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Mr. Leonov, along with Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin, became part of the Soviet government's propaganda effort, as a symbol of the Soviet Union's victory in the "Space Race" against the United States. Yet the continuing Cold War, there was a budding cooperation between the two countries in space.














We were able to show the world the joint efforts of young, energetic and well-trained astronauts and cosmonauts.
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We were able to present a real role model for future joint projects.
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Based on the space treaty concluded between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1972, the two countries conducted a joint manned space flight experiment, with Apollo 18 and Soyuz 19, in 1975. The purpose was to test common docking equipment. We thought, If spaceships from both countries can be docked, that will mean one can come to the rescue of the other in case of an accident. Another advantage of that cooperation was that it would help us reduce the cost of equipment required for space development.(from Space Encyclopedia)


Q. I believe the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Project was the first step leading to the current International Space Station. What do you think of that idea?

Apollo-Soyuz docking (illustration)A. The preceding period, from around 1972 to 1973, was a politically difficult one. We were placed in an explosive and hopeless situation, and a war could have broken out at any moment. The world had been divided into two by the Cold War. Even now, I am frightened by the fact that the world was in that desperate situation.

But having said that, it was also at this period of time that some wise men had appeared, such as Mr. Kosygin, (prime minister) of the Soviet Union, President Nixon of the United States, Dr. Keldys of the Soviet Science Academy, and Dr. Fletcher, Administrator of NASA. I believe the joint project materialized thanks to the strong will of these people to show the world an alternative to conflict, even in that kind of critical situation.

Young, energetic and well-trained astronauts and cosmonauts flew into space from the United States and the Soviet Union, and we were able to show the world our joint efforts.


Despite the fact that the United States and the Soviet Union were in the midst of the Cold War, astronauts on Apollo 18 and their counterparts on Soyuz 19 were on very friendly terms, thanks to the three-year preparation period. (from Space Encyclopedia)


Cosmonaut Leonov during ASTP visitThe most difficult thing in the project was to build up a relationship based on mutual trust. It took little time for us astronauts to understand each other, but there were more than 5,000 people from both countries participating in the project on the ground. It was difficult for that many people to build up mutual trust, but trust was essential for us to proceed with the project without any mistakes.

There were so many areas where relations based on mutual trust were of vital importance, such as the maintenance of communication lines with ground control, the facilitation of the functions of the life-support system, and the control of the gas environment in the spaceships.

In the end, this project, which held the attention of 6 billion people all over the world, succeeded on the July 18, 1975, giving hope to people all over the world. There may have been people who didn't see it in a favorable light, but I believe we were able to present a real role model for future joint projects.


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