ON 29 SEPT 1977-SOVIENT UNION LUAUCH SALYUT 6 SPACE STATION

On Sept. 29, 1977, the Salyut 6 space station launched into orbit. It was the eighth space station the Soviet Union launched under its Salyut program and the first second-generation Salyut space station.

Unlike its predecessors, Salyut 6 was able to accommodate long-duration crewed missions. Over its five years in operation, 16 cosmonaut crews visited the post. The longest anyone stayed there were 185 days.

The space station debuted in 1982 and burned up in Earth's atmosphere.