Subject: mirnews.418
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 07:01:45 -0400 (EDT)

Dit is een meerdelig bericht in MIME-indeling.

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MIRNEWS.418 17 APRIL 1998

4th Spacewalk (EVA) crew 25th Main Expedition to MIR:

This arduous, but successful EVA was made on 17.04.1998 between =
07.40.22UTC (opening hatch) and 14.12.30UTC (closing hatch) so 6 hrs 32 =
minutes. The schedule foresaw in opening at 0725UTC. A few minutes after =
this moment Budarin accomplished opening of the locks of the exit hatch, =
but then something went wrong with the transceivers in Budarins =
spacesuit. Musabayev could see the moving lips of Budarin and even tried =
to determine what B. was saying, but this is not the way to communicate =
during an EVA, so if they would not be able to resolve this problem the =
EVA had to be cancelled. But all went well: by switching from the main =
to the reserve radio set and back and by switching off and on the =
contact with Budarin was fully restored.=20

>From this moment on the operation proceeded according to plan. Musabayev =
used a new spacesuit and he had to accustom himself to the other gloves =
and sleeves. The transfer of Musabayev and the packages with equipment =
was done with the use of the Strela boom steered by Budarin. The =
operation started with the dismantling of 2 truss structures: the Rapana =
and the so called 3rd truss . The 3rd truss was folded up and installed =
on the outersurface of the Kvant-1 module. The original plan to jettison =
the Rapana into open space was abandonned and this truss also was parked =
horizontally on the outersurface. (Obviously they refrained from this =
launch to keep the Rapana available for future use.)

Then the cosmonauts went to the Progress-M38 and unlocked the bolts =
which had been prevented the new VDU from autonomous adventures. Further =
the VDU was raised by telecommands from earth. The VDU had to be =
inclined from the Pr-M38 to an angle of 35 degrees. The cosmonauts had =
to help the VDU to reach that angle for the automatic regime did not =
function during the last few degrees. When the inclination reached 35 =
degrees the cosmonauts secured the VDU in that starting point for their =
work during the 5th EVA.=20

Andy Thomas documented the whole EVA from inside MIR regularly advised =
by Musabayev.=20

Communications: The main part of the communications took place via =
Altair-2. There was only phone, so no images of the EVA were relayed (at =
least not via Altair-2) during the EVA itself. Sometimes the =
transmissions were interrupted for technical reasons. After one =
interruption the signal was very poor. During later sessions the quality =
was excellent. When MIR came within VHF range the transmissions could be =
monitored simultanuously via the direct way and via the long way through =
Altair-2 as well.=20

After the EVA everybody was satisfied. The spacewalkers were tired. =
Musabayev said that their hands and wrists were very tired, but he added =
that this was quite normal and within the acceptable limits.=20

5th EVA: This EVA is still scheduled for 22.04.1998. The cosmonauts are =
determined to accomplish the installation of the VDU during that EVA.=20

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

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<DIV>
<P align=3Djustify>MIRNEWS.418 17 APRIL 1998</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>4<SUP>th</SUP> Spacewalk (EVA) crew 25<SUP>th</SUP> =
Main=20
Expedition to MIR:</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>This arduous, but successful EVA was made on =
17.04.1998 between=20
07.40.22UTC (opening hatch) and 14.12.30UTC (closing hatch) so 6 hrs 32 =
minutes.=20
The schedule foresaw in opening at 0725UTC. A few minutes after this =
moment=20
Budarin accomplished opening of the locks of the exit hatch, but then =
something=20
went wrong with the transceivers in Budarins spacesuit. Musabayev could =
see the=20
moving lips of Budarin and even tried to determine what B. was saying, =
but this=20
is not the way to communicate during an EVA, so if they would not be =
able to=20
resolve this problem the EVA had to be cancelled. But all went well: by=20
switching from the main to the reserve radio set and back and by =
switching off=20
and on the contact with Budarin was fully restored. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>From this moment on the operation proceeded according =
to plan.=20
Musabayev used a new spacesuit and he had to accustom himself to the =
other=20
gloves and sleeves. The transfer of Musabayev and the packages with =
equipment=20
was done with the use of the Strela boom steered by Budarin. The =
operation=20
started with the dismantling of 2 truss structures: the Rapana and the =
so called=20
3<SUP>rd</SUP> truss . The 3<SUP>rd</SUP> truss was folded up and =
installed on=20
the outersurface of the Kvant-1 module. The original plan to jettison =
the Rapana=20
into open space was abandonned and this truss also was parked =
horizontally on=20
the outersurface. (Obviously they refrained from this launch to keep the =
Rapana=20
available for future use.)</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Then the cosmonauts went to the Progress-M38 and =
unlocked the=20
bolts which had been prevented the new VDU from autonomous adventures. =
Further=20
the VDU was raised by telecommands from earth. The VDU had to be =
inclined from=20
the Pr-M38 to an angle of 35 degrees. The cosmonauts had to help the VDU =
to=20
reach that angle for the automatic regime did not function during the =
last few=20
degrees. When the inclination reached 35 degrees the cosmonauts secured =
the VDU=20
in that starting point for their work during the 5<SUP>th</SUP> EVA. =
</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Andy Thomas documented the whole EVA from inside MIR =
regularly=20
advised by Musabayev. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>Communications: The main part of the communications =
took place=20
via Altair-2. There was only phone, so no images of the EVA were relayed =
(at=20
least not via Altair-2) during the EVA itself. Sometimes the =
transmissions were=20
interrupted for technical reasons. After one interruption the signal was =
very=20
poor. During later sessions the quality was excellent. When MIR came =
within VHF=20
range the transmissions could be monitored simultanuously via the direct =
way and=20
via the long way through Altair-2 as well. </P>
<P align=3Djustify>After the EVA everybody was satisfied. The =
spacewalkers were=20
tired. Musabayev said that their hands and wrists were very tired, but =
he added=20
that this was quite normal and within the acceptable limits. </P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>5<SUP>th</SUP> EVA: This EVA is still scheduled for =
22.04.1998.=20
The cosmonauts are determined to accomplish the installation of the VDU =
during=20
that EVA. </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>
<P align=3Djustify>&nbsp;</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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