Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188

Because of the lethal outcome of both the Soyuz 1 and the Apollo 1 missions earlier that year it was decided to proceed with unmanned flights first. But because the Soviet Union had no ground stations outside its own territory, this meant the docking had to be fully automated. After the first attempt failed (a fly by at a distance of {{convert|900|m}}), the second attempt succeeded over the South Atlantic. However, this docking was not entirely successful either — the modules were mechanically docked, but not electrically. Also, the manoeuvre had cost more fuel than anticipated.[http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/trackind/K186188/K186188.html, Radio observations of Kosmos-186/188, the first automatic docking, Sven Grahn]

On 27 October 1967 at 09:29:59 GMT, the Soyuz 11A511 s/n U15000-05 booster and Kosmos 186 were set up at Site 31/6 of Baikonur Cosmodrome and the planned mission could be carried out. Kosmos 186 was operated in a low Earth orbit, it had a perigee of {{convert|172|km}}, an apogee of {{convert|212|km}}, an inclination of 51.7°, and an orbital period of 88.7 minutes,{{cite web|title=Cosmos 186: Trajectory 1967-105A|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1967-105A|website=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA|date=27 February 2020|access-date=19 April 2020}} and had a mass of {{convert|6000|kg}}.{{cite web|title=Cosmos 186: Display 1966-105A |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1966-105A|website=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|date=27 February 2020|access-date=19 April 2020}} {{PD-notice}}

On 30 October 1967 at 08:12:41 GMT, the Soyuz 11A511 s/n N15000-07 booster and Kosmos 188 were set up at Site 1/5 of Baikonur Cosmodrome and the planned mission could be carried out. Kosmos 188 was operated in a low Earth orbit, it had a perigee of {{convert|180|km}}, an apogee of {{convert|247|km}}, an inclination of 51.7°, and an orbital period of 89.0 minutes,{{cite web|title=Cosmos 188: Trajectory 1967-107A|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1967-107A|website=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA |date=27 February 2020|access-date=19 April 2020}} and had a mass of {{convert|6000|kg}}.{{cite web|title=Cosmos 188: Display 1966-107A |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1966-107A|website=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|date=27 February 2020|access-date=19 April 2020}} {{PD-notice}}

Image:The Soviet Union 1968 CPA 3619 stamp (Linked Satellites, Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188, and Space Rendezvous Schema).jpg stamp, 1968.]]

The two Soviet spacecraft made the first fully automated space docking in the history of space exploration on 30 October 1967. Mutual search, approach, mooring, and docking were automatically performed by the IGLA-system onboard Kosmos 186. After 3.5 hours of joint flight, the satellites parted on a command sent from the Earth and continued to orbit separately. Officially, both made a soft landing in a predetermined region of the Soviet Union — Kosmos 186 on 31 October 1967 and Kosmos 188 on 2 November 1967. But according to Boris Chertok, "one of the vehicles was destroyed by the emergency destruction system". (See B.Chertok, Rockets and People, Vol.IV, Chapter 8, page 156)

Kosmos 186 (Soyuz 7K-OK No.6) launched first on 27 October 1967 and underwent a meticulous on-orbit checkout, followed by Kosmos 188 three days later. With Kosmos 186 taking the active role in the docking, the two craft docked just 62 minutes after the launch of Kosmos 188 (Soyuz 7K-OK No.5), the passive target spacecraft. The two craft remained mechanically docked for three and a half hours, although an electrical connection could not be made. The descent module of Kosmos 186 was successfully recovered in the Soviet Union on 31 October 1967, but the accidental firing of the self-destruct mechanism of Kosmos 188 during the descent prevented its recovery on 2 November 1967. Despite the anomalies, the automatic docking mission demonstrated a new capability for the Soviet Union that proved valuable to their future human space flight programs. Although the Soviet lunar landing programme was cancelled before an actual landing mission, automatic dockings were an integral component of their Salyut and Mir space station programs and remain in practice today on the Russian segment of the International Space Station.[https://www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-the-first-automatic-docking-in-space NASA 50 Years Ago: The First Automatic Docking in Space, 18 April 2020] {{PD-notice}}

This mission proved it possible to launch smaller parts and assemble them in space, thus eliminating the need for exceedingly large rockets for larger undertakings like a space station.[https://www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-the-first-automatic-docking-in-space NASA 50 Years Ago: The First Automatic Docking in Space, 19 October 2017] {{PD-notice}}

• SPADEX
• ETS-VII
• Orbital Express

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{{Portal|Spaceflight}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIwx4CykXMM yourtube Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188]

{{Soyuz}}

{{Orbital launches in 1967}}

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Category:Soyuz uncrewed test flights

Category:Spacecraft launched in 1967

Category:1967 in the Soviet Union

Category:Kosmos satellites