On this day: 14 May 1981, Soyuz 40 was launched with Russian cosmonaut Leonid Popov and Dumitru Prunariu, the first Romanian citizen in space.
Launched on 14 May 1981, Soyuz 40 was the ninth Interkosmos mission. The crew was Russian cosmonaut Leonid Popov and Dumitru Prunariu, the first cosmonaut from Romania. Following a one-day solo flight, Soyuz 40 docked with the Salyut 6 space station on 15 May. During the next days the crew performed scientific work with the fifth resident crew. Soyuz 40 was the last of the original Soyuz spacecraft (it was replaced by the Soyuz-T) and the last Soyuz spacecraft to dock with Salyut 6. It also ended the first phase of the Intercosmos programme. The crew landed on 22 May after spending 7 days and 20 hours in space (all pics courtesy of Spacefacts.de)