Salyut

Salyut was a series of Soviet space stations launched between 1971 and 1986, serving as orbital laboratories for scientific research, technology testing, and human spaceflight experience. Each station was a small, self-contained module where cosmonauts conducted experiments, observed Earth, and tested life support systems in space. Salyut paved the way for longer missions, international cooperation, and the development of later space station programs like Mir. Its success demonstrated the feasibility of sustained human presence in orbit, advancing both scientific knowledge and space technology.