Subject: mirnews.421
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 03:34:33 -0400 (EDT)

Dit is een meerdelig bericht in MIME-indeling.

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MIRNEWS.421                                                   11 MAY =
1998

BDD: On 30.04.1998 Altair-2 was used for the last time for experiments =
in the framework of the BDD (Betriebstechnik Deutschland Direkt). The =
participants (the MIR crew and the team in Oberpfaffenhofen) obviously =
struggled with some software problems and the system is not ready yet.  =
Fortunately the manoeuvres with the Altair-2 antennae (towards =
Oberpfaffenhofen and back to Moscow) had no consequences for the =
performance of Altair-2. Afterwards  Altair-2 often has been  used for =
phone- and TV-communications.=20

VDU: This new external thruster has been fully implemented in the =
attitude control of the MIR-complex.   When the gyrodynes have to be =
reset to their initial settings, the VDU takes over the control of the =
roll (movements around the X-axis). The fact that the VDU has been used =
could be derived from radiotraffic. When the cosmonauts load a =
quaternion command the VDU will be used.  (Quaternion is the coefficient =
of 2 vectors)

BKV-3: This a.c. is not always obedient. Many times the cosmonauts had =
to switch off the BVK-3 after switching on. =20

MIR-routine:  Apart from dealing with technical problems of the life =
support  systems, for instance the overheating of a heat circuit, =
causing the melting down of pieces of pipes and small  leakages in the =
SRVK (system for water regeneration from condensation), the crew was =
able to go on with some experiments. =20

During a TV-session for a Russian radio program on 7.02.1998, the =
cosmonauts demonstrated their work on a Russian-American metal melting =
experiment with the Optizon furnace and how carefully  they had to =
handle the loading of experimental ampoules into that furnace. During =
this session they put 9 of those ampoules into the furnace. =20

Answering questions about spacewalks (EVA-s) Musabayev confirms =
something which I reported in my MIRNEWS.415. (Thusfar I did not find =
any  official confirmation or reference on this matter).  He =
acknowledges that  during his 1st EVA  he had switched off   by accident =
 the power supply of this spacesuit resulting in the malfunction of all =
systems in that suit: no cooling or heating, no circulation, no =
communications.. This unpleasant situation lasted no more than 20 =
seconds but for him and those observing his activities this seemed to =
last ages.  =20

During a TV-session with family and friends on 3.05.1998 Musabayev asked =
them to tell the management that all is well on board  and that they =
could skip all the nonsense reported by amateurs about bad situations on =
board.  =20

On 7.05.1998 during a session for a Russian radio program Musabayev gave =
his personal opinion about the significance of the Denj Pobedy. (Victory =
Day). He presented himself as commander of the Russian space station =
MIR, emphasizing that his nationality was Kazakh so coming from one of =
the countries which in the past belonged to the Soviet Union, a country =
now being one of the nearby abroad. Nevertheless he was proud of that =
what his former countrymen achieved in World War 2 and  he even =
memorized the famous Panfilov division.=20
=20

In an admirable way he associated some facts: by this victory the Soviet =
people paved the way for the launches of the first Sputnik and the =
Russian Yuriy Gagarin.  In fact this victory was completed by the =
meeting of Soviet and American troops at the river Elbe.  In this =
respect he remarks the present cooperation between Russians and =
Americans  on board of spacestation MIR, emphasizing that cooperation in =
such a way between peoples  is  a condition for a safe and everlasting =
peace.  He, with his Kazakh nationality, is commander of the Russian =
space station MIR in a   good and fruitful  cooperation with a Russian =
on board engineer and an American astronaut. So this mission is in the =
benefit of mankind and  so the work on board of the future International =
Space Station will be. =20
Forest fires: For us on Earth astronauts and cosmonauts regularly =
observe how badly mankind treats our blue planet. They often express =
their disturbance and alarm about  what they see. These observations =
cannot be compared with findings via unmanned satellites. On 8.05.1998 =
Andrew Thomas asks his lead in TsUP Moscow to pass a report to the =
appropriate people in the United States about heavy fires all over =
Yucatan and Honduras. This peninsular area is so covered up by smoke =
that it is impossible to distinguish the coast lines and contours of the =
countries over there.  He underlines that he never in his life had seen =
smoke with such an intensity and that it  is amazing that the people =
over there are fully burning down their countries.=20

Progress-M38: In preparation for the departure and decay of the =
Progress-M38 in the evening of 16.05.1998 the cosmonauts stow as much =
garbage and useless goods and equipment in this old freighter. In fact =
this freighter is not fully suited for that purpose due to the =
modification necessary for the delivery of the new VDU thruster. Tsup =
has sent a list with instructions for the stowage, but the cosmonauts =
want to add a lot more: bags with used underwear and rags, containers =
with human waste, empty oxygen balloons of spacesuits, they even still =
have to get rid of remnants from previous expeditions.  The man at TsUP =
is not authorized to give permission to do that, for there are plans to =
do some manoeuvres with Pr-M38 after undocking and before decay. In fact =
the crew has to observe these manoeuvres visually. The cosmonauts say =
that this is always difficult, such slight movements of some degrees are =
difficult to observe and often the freighter quickly disappears over the =
horizon.=20

Progress-M39:=20
The launch from Baykonur is scheduled for 14.05.1998 at 2212UTC. If all =
goes according to plan Pr-M39 has to dock at MIR on 16.05.1998 at about =
2350UT, so approx. 6 minutes after our LOS (Loss of signal)  behind the =
eastern horizon for both objects.=20
=20
Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>MIRNEWS.421&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp=
;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&=
nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
11 MAY 1998</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>BDD: On 30.04.1998 =
Altair-2 was used=20
for the last time for experiments in the framework of the BDD =
(Betriebstechnik=20
Deutschland Direkt). The participants (the MIR crew and the team in=20
Oberpfaffenhofen) obviously struggled with some software problems and =
the system=20
is not ready yet.&nbsp; Fortunately the manoeuvres with the Altair-2 =
antennae=20
(towards Oberpfaffenhofen and back to Moscow) had no consequences for =
the=20
performance of Altair-2. Afterwards&nbsp; Altair-2 often has been&nbsp; =
used for=20
phone- and TV-communications. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>VDU: This new external =
thruster has=20
been fully implemented in the attitude control of the =
MIR-complex.&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
When the gyrodynes have to be reset to their initial settings, the VDU =
takes=20
over the control of the roll (movements around the X-axis). The fact =
that the=20
VDU has been used could be derived from radiotraffic. When the =
cosmonauts load a=20
quaternion command the VDU will be used.&nbsp; (Quaternion is the =
coefficient of=20
2 vectors)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>BKV-3: This a.c. is not =
always=20
obedient. Many times the cosmonauts had to switch off the BVK-3 after =
switching=20
on.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>MIR-routine:&nbsp; =
Apart from dealing=20
with technical problems of the life support&nbsp; systems, for instance =
the=20
overheating of a heat circuit, causing the melting down of pieces of =
pipes and=20
small&nbsp; leakages in the SRVK (system for water regeneration from=20
condensation), the crew was able to go on with some experiments.&nbsp;=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>During a TV-session for =
a Russian=20
radio program on 7.02.1998, the cosmonauts demonstrated their work on a=20
Russian-American metal melting experiment with the Optizon furnace and =
how=20
carefully&nbsp; they had to handle the loading of experimental ampoules =
into=20
that furnace. During this session they put 9 of those ampoules into the=20
furnace.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Answering questions =
about spacewalks=20
(EVA-s) Musabayev confirms something which I reported in my MIRNEWS.415. =

(Thusfar I did not find any&nbsp; official confirmation or reference on =
this=20
matter).&nbsp; He acknowledges that&nbsp; during his 1st EVA&nbsp; he =
had=20
switched off&nbsp;&nbsp; by accident&nbsp; the power supply of this =
spacesuit=20
resulting in the malfunction of all systems in that suit: no cooling or =
heating,=20
no circulation, no communications.. This unpleasant situation lasted no =
more=20
than 20 seconds but for him and those observing his activities this =
seemed to=20
last ages.&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>During a TV-session =
with family and=20
friends on 3.05.1998 Musabayev asked them to tell the management that =
all is=20
well on board&nbsp; and that they could skip all the nonsense reported =
by=20
amateurs about bad situations on board.&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>On 7.05.1998 during a =
session for a=20
Russian radio program Musabayev gave his personal opinion about the =
significance=20
of the Denj Pobedy. (Victory Day). He presented himself as commander of =
the=20
Russian space station MIR, emphasizing that his nationality was Kazakh =
so coming=20
from one of the countries which in the past belonged to the Soviet =
Union, a=20
country now being one of the nearby abroad. Nevertheless he was proud of =
that=20
what his former countrymen achieved in World War 2 and&nbsp; he even =
memorized=20
the famous Panfilov division. <BR> </FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>In an admirable way he =
associated=20
some facts: by this victory the Soviet people paved the way for the =
launches of=20
the first Sputnik and the Russian Yuriy Gagarin.&nbsp; In fact this =
victory was=20
completed by the meeting of Soviet and American troops at the river =
Elbe.&nbsp;=20
In this respect he remarks the present cooperation between Russians and=20
Americans&nbsp; on board of spacestation MIR, emphasizing that =
cooperation in=20
such a way between peoples&nbsp; is&nbsp; a condition for a safe and =
everlasting=20
peace.&nbsp; He, with his Kazakh nationality, is commander of the =
Russian space=20
station MIR in a&nbsp;&nbsp; good and fruitful&nbsp; cooperation with a =
Russian=20
on board engineer and an American astronaut. So this mission is in the =
benefit=20
of mankind and&nbsp; so the work on board of the future International =
Space=20
Station will be.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Forest fires: For us on =
Earth=20
astronauts and cosmonauts regularly observe how badly mankind treats our =
blue=20
planet. They often express their disturbance and alarm about&nbsp; what =
they=20
see. These observations cannot be compared with findings via unmanned=20
satellites. On 8.05.1998 Andrew Thomas asks his lead in TsUP Moscow to =
pass a=20
report to the appropriate people in the United States about heavy fires =
all over=20
Yucatan and Honduras. This peninsular area is so covered up by smoke =
that it is=20
impossible to distinguish the coast lines and contours of the countries =
over=20
there.&nbsp; He underlines that he never in his life had seen smoke with =
such an=20
intensity and that it&nbsp; is amazing that the people over there are =
fully=20
burning down their countries. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Progress-M38: In =
preparation for the=20
departure and decay of the Progress-M38 in the evening of 16.05.1998 the =

cosmonauts stow as much garbage and useless goods and equipment in this =
old=20
freighter. In fact this freighter is not fully suited for that purpose =
due to=20
the modification necessary for the delivery of the new VDU thruster. =
Tsup has=20
sent a list with instructions for the stowage, but the cosmonauts want =
to add a=20
lot more: bags with used underwear and rags, containers with human =
waste, empty=20
oxygen balloons of spacesuits, they even still have to get rid of =
remnants from=20
previous expeditions.&nbsp; The man at TsUP is not authorized to give =
permission=20
to do that, for there are plans to do some manoeuvres with Pr-M38 after=20
undocking and before decay. In fact the crew has to observe these =
manoeuvres=20
visually. The cosmonauts say that this is always difficult, such slight=20
movements of some degrees are difficult to observe and often the =
freighter=20
quickly disappears over the horizon. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Progress-M39: =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>The launch from =
Baykonur is scheduled=20
for 14.05.1998 at 2212UTC. If all goes according to plan Pr-M39 has to =
dock at=20
MIR on 16.05.1998 at about 2350UT, so approx. 6 minutes after our LOS =
(Loss of=20
signal)&nbsp; behind the eastern horizon for both objects. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;<BR>Chris van den =
Berg,=20
NL-9165/A-UK3202<BR></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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