 in Moscow.