Subject: mirnews.408
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 09:52:17 -0500 (EST)

MIRNEWS.408                                                           21
February 1998

MIR-routine:  On 19.02.1998,  just after the return of the relieved crew
and Eyharts to earth the new crew reported a malfunction of the separation
system of the SRV-U (the system to regenerate water out of urine). In
coordination with an expert on earth Budarin coped  with this unpleasant
repair job. 

Redocking of Soyuz-TM27 from aft to forward port: 
 
This operation took place on 20.02.1998 between 0847 and 0932UTC during a
window in which the S-TM27 via MIR could communicate with TsUP via
Altair-2. Musabayev  steered the S-TM27.  In fact this was not a flight
around the MIR-complex but after the undocking of S-TM27 at 08.47.45UTC
Musabayev brought his ship in a safe station keeping distance from the
complex.  He  reported the distances in meters.  The maximum distance was 
reported approx. 60 meters.  As soon as S-TM27 was far enough from MIR the
complex executed a rotation  of 180 degrees in the horizontal plane
(Z-axis). In this way the aft docking port turned away and S-TM27 came in a
position right in front of the forward (-X-axis,  transition section) port.
This meant just a minimal fuel consumption for S-TM27.   
 
Regretfully something went wrong with the communications.  From  the outset
  there was a very stable link via Altair-2, but this ceased at
09.06.10UTC.  At that moment MIR and S-TM27 were not yet in range of
Russian trackingstations and so the crew and TsUP were unable to contact
each other.  The window for the use of Altair-2 was open until 0933UTC. 
The communications via Altair-2 were not restored before 0933UTC and so
later on they had to use 121.750 mc for direct contact with Russian
tracking stations. Here they also encountered problems.  For the  crew   an
unpleasant experience.  The official statement spoke about the fact that
there had been something wrong with the relay between MIR and Altair-2.   
Probably  wrong commands for the transmitter selection played a role. 

At 0932UTC Musabayev manually accomplished the soft touch. This touch was
so smooth that a surprized Andy Thomas was still waiting for the 'bump'
when the docking  had already taken place. 

After returning on board MIR  they met other problems: the crew had to work
 on the life support systems.  They switched on the Elektron oxygen
generators in Module D as well as in  Module-E (Kvant-1). There were
problems with a Vozdukh CO2 scrubber, a pressure meter in the Kvant-1 and
an airpressure egalisation valve in the transitionsection (P.Kh.O.). 

Progress-M37 (fingers crossed please!):  The redocking of this freighter at
the aft docking port is scheduled for 23.02.1998 at about 0930UTC.  On
21.02.1998 the crew started tests of the TORU,  the system to guide Pr-M37 
manually from inside MIR.  It is not clear  yet  with the TORU system  or
that  TORU will only be standing by  in case the automatic KURS-system
fails .  Budarin spoke about a number of 'insignificant anomalies'.  He
asked for better instructions  for the camerawork during the planned 
operation. In his opinion good video recordings are essential and he
referred to the problems Tsibliyev and Lazutkin had. Due to the
insufficient recordings it had been easier to blame them for that what
happened last June. 

 
Whatever the  method for the approach will be:   the automatic or manual
mode  it will be an exciting event.  During the estimated docking time MIR
and Progress-M37 are in my range and there is also a window via Altair-2. 
And believe me: I will be alert!!
 
Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.