Salyut 3

Salyut 3 (OPS-2)

Station statistics
COSPAR ID	1974-046A
SATCAT no.	07342
Call sign	Salyut 3
Crew	2
Launch	25 June 1974 04:15:00 UTC[1]
Launch pad	LC-81/23, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Soviet Union[1]
Reentry	24 January 1975
Mass	18,900 kg (at launch)[2]
Length	14.55 m[2]
Width	4.15 m (maximum diameter)[2]
Pressurised volume	90 m³[2]
Periapsis altitude	219 kilometres (136 mi) (initial orbit)[3]
Apoapsis altitude	270 kilometres (170 mi) (initial orbit)[3]
Orbital inclination	51.6 degrees[4]
Orbital period	89.1 minutes[4]
Days in orbit	213 days
Days occupied	15 days
Statistics as of de-orbit and reentry
Configuration
Salyut 3 diagram

Salyut 3 (Russian: Салют-3; English: Salute 3; also known as OPS-2^[1] or Almaz 2^[2]) was a Soviet space station launched on 25 June 1974. It was the second Almaz military space station, and the first such station to be launched successfully.^[2] It was included in the Salyut program to disguise its true military nature.^[5] Due to the military nature of the station, the Soviet Union was reluctant to release information about its design, and about the missions relating to the station.^[6]

It attained an altitude of 219 to 270 km on launch^[3] and NASA reported its final orbital altitude was 268 to 272 km.^[7] Only one of the three intended crews successfully boarded and operated the station, brought by Soyuz 14; Soyuz 15 attempted to bring a second crew but failed to dock.

Although little official information has been released about the station, several sources report that it contained multiple Earth-observation cameras, as well as an on-board gun. The station was deorbited and re-entered the atmosphere on 24 January 1975. The next space station launched by the Soviet Union was the civilian station Salyut 4; the next military station was Salyut 5, which was the final Almaz space station.