Soyuz 11 Mission: Tragic Deaths of Cosmonauts Dobrovolski, Volkov, and Patsayev Due to Decompression
FLOW CONTROL
On June 30, 1971, the Soyuz 11 mission ended tragically with the deaths of cosmonauts Georgi T. Dobrovolski, Vladislav N. Volkov, and Viktor I.
Patsayev. After a successful 23-day mission aboard the first experimental space station, the cosmonauts perished during reentry due to a faulty breathing valve that caused decompression. This incident marked the only deaths in outer space before reentry, highlighting a significant failure in the mission.
Feb 7, 2026, 5:19 PM
