Soyuz 1 was launched into orbit on April 23, 1967, carrying a single cosmonaut, Colonel Vladimir Mikhailovich Komarov. He was killed when the spacecraft crashed during its return to Earth. This was the first in-flight fatality in the history of spaceflight.

The Moon objective was abandoned when technological problems indicated that USA will reach the Moon first.

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975 marked the first time that the U.S. and the Soviet Union cooperated in a manned space mission. After the two spacecraft launched from Kazakhstan and Florida to rendezvous in orbit, the crews visited each other's spacecraft, shared meals, and worked on tasks during several days together in space.

Soyuz vehicle is now used to launch unmanned Progress supply spacecraft to the International Space Station.