Soyuz 7K-T-AF ^[2] is a version of the Soyuz spacecraft and was the first spacecraft designed for space station flights, a dedicated science mission. Its only crewed flight was conducted in 1973 with Soyuz 13 of the Soyuz programme.^[3][2]

The one craft of the Soyuz 7K-T-AF was modified from the original Soyuz 7K-T with the addition of observatory and solar arrays. This was the second test flight of the redesigned Soyuz 7K-T, the second generation of the Soyuz spacecraft. The Soyuz 7K-T-AF flew once on Soyuz 13. The Soyuz 7K-T-AF was in the 7K-TM Configuration. Soyuz 7K-T-AF propulsion was from a KTDU-35, two liquid rocket engines. Soyuz 13/7K-T-AF was the first manned space observatory. Soyuz 7K-T-AF/Soyuz 13 housed the Orion 2 Space Observatory, operated by crew member Valentin Lebedev. Orion 2 Space Observatory was an Ultraviolet (UV) Telescope. The first Soviet UV Telescope was Orion 1 used on orbital station Salyut 1. The other crew member was Pyotr Klimuk.^[2][4][5]

With the Orion 2 astrophysical telescope and camera, the crew made observations of stars in the ultraviolet light range. Also added to Soyuz 7K-T-AF was experiment that photographed spectrozonal areas of the earth's surface. Soyuz 7K-T-AF landed in snowstorm 200 kilometres (120 mi) Southwest Karaganda.^[6] The observatory equipment was added to the top of nose cone of the spacecraft. The observatory equipment was mounted were the docking port is mounted on the Soyuz 7K-OKS version. ^[7][8] Soyuz 22/Soyuz 7K-MF6 spacecraft would be the next 7K-T with observatory equipment mounted at the craft's docking port.^[9][5]

• Comparison of crewed space vehicles