Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L

<p>Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L, sometimes known as Soyuz T-10a or Soyuz T-10-1, was an unsuccessful <a href="/facts/Soyuz_programme/sc26XSN9">Soyuz mission</a> intended to visit the <a href="/facts/Salyut_7/oV391tMR">Salyut 7</a> <a href="/facts/Space_station/2HtaLbDH">space station</a>, which was occupied by the <a href="/facts/Soyuz_T-9/wnaLwhpH">Soyuz T-9</a> crew. However, it never finished its launch countdown; the launch vehicle was destroyed on the launch pad by fire on 26 September 1983. The <a href="/facts/Launch_escape_system/nPGKUesD">launch escape system</a> of the <a href="/facts/Soyuz_spacecraft/meooRg7U">Soyuz spacecraft</a> fired six seconds before the launch vehicle exploded, saving the crew. This is the only time a launch escape system has been fired before launch with a crew aboard.
</p><p>The Soyuz T-10-1 explosion would also remain the only instance of a <a href="/facts/Soviet_space_program/Nz5vfPGg">Russian</a> crewed booster accident in 35 years, until the <a href="/facts/Soyuz_MS-10/A5RrLwrD">Soyuz MS-10</a> flight aborted shortly after launch on 11 October 2018 due to a failure of the <a href="/facts/Soyuz-FG/IXLFSTfd">Soyuz-FG</a> launch vehicle <a href="/facts/Booster_rocket/cUjIgX4R">boosters</a>.
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Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L open-in-new

Soyuz 7K-ST No.16L