Mokletsov Al. Soyuz 10 on Launch Pad. Original photography.

N.p., 1971. 
21,1x18,3 cm. 

Black and white photo. Near very good condition, label with brief description to back side.

Soyuz 10 was the world's first mission to the inaugural space station, the Soviet Salyut 1, which was launched on April 19. It marked the maiden voyage of an upgraded spacecraft equipped with a new docking mechanism capable of facilitating space station visits and internal crew transfers. On April 22, 1971, Soyuz 10 was launched with the objective of docking with Salyut 1. However, the mission encountered critical issues during the docking process. The spacecraft failed to achieve a secure connection with the station, resulting in a prolonged undocking procedure that lasted over a day.
Tragically, during the landing phase, the Soyuz experienced a toxic air supply issue, leading to Nikolai Rukavishnikov losing consciousness. Soyuz 10 eventually touched down near Karaganda on April 24, marking a historic moment as it became the first-ever night landing in the history of human spaceflights.
Aleksandr Mokletsov (1914–1994) was a photographer for the Soviet Information Bureau (Sovinformburo, later The Novosti Press Agency) who collaborated with the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. His specialty was 'space' photography, capturing aspects such as the daily lives of cosmonauts, the intricate processes involved in preparing them for space missions, and photographs of Soviet space shuttles.