Soyuz 16 was a crewed test flight in a preparation for a joint Soviet-US space flight. The mission began on December 2, 1974, 09:40:00 UTC, with a launch of commander Anatoly Filipchenko and flight engineer Nikolai Rukavishnikov into orbit. During their 6-day stay in orbit, crew tested various new and improved systems and elements, including the new docking system. Soyuz 16 ended on December 8, 1974, 08:03:35 UTC with a successful landing.