Kosmos 638 | |
Mission Type: | Orbital test flight |
Operator: | Soviet space program |
Cospar Id: | 1974-018A |
Satcat: | 7234 |
Spacecraft: | Soyuz 7K-TM s/n 71 |
Manufacturer: | NPO Energia |
Launch Date: | GMT |
Launch Rocket: | Soyuz-U |
Launch Site: | Baikonur 31/6 |
Disposal Type: | Deorbited |
Landing Date: | GMT |
Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
Orbit Inclination: | 51.8° |
Orbit Period: | 89.4 min |
Apsis: | gee |
Programme: | Soyuz programme |
Previous Mission: | Soyuz 13 |
Next Mission: | Kosmos 656 |
Programme2: | Kosmos (satellites) |
Previous Mission2: | Kosmos 637 |
Next Mission2: | Kosmos 639 |
Kosmos 638 (ru|Космос 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, Kosmos 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.