Soyuz 32 (Rissian: Союз 32, Union 32) was a 1979 Soviet manned space flight to the Salyut 6 Space Station. It was the eighth mission to and seventh successful docking at the orbiting facility. The Soyuz 32 crew was the third long-duration crew to man the space station.

Cosmanauts Vladimir Lyakhov and Valery Ryumin spent 175 days in space, setting a new space endurance record. Because of the failure of a visiting crew to successfully dock and the resultant decision to send an unmanned Soyuz craft as a replacement return vehicle, the Soyuz 32 crew had no visitors.

Their cardiovascular systems were checked every 8 to 10 days, and their body masses measured. By the second week, they exercised 2.5 hours a day, averaged 3,100 calories of daily food intake with 2.5 litres of water.

The orbit of the station was raised by the Soyuz craft's propulsion system 1 March. What the Soviets did not then report was that the Salyut station's propulsion system was having problems.

Experiments included hatching quail eggs, but the chicks grew much slower than on Earth, and lacked heads. A videotape recorder was fixed 6 March using a soldering iron, the first time such repair equipment had been used in space.

Progress 5, an uncrewed supply tanker, was launched 12 March and docked with the station two days later. The crew spent four days unloading the vehicle. Supplies delivered included parts for station repair, an extra storage battery, a television monitor, a new Kristall furnace to replace the old one which had broken, a gamma ray telescope and food. A total of 300 items weighing 1,300 kg were delivered. The tanker also delivered 1,000 kg of propellant for the station.

The Soviets revealed the propulsion problem on 16 March. They said a Salyut fuel tank was leaking fuel into the nitrogen bellows which pressurized the fuel. The station's engine systems were not affected, but valves and regulators in the pressurization system were at potential risk. Accordingly, the crew shut down the tank and used a reserve tank. The crew attempted to drain the leaking tank by rotating the station and succeeded by 23 March, purged the tank with nitrogen and closed it off.

On the same day they cleared the tank, the crew used the station's shower for the first time, wearing scuba masks to keep the water out of their eyes.

A milestone was reached 24 March when the cosmonauts installed a television monitor which allowed a two-way television link with ground control. For the first time, cosmonauts received television pictures in space. Seeing family, instead of just hearing them, was considered to have great psychological importance, especially as longer flights were contemplated.

On 30 March, Progress 5 boosted the station's orbit, then Soyuz 32 boosted the orbit again 6 April in preparation for the forthcoming Soyuz 33 crew. Progress 5 was undocked 3 April and deorbited two days later.

Note: Progress 5 to Progress 7 Supply Crafts

Soyuz 32 was launched with its two-man crew on 25 February 1979. The crew's main mission was to overhaul the Salyut 6 space station's systems and prepare it for further long-duration crews. They would also attempt a new record duration flight. Soyuz 32 docked with Salyut 6 the next day, and Lyakhov and Ryumin, the third long-duration crew at the station, commenced de-mothballing the facility which had been vacant since November. When the hatch to the station was opened, the cosmonauts smelled burnt steel, a scent Ryumin called the odor of space.

The crew started routine activities and two types of medical exams. The first included daily checks of mood, their accomplishments and food intake. The second checked their psychological condition via observing their frequent communication sessions.