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Crewed Spaceflight Soyuz

Soyuz 4: first manned space docking

Soyuz 4With only cosmonaut Vladimir Shatalov aboard, the Soviet Union launches Soyuz 4 into Earth orbit. Another manned vehicle, Soyuz 5, is launched the next day, and the two vehicles dock in orbit, the first docking of two manned spacecraft. Alexei Yeliseyev and Yevgeny Khrunov perform a spacewalk to leave Soyuz 5 and board Soyuz 4 for the return home (though the two capsules have primitive docking hardware, they do not have a docking tunnel or airlocks). Soyuz 4 makes a safe landing after two days in orbit – which is more than can be said for its sister ship.

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Television

Dark Shadows: Episodes Two and Three

Dark ShadowsThe second and third episodes of a modern reboot of Dan Curtis’ gothic horror series Dark Shadows is broadcast on NBC, starring Ben Cross, Lysette Anthony, Roy Thinnes (The Invaders), and Jean Simmons. Michael Cavanaugh (V) guest stars.

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Crewed Spaceflight Mir Soyuz

A close call at Mir

Soyuz TM-17The departing crew of Soyuz TM-17, cosmonauts Vasili Tsibliyev and Aleksandr Serebrov, board their capsule and vacate the Russian Mir space station, as planned. Ordered to take photos of the new docking assembly that will someday allow American space shuttles to visit Mir, Tsibliyev brings the Soyuz back to a close distance from the station, but complains of sluggish controls – just before Soyuz collides with the station, bouncing off of its outer hull twice. Mir’s newly arrived crew prepares to evacuate in their own Soyuz, but no critical damage is found to either the station or to Soyuz TM-17, which is allowed to return home. Tsibliyev’s luck aboard Mir will only get worse during his troubled second tour of duty on the station later in the 1990s.

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Television

The Outer Limits: Resurrection

The Outer LimitsPremium cable channel Showtime airs the 23rd episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of Leslie Stevens’ 1960s science fiction anthology series. Heather Graham (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me) and Nick Mancuso (Stingray) guest star.

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Television

The Outer Limits: A Stitch In Time

The Outer LimitsPremium cable channel Showtime airs the 22nd episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of Leslie Stevens’ 1960s science fiction anthology series. Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction, Star Trek: Picard) and Michelle Forbes (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Battlestar Galactica) guest star in the second season premiere.

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