Apollo-Soyuz docking. Astronauts during the joint docking between the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission (ASTP). As part of the ASTP the American Apollo and Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked together for 47 hours during 17-19 July 1975. The Apollo spacecraft had been launched on 15 July and returned to Earth on 24 July. The Soyuz spacecraft landed on 21 July. Seen here are the American Donald Slayton (at lower right) and the Russian Alexei Leonov. Slayton acted as the American docking module pilot. Other American ASTP crew members included Thomas Stafford, commander; Vance D. Brand, command module pilot.