The Apollo–Soyuz Test Project

The Apollo–Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) was a historic joint space mission conducted by the United States and the Soviet Union in July 1975, marking the first international crewed spaceflight and a symbolic end to the space race.

 Key Facts:
Date of Launch: July 15, 1975

Participants:

USA: NASA’s Apollo spacecraft

USSR: Soviet Soyuz spacecraft

Docking Date: July 17, 1975

Location of Docking: Low Earth orbit

Mission Duration: ~9 days

 Objectives:
Test compatibility of U.S. and Soviet docking systems.

Demonstrate international cooperation during the Cold War.

Exchange scientific and engineering knowledge.

Conduct joint experiments in life sciences, Earth observation, and space physics.

 Crew Members:
Apollo (USA):

Thomas Stafford (Commander)

Vance Brand (Command Module Pilot)

Deke Slayton (Docking Module Pilot)

Soyuz (USSR):

Alexei Leonov (Commander)

Valeri Kubasov (Flight Engineer)

 Highlights:
The two spacecraft docked in orbit using a specially designed docking module built by the U.S.

The astronauts and cosmonauts shook hands in space, symbolizing peaceful cooperation.

The crews conducted joint experiments, exchanged gifts, and gave televised tours of their crafts.

 Significance:
First U.S.-Soviet space collaboration, paving the way for future projects like:

Shuttle-Mir Program

International Space Station (ISS)

Marked a thaw in Cold War tensions and showed that rival nations could work together in space exploration.

 Legacy:
The ASTP is seen as a political and technological milestone.

Helped build the foundation for future international partnerships in space.

It was also the last Apollo mission and the final crewed U.S. spaceflight until 1981 (when the Space Shuttle program began).Source:https://www.space.com/space-exploration/apollo/50-years-after-a-historic-handshake-in-space-the-apollo-soyuz-test-projects-legacy-still-resonates