Subject: mirnews.417
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1998 16:09:34 -0400 (EDT)

Dit is een meerdelig bericht in MIME-indeling.

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MIRNEWS.417 12 APRIL 1998

3rd Spacewalk (EVA) crew 25th Main Expedition MIR.

This EVA took place on 11.04.1998 from 0955-1620UTC, so with a duration =
of 6 hrs and 25 mins. Everything went according to plan. A piece of good =
luck on the eve of the celebration of the Day of Manned Spaceflight. The =
cosmonauts started the EVA with the utmost confidence and favourable =
circumstances. They could rely on the use of Altair-2 for =
communications. If it would be necessary to reset the gyrodynes, =
thrusters of the Priroda module could be used for attitude control.=20

During orbit 69360 the cosmonauts were in the air-lock preparing the =
opening of the hatch. At 0918UTC the pressure was 9 mm and Budarin was =
loosening the locks of the exit hatch. The communications window closed =
at 0927UTC. At 0955UTC, so out of range of Altair-2, the cosmonauts =
opened the hatch and started the successful operation. When the Altair-2 =
window opened at 1015UTC they already had covered a considerable =
distance and reached positions not far from the Sofora girder. Musabayev =
continuously advised Budarin about his movements and how he had to steer =
the Strela boom, but also warned him for obstacles, for instance =
solarpanels. Musabayev did not forget Andy Thomas who was on duty inside =
MIR. He asked him whether he was seeing them or not and told him to make =
videos and photos. A minor glitch was the bad performance of Budarins =
receiver, but he solved this problem by using his back-up system. =
Sometimes the cosmonauts had to unwrap safety lines and cables, but this =
did not hamper the progress of the EVA. Their mood was excellent and =
they even had time to enjoy the good sight of the Sahara and other =
territories on earth.=20

At 1225UTC (in orbit 69362) it was clear that they almost achieved the =
main goal of the EVA: dismantling and pushing away the old VDU (the =
external thruster in the top of the Sofora boom). At 1227UTC Musabayev =
told Andy that he had to be ready to observe and film a very special =
event: the launch into open space of the VDU. Don=92t go away during the =
next 5 minutes. It lasted somewhat longer before TsUP gave permission =
for the actual push as they had to be sure that all cables and safety =
lines were disconnected. Exactly at 1235UTC this permission came and =
Musabayev told Andy at 12.35.20UTC: we push him away, 1, 2, 3, 4 Do you =
see him moving away? For a while Andy could see the jettisoned VDU, but =
was not able to keep the leaving VDU in sight somewhat longer. Musabayev =
did not like this and did not hide that verbally. Let us hope that Andy =
neither heard nor understood this.=20

The plan for this EVA foresaw in a second launch. After removing for =
retrieval of an experiment (an indicator) from the Rapana structure they =
had to dismantle this structure and dispatch it into open space. I did =
not hear anything of this second launch during communication windows. =
Later on it became clear that this plan had been cancelled . The =
cosmonauts also repaired an outlet valve of the Elektron oxygen =
generator in Module E (Kvant-1).

The old VDU is in orbit as an autonomous satellite and will decay, =
possibly in a year or so.

Now and then TsUP recommended the cosmonauts to return in time and =
finally they got an order to return to the air-lock. This part of the =
operation, again with the instructions of Musabayev for Budarin and the =
repressurisation of the air-lock took place relatively quickly and =
without problems.=20

Not long after their return inside MIR the cosmonauts transmitted a part =
of the videos made by Andy during the EVA and also the launch of the =
VDU.=20

As long as the new VDU is not operational the control of the roll will =
be done by steering rockets of the Priroda module.=20

The next 2 EVA=92s are scheduled for 17 and 22.04.1998. Times will be =
published on 14.04.1998.=20

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

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<DIV>
<P align=3Djustify>MIRNEWS.417 12 APRIL 1998</P>
<P>3<SUP>rd</SUP> Spacewalk (EVA) crew 25<SUP>th</SUP> Main Expedition =
MIR.</P>
<P align=3Djustify>This EVA took place on 11.04.1998 from 0955-1620UTC, =
so with a=20
duration of 6 hrs and 25 mins. Everything went according to plan. A =
piece of=20
good luck on the eve of the celebration of the Day of Manned =
Spaceflight. The=20
cosmonauts started the EVA with the utmost confidence and favourable=20
circumstances. They could rely on the use of Altair-2 for =
communications. If it=20
would be necessary to reset the gyrodynes, thrusters of the Priroda =
module could=20
be used for attitude control. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>During orbit 69360 the cosmonauts were in the =
air-lock=20
preparing the opening of the hatch. At 0918UTC the pressure was 9 mm and =
Budarin=20
was loosening the locks of the exit hatch. The communications window =
closed at=20
0927UTC. At 0955UTC, so out of range of Altair-2, the cosmonauts opened =
the=20
hatch and started the successful operation. When the Altair-2 window =
opened at=20
1015UTC they already had covered a considerable distance and reached =
positions=20
not far from the Sofora girder. Musabayev continuously advised Budarin =
about his=20
movements and how he had to steer the Strela boom, but also warned him =
for=20
obstacles, for instance solarpanels. Musabayev did not forget Andy =
Thomas who=20
was on duty inside MIR. He asked him whether he was seeing them or not =
and told=20
him to make videos and photos. A minor glitch was the bad performance of =

Budarins receiver, but he solved this problem by using his back-up =
system.=20
Sometimes the cosmonauts had to unwrap safety lines and cables, but this =
did not=20
hamper the progress of the EVA. Their mood was excellent and they even =
had time=20
to enjoy the good sight of the Sahara and other territories on earth. =
</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>At 1225UTC (in orbit 69362) it was clear that they =
almost=20
achieved the main goal of the EVA: dismantling and pushing away the old =
VDU (the=20
external thruster in the top of the Sofora boom). At 1227UTC Musabayev =
told Andy=20
that he had to be ready to observe and film a very special event: the =
launch=20
into open space of the VDU. Don&rsquo;t go away during the next 5 =
minutes. It=20
lasted somewhat longer before TsUP gave permission for the actual push =
as they=20
had to be sure that all cables and safety lines were disconnected. =
Exactly at=20
1235UTC this permission came and Musabayev told Andy at 12.35.20UTC: we =
push him=20
away, 1, 2, 3, 4 Do you see him moving away? For a while Andy could see =
the=20
jettisoned VDU, but was not able to keep the leaving VDU in sight =
somewhat=20
longer. Musabayev did not like this and did not hide that verbally. Let =
us hope=20
that Andy neither heard nor understood this. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The plan for this EVA foresaw in a second launch. =
After=20
removing for retrieval of an experiment (an indicator) from the Rapana =
structure=20
they had to dismantle this structure and dispatch it into open space. I =
did not=20
hear anything of this second launch during communication windows. Later =
on it=20
became clear that this plan had been cancelled . The cosmonauts also =
repaired an=20
outlet valve of the Elektron oxygen generator in Module E (Kvant-1).</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The old VDU is in orbit as an autonomous satellite =
and will=20
decay, possibly in a year or so.</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify>Now and then TsUP recommended the cosmonauts to =
return in time=20
and finally they got an order to return to the air-lock. This part of =
the=20
operation, again with the instructions of Musabayev for Budarin and the=20
repressurisation of the air-lock took place relatively quickly and =
without=20
problems. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Not long after their return inside MIR the cosmonauts =

transmitted a part of the videos made by Andy during the EVA and also =
the launch=20
of the VDU. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>As long as the new VDU is not operational the control =
of the=20
roll will be done by steering rockets of the Priroda module. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The next 2 EVA&rsquo;s are scheduled for 17 and =
22.04.1998.=20
Times will be published on 14.04.1998. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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