Dec 20 1979

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The Washington Post said the empty Soviet spacecraft that linked up December 19 with Salyut 6 was probably a three-person version of the vehicle the Soviet Union had been launching for 10 years. The Soyuz T (probably for Transport) docked on ground command at one end of the two-part space station in the fourth unmanned test of the new configuration (the first was Cosmos 869, November-December 1976; the second, Cosmos 1001, April 1978; the third, Cosmos 1074, January, 31-March 1, 1979). The Washington Post said the interior of the Soyuz "command craft" probably was changed to accommodate three instead of two cosmonauts, making it easier for the Soviet Union to use the Salyut as a permanent orbital station with interchangeable crews, difficult with only two men at a time. (W Post, Dec 20179, A-27)

ESA announced appointment of Erik Quistgaard of Denmark as its director general, to succeed Roy Gibson on May 15, 1980. (ESA Info Bltn 40)

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