Subject: Mir News 289 from Chris Vandenberg
From: Charles Radley <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 96 17:38:14 EST

=C4 Area: SPACE-F=
 =C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4
  Msg#: 2225                                         Date: 02-16=C496  21:25
  From: Chris Vandenberg                             Read: Yes    Replied:=
 No=20
    To: All                                          Mark:                  =
  =20
  Subj: Mirnews.289
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=
=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=C4=
=C4=C4=C4
MIRNEWS.289         16 FEBRUARY 1996

3d Spacewalk (EVA) 20d Main Expedition MIR:

About this EVA on 8.02.1996 I reported in MIRNEWS.288.=20
Hereby some additional information:
In the beginning of the EVA Gidzenko and Reiter moved the SPK (the motorized
backpack, MMU) to the outside of Module-D
(Kvant-2). The SPK had been stowed in the airlock (Sh.S.O) of that module=
 and
had been hindring cosmonauts during preparati ons for EVA's. The SPK has=
 been
tested during  EVA's twice: on 1.02.1990 by Serebrov and on 5.02.1990 by
Viktorenko. Though the SPK functioned well and was very convenient it has
never been used again. The
 cosmonauts prefer the use of the Strela girder during activities outside=
 the
MIR-complex.=20
As already reported in MIRNEWS.289 Reiter retrieved 2 casset tes with the=
 ESEF
experiment. He also installed a new one on the outside of the Spektr-module.
About the reason for the shortening of the EVA (3 hrs 6 mins instead of 5=
 hrs
45 mins) 2 different versions circulate:
1. the work on the mechanism of a solar-array antenna had to be cancelled=
 due
to the fact that bolts were fixed so tight that it was not possible to=
 unscrew
them with the equipment at their disposal; 2. there has been a=
 pressurization
problem
with the spacesuit of Gidzenko (Jonathan's Space Report nr. 275,=
 12.02.1996).
The Press-group of Moscow's TsUP confirmed the 1st version and strongly=
 denied
that something was wrong with Gidzenko's spacesuit.=20

Soyuz-TM23: The launch of this ship with the reliefcrew (ME MIR nr. 21)=
 still
on schedule for 21.02.1996 at 1233UTC.

Priroda: Estimated launchdate: 14.04.1996. (Latest available information).

-!- Maximus 2.01
 ! Origin: Scoop BBS (The Netherlands) +31-33-2996366 (2:500/202)