The 55th Anniversary of Salyut 1 and the Origins of the First Space Station

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:13:00 +0200

The article reviews the 55-year legacy of Salyut 1, launched on April 19, 1971, as the world’s first space station. Lifted into orbit by a Proton-K rocket, Salyut 1—initially designated DOS-1 within the Soviet program—marked a turning point in human spaceflight and the beginning of long-duration orbital habitation. Its creation was the result of internal competition and political maneuvering within the Soviet space industry, particularly between the TsKBEM design bureau led by Vasili Mishin and Vladimir Chelomei’s TsKBM bureau, which was developing military Almaz stations. In an unusual compromise driven by political influence from Dmitri Ustinov, elements of both programs were merged to accelerate deployment ahead of NASA’s planned Skylab.

The resulting station combined a modified Soyuz-derived service module with a pressurized habitat and scientific instruments, including telescopes for solar, gamma-ray, and X-ray observations. Despite its rapid development, the station achieved sig