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Launch SuccessfulNational Aeronautics and Space Administration

Saturn IB: Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was the first joint US-Soviet space flight and the last crewed US space mission until the Space Shuttle program. The US side of mission began on July 15, 1975, 19:50:00 UTC, launching Commander Thomas P. Stafford, Command Module Pilot Vance D. Brand and Docking Module Pilot Donald K. Slayton into orbit. Two days later, they docked with the Soyuz 19 spacecraft. American and Soviet crews visited each other's spacecrafts, performed docking and redocking maneuvers, conducted joint scientific experiments, exchanged flags and gifts. Crews spent more than 44 hours together, and after final parting of the ships on July 19, Apollo crew spent nine more days in orbit, conducting Earth observation experiments. The Apollo crew returned to Earth on July 24, 1975, 21:18:0 UTC with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Tuesday, 15 July 1975
Saturn IB: Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

Mission Data

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
🇺🇸National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationEst. 1958
Launch VehicleSaturn IB
Vehicle FamilySaturn
Vehicle Record9 of 10 launches (90%)
Provider TypeGovernment
Agency Record122 successes / 20 failures (86%)
Success Streak12 consecutive
Mission TypeHuman Exploration
Target OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Launch PadLaunch Complex 39B
Location🇺🇸 Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA USA
Orbital Launches This Year#70
Agency Launches This Year#2
Launches From This Pad59
Launches From This Site283
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Saturn IB

The Saturn IB (pronounced "one B", also known as the Uprated Saturn I) was an American launch vehicle commissioned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the Apollo program. It replaced the S-IV second stage of the Saturn I with the much more powerful S-IVB, able to launch a partially fueled Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM) or a fully fueled Lunar Module (LM) into low Earth orbit for early flight tests before the larger Saturn V needed for lunar flight was ready.

Launch Site

Launch Complex 39B · 28.6271°N 80.6210°W

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.