Salyut 6 was the first of the second generation FSU space stations. These stations were equipped with two docking modules which made it possible to combine short-term and long-term crew durations and provided for logistics resupply using automated vehicles.
Copyright 1994 Dennis Newkirk BST-1M : 1.5 meter infrared submilimeter telescope covering 50 microns to 2 mm. wavelengths. with accuracy of 1 minute of arc. It required 3 people to operate normally, was housed in the main telescope housing and was protected by movable cover on the outer hull. A 12 power spotting telescope is used for aiming. The receiver was cooled to -269 degrees C by a 130 kg. Helium cooling unit. The telescope weighed 650 kg. total and consumed 1.5 kw power.
KATE-140 : Mapping camera, could photograph 450 * 450 km. areas on a 600 frame film cassettes. Also could be programed to take a series of photographs at intervals. Information on camera operation was telemetered to mission control.
KRT-10 : Radio telescope, 10 meter diameter, used in conjunction with 70 m. telescope in Crimea. Obtained poor results. Assembled from 4 pieces, theantenna had 4 horns for 12 cm band and 72 cm band irradiator. The antenna was comprised of wires .05 mm. thick, folded into a package 50 cm. in diameter for shipment, weighed less than 1 kg. per square meter. It had a resolution of 7 km. when pointed at Earth and required several days to calibrate.
MKF-6M : East German camera for Earth photography. The MKF-6M camera was a modified version of the multispectral camera carried on Soyuz 22. It weighed 175 kg.. Recorded altitude on the film automatically, pictures covered 225 * 155 km.. Took stereo images in 4 visible and 2 infrared bands with a resolution of 10-30 meters. Transmitted exposure time and camera status as telemetry. Film was stored in 1200 frame cassettes weighing 13 kg. each. Only two of the large, heavy film cartridges could be carried in the Soyuz capsule during return to Earth. To analyze the photos on the ground, a projector called the MSP-4 was used to view 4 of the pieces of the spectrum together. Designed to operate for two years and withstand 40 gravity shocks and 5 gravity loads during launch.
VTL-3 : Treadmill
Altay : Mongolian materials experiment using vanadium pentoxide, and lead and tin.
Balaton : Hungarian reaction tester
Berolina : East German materials experiment using Splav
Biogravistat : plant gowth unit using one disc as a control and another rotating to produce artificial gravity. This was primarily used to start plants from seed for transplantation to other units.
Caribe : Cuban experiment to grow crystal layers upon crystals
Chibis : Low pressure trousers for use during work and exercise. Pressure could be lowered from 10 to 45 mm. Hg below cabin pressure.
Chlorella : algae growth experiment
Elma : French experiment using the Kristall to produce crystals of germanium, vanadium oxide, magnesium, cobalt, aluminum-copper aluminum-tin, aluminum-copper aluminum-lead.
Erdenet : Mongolian materials experiment on copper salts
Extinctia : micro-meteriod experiment
Imitator : North Vietnamese experiment measured the thermal environment in the Kristall furnace
Isparitel : An electron gun in the Splav airlock, that could cause 1 mm thick deposits on metal, glass or plastics of vaporized sample materials. It weighed 24 kg. and was interchangable with Splav. It was later developed into URI hand welder.
Kapillyar : Romanian materials experiment on capillary forces during crystallization
Khalong : North Vietnamese materials experiment using Kristall
Kristall : Two versions were used on Salyut 6 for semiconductor production. Samples included cadmium, mercury tellurides, gallium arsenide, indium antimonide and superconductor niobium aluminun germanium. Its exterior insulated the station from the 400-1200 degrees C temperatures in the furnace. The furnace was installed in the intermediate airlock. Samples were 9 mm. in diameter and 175 mm. long. The heat zone moves at a rate of .188 and .376 mm. per minute traveling the length of the sample. The first unit failed and was replaced. Weight was 28 kg..
Malakhit : Plant growth unit
Medusa : Exposed duraluminum, titanium, steel, rubber, glass and ceramic to space on hull of station.
Morava : smelting experiment
Oasis : Plant growth unit
Penguin : Suit with elastic bands running through the arms and legs to simulate the force normally needed to remain upright on Earth. Named Penguin because it made subjects waddle like penguins when tested on Earth.
Pirin : Bulgainia materials experiment using Kristall and Splav
Polynom-2, Beta, Rheograph: Polynom-2M was a electrocardiograph which could measure regular cardiograms, cardiograms of the major blood vessles or the phase of the cardiographic cycle. Beta is a combination instrumnet which records electrocardiograms, lung capacity and seismographic action of the heart during exercise or using the Chibis low pressure suit. Rheograph measures blood flow in the head, arms, legs and torso. It could also measure the volume changes in the areas measured.
Relaks : psychological experiment
Resonance : Conducted by shaking the Salyut complex with other spacecraft docked to determine any possible destructive resonances. The treadmill was found to produce dangerous vibrations when run at certain speeds.
Sirena : Polish semiconductor manufacturing experiment
Spektr-15 : Bulgarian Earth resources spectrograph recorded in 15 bands.
Sredets : Bulgarian reaction tester
Sugar : Cuban experiment on sugar crystal growth
Svetobloc : Plant growth unit
Yelena-f : Portable Gamma ray detector to measure background gamma ray flux. Measured 30-500 MeV gamma ray emissions from a port hole It measured 28 by 34.8 by 47.7 cm, weighed 22.5 kg., consumed 10 watts and could run continuously for 20 hours. It was mounted on a 50 sq. cm port hole where its angle of view was 30 degrees.
Zone : Cuban experiment on sugar crystal growth in a thermal gradiant
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