Subject: mirnews.416
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 04:55:42 -0400 (EDT)

Dit is een meerdelig bericht in MIME-indeling.

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MIRNEWS.416 7 APRIL 1998

2nd Spacewalk (EVA) 25th Main Expedition MIR.

The EVA took place on 6.04.1998 between 1127 and 1550UTC (duration 4 hrs =
23 mins.) The crew accomplished the main task: the strengthening of the =
lateral structure of the damaged solar panel on Module Spektr. They =
succeeded in fastening the 1.5 meters long splint. The cosmonauts had to =
use every effort and the work lasted longer than planned. They had to =
work under very unfavourable circumstances. Due to a malfunction of a =
ground facility for the Altair-2 satellite they did not have this =
satellite at their disposal and the quality of the communications via =
tracking stations was bad.=20

So in fact two reasons to cut short the EVA: tired cosmonauts and =
unwarranted communication gaps. But the cosmonauts did not want to stop =
and the authorities on earth badly needed an EVA which was 100% =
successful.=20

And then there emerged a 3rd reason to stop: the roll (movement along =
the X-axis) of the station had to be adjusted to align the complex with =
the sun. This had to be done with the VDU (the external thruster in the =
Sofora mast). The experts still expected to have some drops of fuel, but =
there was nothing left. It was impossible to use an alternative: the =
thrusters of the module Priroda, as the only person who could give the =
command for that operation, Andy Thomas, was not trained to do so.=20

The unfavourable angle of the complex towards the sun was risky for a =
lack of power supply might influence the functioning of the gyrodynes =
and cause other imponderabilia.

So the spacewalkers got orders to return to the air-lock and do that =
quickly, because they had to be on board to be able to take measures to =
take care of the attitude correction.=20

During the first direct pass over my position (orbit 69286, =
1556-1603UTC) the cosmonauts were in the air-lock and had already =
started the pressurizing process. It was clear that the cosmonauts were =
very tired: they were breathing heavily and they could hardly speak.=20

The cosmonauts had to go to the Base Block as soon as possible for the =
attitude correction.=20

The original plan foresaw in work at the Rapana girder and the old VDU. =
They had to postpone that work until the 3rd EVA.=20

The geostationary Altair-2 is operational again. On 7.04.1998 during =
orbit 69300 there was a long TV-session in which the 3 cosmonauts could =
be seen while a cheerful Musabayev was reading out good whishes and =
congratulations. Possibly the international participants in the =
excursion by the Bauman institute were able to attend this session =
during their visit at TsUP.=20

3rd EVA: This EVA is on schedule for 11.04.1998 from 1005UTC. Planned =
duration: approx. 6 hours.=20

Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202

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<P>MIRNEWS.416 7 APRIL 1998</P>
<P>2nd Spacewalk (EVA) 25th Main Expedition MIR.</P>
<P>The EVA took place on 6.04.1998 between 1127 and 1550UTC (duration 4 =
hrs 23=20
mins.) The crew accomplished the main task: the strengthening of the =
lateral=20
structure of the damaged solar panel on Module Spektr. They succeeded in =

fastening the 1.5 meters long splint. The cosmonauts had to use every =
effort and=20
the work lasted longer than planned. They had to work under very =
unfavourable=20
circumstances. Due to a malfunction of a ground facility for the =
Altair-2=20
satellite they did not have this satellite at their disposal and the =
quality of=20
the communications via tracking stations was bad. </P>
<P>So in fact two reasons to cut short the EVA: tired cosmonauts and =
unwarranted=20
communication gaps. But the cosmonauts did not want to stop and the =
authorities=20
on earth badly needed an EVA which was 100% successful. </P>
<P>And then there emerged a 3rd reason to stop: the roll (movement along =
the=20
X-axis) of the station had to be adjusted to align the complex with the =
sun.=20
This had to be done with the VDU (the external thruster in the Sofora =
mast). The=20
experts still expected to have some drops of fuel, but there was nothing =
left.=20
It was impossible to use an alternative: the thrusters of the module =
Priroda, as=20
the only person who could give the command for that operation, Andy =
Thomas, was=20
not trained to do so. </P>
<P>The unfavourable angle of the complex towards the sun was risky for a =
lack of=20
power supply might influence the functioning of the gyrodynes and cause =
other=20
imponderabilia.</P>
<P>So the spacewalkers got orders to return to the air-lock and do that =
quickly,=20
because they had to be on board to be able to take measures to take care =
of the=20
attitude correction. </P>
<P></P>
<P>During the first direct pass over my position (orbit 69286, =
1556-1603UTC) the=20
cosmonauts were in the air-lock and had already started the pressurizing =

process. It was clear that the cosmonauts were very tired: they were =
breathing=20
heavily and they could hardly speak. </P>
<P></P>
<P>The cosmonauts had to go to the Base Block as soon as possible for =
the=20
attitude correction. </P>
<P>The original plan foresaw in work at the Rapana girder and the old =
VDU. They=20
had to postpone that work until the 3rd EVA. </P>
<P>The geostationary Altair-2 is operational again. On 7.04.1998 during =
orbit=20
69300 there was a long TV-session in which the 3 cosmonauts could be =
seen while=20
a cheerful Musabayev was reading out good whishes and congratulations. =
Possibly=20
the international participants in the excursion by the Bauman institute =
were=20
able to attend this session during their visit at TsUP. </P>
<P>3rd EVA: This EVA is on schedule for 11.04.1998 from 1005UTC. Planned =

duration: approx. 6 hours. </P>
<P>Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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