Subject: mirnews.422
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 15:56:30 -0400 (EDT)

Dit is een meerdelig bericht in MIME-indeling.

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MIRNEWS.422                                            17 MAY 1998

Progress-M39: Launch.   This launch took place from Baykonur on =
14.05.1998 at 22.12.59UTC (for Moscow already 15.05.1998).

During the 3rd pass of Pr-M39 for our position it was clear that all =
went well. The Telemetry transmitters in the 166 and 165 mc bands could =
be monitored here between 0248 and 0251UTC.=20

During the 4th pass the signals in the 166 and 165 mc bands were very =
strong, those of the 922.755 mc beacon weaker than normal between =
04.16.55 and 04.22.00UTC.  TCA (Time Closest Approach) was at =
04.19.52UTC.=20

During flightday 2 the passes still took place during the night hours. I =
preferred to sleep that night. One of my English Ketteringgroup friends =
monitored the Pr-M39 transmissions thus convincing  us  that the bird =
was still alive.=20

In the course of Pr-M39-s flightday 1 the crew of   MIR were involved in =
the following activities:
1st:  Checking the TORU remote control system and performing some =
training with this system.
2nd: Observations of the departing Progress-M38. =20

Progress-M38: This old freighter was separated from MIR-s aft docking =
port on 15.05.1998 at 1844UTC.  As  of 1914UTC TsUP executed some =
manoeuvres with the autonomously flying Pr-M38.  The cosmonauts had to =
observe and film 4 impulses of the engines of Pr-M38. This happened =
during a window via Altair-2 and Musabayev reported his findings to a =
Georgiy at TsUP.  In the beginning Pr-M38 flew in front of   MIR with a =
gradually increasing distance.  Now and then the cosmonauts lost sight =
of the freighter, but between 1944 and 1952UTC a number of observations =
were possible.=20
   =20
At 19.51.03UTC, just before one of the impulses they again lost sight of =
Pr-M38. At the moment of the burn at 19.51.38UTC Pr-M39 was exactly =
below  MIR and the crew were able to see the fan-shaped flames coming =
out ot the Pr-M38.  Further plans foresaw in the despatching of Pr-M38 =
on a destruction course after the safe docking of Pr-M39 at the =
MIR-complex.=20
=20
Approach and docking of Progress-M39:
=20
On 16.05.98  at 23.50.34UTC Progress-M39 docked at the aft (Kvant-1) =
docking port.=20
Approach and docking took place in the automatic mode by the system =
Kurs.=20

The communications via Altair-2 started at 2310UTC.  At that moment the =
distance was 4400 Meters, closing speed  12.8 M/sec.  Only problem was =
that one of the displays did not work.  Musabayev reported all =
movements, distances and closiing rates.=20

 At 23.16.10UTC  the distance was 1980 Meters, closing rate  5.7 M/s. =
>From that moment on M. started testing  TORU.  He reported the response =
of TORU on his commands and at 23.18.52UTC he stated that the test had =
been accomplished and that the results were positive.=20

At 23.22.30UTC phone communications via Altair-2 stopped and   a kind of =
test image emerged on my screen without any  images of the station or =
ship. The phone channel parallel to the TV-channel was open, but not in =
use.=20

At 2342UTC the VHF downlink came in.  M. was still reporting the data of =
the operation.=20
Earlier he had said that he would continue reporting  and recording this =
even if there should be an interruption of communications.

The approach was still under the control of Kurs, but M. was ready to =
take over by TORU. He regularly stated: all is going well, no panic, no =
emergency,  no instructions.  The VHF window closed at 23.42.50UTC at a  =
distance of 148 Meters. At 23.46.45UTC Phone was back via Altair-2, but =
the report of the 'kasaniye'  (first contact) reached TsUP via VHF out =
of my range.
=20
Just before Altair-2 was switched off Musabayev reported that the =
recorder had been turned  off.=20
I waited for the next VHF window. Altair-2 communications were not =
resumed.   During the window in orbit 69918 , 0114-0123UTC, M. reported =
that all was well and that they continued  the post docking operation =
according to  schedule (cyclogram) and Board Documentation. =20

Then I went to bed, I was too tired to wait longer and used my =
timeswitch for the  passes still to come. =20

During the pass in orb. 69919, 0247-0257UTC M.  reported that the  =
air-seal checks did not give problems and that they already had opened =
the hatches to Pr-M39.   There came  a very strong airstream  out of the =
freighter with the nice smell of apples. All was clean and the first =
object they had seen  in the Pr-M39  was a huge guitar.
=20
No radiotraffic during the following passes.
 =20
Misunderstanding    in MIRNEWS.421:

I mistakenly took the planned melting of an Optizon sample as something =
to  do with one of the station's KOB loops. Please forget the sentence =
with this subject. My apologies for the caused confusion and thanks to =
those  American friends who have put me back on the right track.=20

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

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>MIRNEWS.422&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;=20
17 MAY 1998</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: =
Launch.&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
This launch took place from Baykonur on 14.05.1998 at 22.12.59UTC (for =
Moscow=20
already 15.05.1998).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>During the 3rd pass of =
Pr-M39 for our=20
position it was clear that all went well. The Telemetry transmitters in =
the 166=20
and 165 mc bands could be monitored here between 0248 and 0251UTC. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>During the 4th pass the =
signals in=20
the 166 and 165 mc bands were very strong, those of the 922.755 mc =
beacon weaker=20
than normal between 04.16.55 and 04.22.00UTC.&nbsp; TCA (Time Closest =
Approach)=20
was at 04.19.52UTC. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>During flightday 2 the =
passes still=20
took place during the night hours. I preferred to sleep that night. One =
of my=20
English Ketteringgroup friends monitored the Pr-M39 transmissions thus=20
convincing&nbsp; us&nbsp; that the bird was still alive. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>In the course of =
Pr-M39-s flightday 1=20
the crew of&nbsp;&nbsp; MIR were involved in the following=20
activities:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>1st:&nbsp; Checking the =
TORU remote=20
control system and performing some training with this system.<BR>2nd:=20
Observations of the departing Progress-M38.&nbsp; </FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Progress-M38: This old =
freighter was=20
separated from MIR-s aft docking port on 15.05.1998 at 1844UTC.&nbsp; =
As&nbsp;=20
of 1914UTC TsUP executed some manoeuvres with the autonomously flying=20
Pr-M38.&nbsp; The cosmonauts had to observe and film 4 impulses of the =
engines=20
of Pr-M38. This happened during a window via Altair-2 and Musabayev =
reported his=20
findings to a Georgiy at TsUP.&nbsp; In the beginning Pr-M38 flew in =
front=20
of&nbsp;&nbsp; MIR with a gradually increasing distance.&nbsp; Now and =
then the=20
cosmonauts lost sight of the freighter, but between 1944 and 1952UTC a =
number of=20
observations were possible.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
<BR>At=20
19.51.03UTC, just before one of the impulses they again lost sight of =
Pr-M38. At=20
the moment of the burn at 19.51.38UTC Pr-M39 was exactly below&nbsp; MIR =
and the=20
crew were able to see the fan-shaped flames coming out ot the =
Pr-M38.&nbsp;=20
Further plans foresaw in the despatching of Pr-M38 on a destruction =
course after=20
the safe docking of Pr-M39 at the MIR-complex. </FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;<BR>Approach and =
docking of=20
Progress-M39:<BR> <BR>On 16.05.98&nbsp; at 23.50.34UTC Progress-M39 =
docked at=20
the aft (Kvant-1) docking port. </FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Approach and docking =
took place in=20
the automatic mode by the system Kurs. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>The communications via =
Altair-2=20
started at 2310UTC.&nbsp; At that moment the distance was 4400 Meters, =
closing=20
speed&nbsp; 12.8 M/sec.&nbsp; Only problem was that one of the displays =
did not=20
work.&nbsp; Musabayev reported all movements, distances and closiing =
rates.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;At =
23.16.10UTC&nbsp; the=20
distance was 1980 Meters, closing rate&nbsp; 5.7 M/s. From that moment =
on M.=20
started testing&nbsp; TORU.&nbsp; He reported the response of TORU on =
his=20
commands and at 23.18.52UTC he stated that the test had been =
accomplished and=20
that the results were positive. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>At 23.22.30UTC phone =
communications=20
via Altair-2 stopped and&nbsp;&nbsp; a kind of test image emerged on my =
screen=20
without any&nbsp; images of the station or ship. The phone channel =
parallel to=20
the TV-channel was open, but not in use. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2><BR>At 2342UTC the VHF =
downlink came=20
in.&nbsp; M. was still reporting the data of the operation. <BR>Earlier =
he had=20
said that he would continue reporting&nbsp; and recording this even if =
there=20
should be an interruption of communications.</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>The approach was still =
under the=20
control of Kurs, but M. was ready to take over by TORU. He regularly =
stated: all=20
is going well, no panic, no emergency,&nbsp; no instructions.&nbsp; The =
VHF=20
window closed at 23.42.50UTC at a&nbsp; distance of 148 Meters. At =
23.46.45UTC=20
Phone was back via Altair-2, but the report of the 'kasaniye'&nbsp; =
(first=20
contact) reached TsUP via VHF out of my range.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;<BR>Just before =
Altair-2 was=20
switched off Musabayev reported that the recorder had been turned&nbsp; =
off.=20
</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>I waited for the next =
VHF window.=20
Altair-2 communications were not resumed.&nbsp;&nbsp; During the window =
in orbit=20
69918 , 0114-0123UTC, M. reported that all was well and that they=20
continued&nbsp; the post docking operation according to&nbsp; schedule=20
(cyclogram) and Board Documentation.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Then I went to bed, I =
was too tired=20
to wait longer and used my timeswitch for the&nbsp; passes still to =
come.&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 the pass in orb. =
69919,=20
0247-0257UTC M.&nbsp; reported that the&nbsp; air-seal checks did not =
give=20
problems and that they already had opened the hatches to =
Pr-M39.&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
There came&nbsp; a very strong airstream&nbsp; out of the freighter with =
the=20
nice smell of apples. All was clean and the first object they had =
seen&nbsp; in=20
the Pr-M39&nbsp; was a huge guitar.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>No radiotraffic during =
the following=20
passes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial =
size=3D2>Misunderstanding&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; in=20
MIRNEWS.421:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>I mistakenly took the =
planned melting=20
of an Optizon sample as something to&nbsp; do with one of the station's =
KOB=20
loops. Please forget the sentence with this subject. My apologies for =
the caused=20
confusion and thanks to those&nbsp; American friends who have put me =
back on the=20
right track. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Chris van den Berg,=20
NL-9165/A-UK3202</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial =
size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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