Salyut 1 launched on 19 April 1971 as the first space station. The Soyuz 11 crew later lived aboard it, demonstrating a larger orbital workplace rather than a short visit in a capsule. The crew died during return after their spacecraft depressurized, a tragedy inseparable from this milestone. We include Salyut for its shift towards extended habitation, while acknowledging that new capabilities came with unresolved hazards.
Source: 1971: Salyut 1 begins the station era.
Image credit: Godai · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and JPEG compressed.
