Orlan chronology
On this page is a history of the numbered Orlan spacesuits used on all Russian space stations, listed in order of delivery into orbit. Dates are in day/month/year format.
Orlans are not usually brought back to Earth because there is no room on the Soyuz to carry them, though crews might souvenir the gloves or helmet visor. The suits are usually discarded in a de-orbiting Progress spacecraft. Only one was recovered and taken back to Earth (№18 on STS-79 Atlantis).
The information up to Orlan №14 was adapted from one published in Novosti Kosmonavtiki №4, 2004: an article, “Orlanyi”, provides full statistics of all the spacesuits of the Orlan family used in orbit from the first delivery to Salyut-6. Information from then is gleaned from the daily On-Orbit Reports and various ISS photos. Another source was Anik at NASA Spaceflight.com.
Key to table headings:
- Order
- Order of delivery into orbit (flight order).
- Number
- Spacesuit serial number (comprised of 7 digits – XXX00XX; only the last two digits are given in the absence of information).
- Ship
- Orbital spaceship by which the spacesuit was brought.
- Delivery date
- Date of delivery to station (day/month/year).
- First use
- Date of first use.
- Last use
- Date of last use.
- Disposal
- Method of disposal.
- Total
- Number of official exits into open space + internal spacewalks that are not officially counted.
- Hours
- Total duration of official spacewalks in hours and minutes.
Orlan-D
«Орлан-Д»
Salyut-6
«Салют-6»
| Number |
Ship |
Delivery date |
First use |
Last use |
Disposal |
Total |
Hours |
| 33 |
Salyut-6 |
29 Sep 1977 |
20 Dec 1977 |
15 Aug 1979 |
Salyut-6 deorbit |
3 |
05:11 |
| 34 |
Salyut-6 |
29 Sep 1977 |
20 Dec 1977 |
15 Aug 1979 |
Salyut-6 deorbit |
3 |
05:11 |
Salyut-7
«Салют-7»
| Number |
Ship |
Delivery date |
First use |
Last use |
Disposal |
Total |
Hours |
| 45 |
Salyut-7 |
19 Apr 1982 |
30 Jul 1982 |
8 Aug 1984 |
Salyut-7 deorbit |
10 |
34:41 |
| 46 |
Salyut-7 |
19 Apr 1982 |
30 Jul 1982 |
3 Nov 1983 |
Salyut-7 deorbit |
3 |
08:17 |
| 47 |
Progress-19 |
23 Feb 1984 |
23 Apr 1984 |
8 Aug 1984 |
Salyut-7 deorbit |
7 |
26:24 |
Orlan-DM
«Орлан-ДМ»
Salyut-7
«Салют-7»
| Number |
Ship |
Delivery date |
First use |
Last use |
Disposal |
Total |
Hours |
| 8 |
Kosmos-1669 |
21 Jul 1985 |
2 Aug 1985 |
31 May 1986 |
Salyut-7 deorbit |
3 |
13:50 |
| 10 |
Kosmos-1669 |
21 Jul 1985 |
2 Aug 1985 |
31 May 1986 |
Salyut-7 deorbit |
3 |
13:50 |
Mir
«Мир»
| Number |
Ship |
Delivery date |
First use |
Last use |
Disposal |
Total |
Hours |
| 7 |
Core module |
20 Feb 1986 |
11 Apr 1987 |
30 Jun 1988 |
? |
5 |
18:23 |
| 9 |
Core module |
20 Feb 1986 |
11 Apr 1987 |
30 Jun 1988 |
? |
5 |
18:23 |
Orlan-DMA
«Орлан-ДМА»
Mir
«Мир»
| Number |
Ship |
Delivery date |
First use |
Last use |
Disposal |
Total |
Hours |
| 6 |
Progress-38 |
12 Sep 1988 |
20 Oct 1988 |
27 Jul 1991 |
? |
14 |
69:04 |
| 10 |
Progress-38 |
12 Sep 1988 |
20 Oct 1988 |
25 Apr 1991 |
VKD jettison (27 Jul 1991) |
9 |
39:32 |
| 8 |
Kvant-2 |
6 Dec 1989 |
26 Jan 1990 |
20 Feb 1992 |
Progress M-17 |
10 |
50:24 |
| 12 |
Kvant-2 |
6 Dec 1989 |
26 Jan 1990 |
20 Feb 1992 |
Progress M-17 |
7 |
29:14 |
| 14 |
Progress M-7 |
28 Mar 1991 |
25 Jun 1991 |
22 Oct 1993 |
? |
13 |
48:47 |
| 15 |
Progress M-7 |
28 Mar 1991 |
8 Jul 1992 |
18 Jun 1993 |
? |
7 |
30:22 |
| 18 |
Progress M-15 |
29 Oct 1992 |
29 Oct 1993 |
8 Dec 1995 |
Recovered by STS-79 |
13 |
54:32 |
| 25 |
Progress M-17 |
2 Apr 1993 |
16 Sep 1993 |
13 Jun 1996 |
Progress M-36 |
15 |
59:27 |
| 27 |
Progress M-26 |
17 Feb 1995 |
12 May 1995 |
20 Oct 1997 |
Mir deorbit |
12 + 1 |
55:58 |
| 26 |
Progress M-29 |
10 Oct 1995 |
20 Oct 1995 |
20 Oct 1997 |
Mir deorbit |
12 + 1 |
61:22 |
Orlan-M
«Орлан-М»
The Orlan-M suits are usually referred to by their last two numbers (e.g. suit #1280012 is #12).
Mir
«Мир»
| Number |
Ship |
Delivery date |
First use |
Last use |
Disposal |
Total |
Hours |
| 1060004 |
Progress M-34 |
8 Apr 1997 |
29 Apr 1997 |
12 May 2000 |
Mir deorbit |
14 + 1 |
72:22 |
| 1060005 |
Progress M-34 |
8 Apr 1997 |
29 Apr 1997 |
16 Apr 1999 |
Mir deorbit |
11 + 2 |
59:54 |
| 1060006 |
Progress M-36 |
8 Oct 1997 |
3 Mar 1998 |
12 May 2000 |
Mir deorbit |
9 + 1 |
47:24 |
ISS
МКС
| Number |
Ship |
Delivery date |
First use |
Last use |
Disposal |
Total |
Hours |
| 1280012 |
Zvezda |
26 Jul 2000 |
8 Jun 2001 |
25 Jan 2002 |
Progress M-50 |
7 |
31:01 |
| 1280023 |
Zvezda |
26 Jul 2000 |
8 Jun 2001 |
27 Feb 2004 |
Progress M1-11 |
8 + 1 |
32:39 |
| 1280014 |
Progress M-SO1 |
17 Sep 2001 |
14 Jan 2002 |
27 Feb 2004 |
SuitSat |
5 + 1 |
25:42 |
| 0520025 |
Progress M1-11 |
31 Jan 2004 |
24 Jun 2004 |
– |
– |
14 (last worn: 6 Jun 2007) |
65:53 |
| 1130026 1 |
Progress M1-11 |
31 Jan 2004 |
24 Jun 2004 |
– |
– |
9 (last worn: 15 Jul 2008) |
50:58 |
| Note: Suit №26 developed a leak and spare parts arrived on Progress M-58 (two new arms which were attached by Mikhail on 14 November) and a new leg was brought up on M-59. This will prolong the suit’s life until December 2007 (originally to expire December 2006). (Info via Anik) |
| 0240027 |
Progress M-49 |
27 May 2004 |
26 Mar 2005 |
– |
– |
6 (last worn: 15 Jul 2008) |
39:19 |
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~ Page last updated: 15 July 2008
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