Subject: MIRNEWS.412
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 08:55:38 -0500 (EST)

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MIRNEWS.412 15 MARCH 1998

Progress-M38: The launch of this freighter from Baykonur took place on =
14.03.1998 at 22.45.55UTC (for Moscow already 15.03.1998 01.45.55 DMV =
-Moscow Decree Time).=20

During the pass in the 3rd orbit I monitored the Telemetry transmitters =
of this ship between 0321-0324UTC. During the pass in the 4th orbit the =
Telemetry transmitters (166 and 165 mc) and the beacon on 922.755mc =
could be heard between 0450 and 0458UTC. TCA for me was at 0453UTC.=20

The most important cargo is the VDU. This is the external thruster which =
has to be installed in the Sofora mast on Kvant-1 during one of the =
EVA=92s in the future. The new VDU will replace the old one which almost =
run out of fuel. Under the cargo is a new lock for the EVA hatch of =
Module-D, the necessary tools for the repair of that hatch and of course =
the normal cargo: food, post and some other convenient items for the =
crew.=20

Progress-M38 has to dock at the Kvant-1 aft docking port (+X-axis) on =
17.03.1998 at about 0027UTC. In principle approach and docking will be =
executed in the automatic mode with the system Kurs.=20

Progress-M37: Today (15.03) Pr-M37 will separate from MIR to be put on a =
destruction course for burning up in the atmosphere over a designated =
area East of New-Zealand.=20

MIR-routine: Last week the cosmonauts worked on the installation of the =
new BKV-3, the a.c. From 10.03 the BKV-3 is regularly operational and =
this resulted in decreasing of the almost unbearable high temperatures =
in the Base Block. The temperature of approx. 35 dgs C. decreased to 28 =
dgs C. The good functioning of the a.c. makes it possible to use this =
installation for the filtering of the surplus of condensation secreted =
by the Vozdukh CO2 scrubber. Thus this condensation can be used for =
water regeneration purposes and has no longer to be blown into open =
space. To make this possible the Vozdukh in the Base Block had to be =
modified by a so called =91dehumidifier=92. This device is now installed =
in the neighbourhood of the Vozdukh but it was difficult to find a place =
for it. Meanwhile something went wrong with the thermal control in the =
module Priroda, which had a negative effect on some experiments of Andy. =
After the repair or replacement of a pump the temperatures in Priroda =
could be controlled again.=20

The work was far from easy and they could not always find the necessary =
parts and equipment for the mounting. This often debouched into =
discussions with experts on earth. Musabayev normally being in a good =
mood now and then got upset. He stated that already from the first week =
the burden of work was too high. There was a great difference between =
planning and the reality of time schedules for their work in space. On =
4.03.1998 he stated that this was the first day they got enough sleep. =
He emphasized that if you force the crew too much there will be a risk =
of fatal mistakes. (And indeed during this mission a number of mistakes =
have been reported. )

Not only the Russians, but also Andy Thomas complained about matters he =
did not appreciate. He had no problems with his direct =91leads=92, but =
with some organisations. Regularly Andy repeated his complaint that he =
did not receive his personal E-mails. Last week this resulted in the =
despatch of a stream E-mails, reaching him by uplink Packet Radio =
transmissions, also via Altair-2.=20

Andy reported problems with the American experiment COCULT. The flow of =
liquids to feed cells of this experiment was full of air-bubbles. He =
tried to solve this problem but did not succeed. In conversations with =
his consultative group he emphasized that he does all what is possible =
to fulfil the American experimental program, but that he attaches great =
value to the execution of his physical exercises.=20

The forthcoming launch of Pr-M38 and the departure on 15.03.1998 of the =
old Pr-M37 were mentioned now and then. The crew tried to load as much =
as possible waste and equipment which was no longer needed in the =
Pr-M37. Musabayev reported that it was not possible to load the old =
BKV-3 in that freighter. He gave a higher priority to the dismissal of =
waste containers, lots of old rags, biological- and domestic garbage. =
More or less the lot of work on the life support systems superseded the =
attention for the forthcoming departure of the Pr-M38. Only yesterday =
(14.03) they spoke about the TORU (remote controlled steering of Pr-M =
from inside MIR), which has to be operational in case the automatic =
system Kurs should fail.=20

On 9.03.1998 a planned communication session of MIR with TsUP via =
Altair-2 did not take place. Something went wrong with the uplink from =
Russia to Altair-2. Musabayev who was calling continuously was almost =
desperate. He needed an urgent advice about immunisation. For me it was =
interesting to hear how a cosmonaut feels when he thinks that he has =
been abandonned by earth. During the first communication session via VHF =
he said that they almost =91suffered an infarct=92.=20

Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.=20

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<DIV>
<P align=3Djustify>MIRNEWS.412 15 MARCH 1998</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Progress-M38: The launch of this freighter from =
Baykonur took=20
place on 14.03.1998 at 22.45.55UTC (for Moscow already 15.03.1998 =
01.45.55 DMV=20
-Moscow Decree Time). </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>During the pass in the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> orbit I =
monitored the=20
Telemetry transmitters of this ship between 0321-0324UTC. During the =
pass in the=20
4<SUP>th</SUP> orbit the Telemetry transmitters (166 and 165 mc) and the =
beacon=20
on 922.755mc could be heard between 0450 and 0458UTC. TCA for me was at =
0453UTC.=20
</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The most important cargo is the VDU. This is the =
external=20
thruster which has to be installed in the Sofora mast on Kvant-1 during =
one of=20
the EVA&rsquo;s in the future. The new VDU will replace the old one =
which almost=20
run out of fuel. Under the cargo is a new lock for the EVA hatch of =
Module-D,=20
the necessary tools for the repair of that hatch and of course the =
normal cargo:=20
food, post and some other convenient items for the crew. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Progress-M38 has to dock at the Kvant-1 aft docking =
port=20
(+X-axis) on 17.03.1998 at about 0027UTC. In principle approach and =
docking will=20
be executed in the automatic mode with the system Kurs. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Progress-M37: Today (15.03) Pr-M37 will separate from =
MIR to be=20
put on a destruction course for burning up in the atmosphere over a =
designated=20
area East of New-Zealand. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>MIR-routine: Last week the cosmonauts worked on the=20
installation of the new BKV-3, the a.c. From 10.03 the BKV-3 is =
regularly=20
operational and this resulted in decreasing of the almost unbearable =
high=20
temperatures in the Base Block. The temperature of approx. 35 dgs C. =
decreased=20
to 28 dgs C. The good functioning of the a.c. makes it possible to use =
this=20
installation for the filtering of the surplus of condensation secreted =
by the=20
Vozdukh CO2 scrubber. Thus this condensation can be used for water =
regeneration=20
purposes and has no longer to be blown into open space. To make this =
possible=20
the Vozdukh in the Base Block had to be modified by a so called=20
&lsquo;dehumidifier&rsquo;. This device is now installed in the =
neighbourhood of=20
the Vozdukh but it was difficult to find a place for it. Meanwhile =
something=20
went wrong with the thermal control in the module Priroda, which had a =
negative=20
effect on some experiments of Andy. After the repair or replacement of a =
pump=20
the temperatures in Priroda could be controlled again. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The work was far from easy and they could not always =
find the=20
necessary parts and equipment for the mounting. This often debouched =
into=20
discussions with experts on earth. Musabayev normally being in a good =
mood now=20
and then got upset. He stated that already from the first week the =
burden of=20
work was too high. There was a great difference between planning and the =
reality=20
of time schedules for their work in space. On 4.03.1998 he stated that =
this was=20
the first day they got enough sleep. He emphasized that if you force the =
crew=20
too much there will be a risk of fatal mistakes. (And indeed during this =
mission=20
a number of mistakes have been reported. )</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>Not only the Russians, but also Andy Thomas =
complained about=20
matters he did not appreciate. He had no problems with his direct=20
&lsquo;leads&rsquo;, but with some organisations. Regularly Andy =
repeated his=20
complaint that he did not receive his personal E-mails. Last week this =
resulted=20
in the despatch of a stream E-mails, reaching him by uplink Packet Radio =

transmissions, also via Altair-2. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Andy reported problems with the American experiment =
COCULT. The=20
flow of liquids to feed cells of this experiment was full of =
air-bubbles. He=20
tried to solve this problem but did not succeed. In conversations with =
his=20
consultative group he emphasized that he does all what is possible to =
fulfil the=20
American experimental program, but that he attaches great value to the =
execution=20
of his physical exercises. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The forthcoming launch of Pr-M38 and the departure on =

15.03.1998 of the old Pr-M37 were mentioned now and then. The crew tried =
to load=20
as much as possible waste and equipment which was no longer needed in =
the=20
Pr-M37. Musabayev reported that it was not possible to load the old =
BKV-3 in=20
that freighter. He gave a higher priority to the dismissal of waste =
containers,=20
lots of old rags, biological- and domestic garbage. More or less the lot =
of work=20
on the life support systems superseded the attention for the forthcoming =

departure of the Pr-M38. Only yesterday (14.03) they spoke about the =
TORU=20
(remote controlled steering of Pr-M from inside MIR), which has to be=20
operational in case the automatic system Kurs should fail. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>On 9.03.1998 a planned communication session of MIR =
with TsUP=20
via Altair-2 did not take place. Something went wrong with the uplink =
from=20
Russia to Altair-2. Musabayev who was calling continuously was almost =
desperate.=20
He needed an urgent advice about immunisation. For me it was interesting =
to hear=20
how a cosmonaut feels when he thinks that he has been abandonned by =
earth.=20
During the first communication session via VHF he said that they almost=20
&lsquo;suffered an infarct&rsquo;. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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