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Today in History: Soviet Soyuz 17 Crew Returns After 29 Days in Orbit

2/9/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On February 9, 1975, the Soviet Soyuz 17 mission successfully returned to Earth after a record-setting 29 days in orbit at the Salyut 4 space station. Cosmonauts Aleksei Gubarev and Georgy Grechko achieved this milestone, surpassing the previous mission duration record. Soyuz 17 marked a significant advancement in long-duration spaceflight for the Soviet space program.

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Story summary

On February 9, 1975, the Soviet Soyuz 17 mission successfully returned to Earth after a record-setting 29 days in orbit at the Salyut 4 space station. Cosmonauts Aleksei Gubarev and Georgy Grechko achieved this milestone, surpassing the previous mission duration record. Soyuz 17 marked a significant advancement in long-duration spaceflight for the Soviet space program.