Subject: mirnews.453
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 15:35:33 -0500 (EST)

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MIRNEWS.453                                                     5 =
FEBRUARY 1999=20

Znamya 2.5:   A tragic conjunction of circumstances caused the failure =
of this experiment. In soviet times successes caused an enormous =
publicity explosion. Nowadays the balance goes the other way: extensive =
information and publicity before an interesting  hazardous operation and =
when there is a failure  a strong hangover afterwards. For me the days =
before the execution of the experiment were hectic.  Lots of people, =
among them even some who never before were not interested in =
spaceflight, tackled me to get  information. The media had given them =
the impression that the Russians were about to install a real  midsummer =
night's sun. As much as possible, often  even disappointing those =
enthousiasts, I tried to explain them that this was just an experiment =
to try out the methods and the technologies of a solarreflector for the  =
far future and that it had not been planned to surprise us with an =
overwhelming happening.=20
=20
It was clear the the Russians were not happy with the enthousiasm and =
attention before and that some of them would prefer a little bit =
soviet-like publicity: so exuberant joy when a risky attempt was =
successful , but silence after a failure.=20

What went wrong?   Just when Padalka transmitted the command to unfold =
the reflector packages, the Progress-M40 got a command  from earth to =
deploy a Kurs antenna. One slip of the reflector got stuck behind this =
antenna and theunfolding process  stopped.  After the retraction of the =
antenna and a motorburn of the Progress-M40 the reflector came free, but =
a second attempt to deploy the reflector with the centrifugal forces of =
the spinning around its X-axis Pr-M40 failed. After analyses and nightly =
deliberations the Russians decided to blow off the experiment and to put =
the Pr-M40 on a destruction course.=20

Progress-M40:  On 4.02.1999 at 09.59.32UTC the freighter separated from =
the aft (Kvant-1) docking port of MIR.=20

On 5.02.1999 at 1016UTC Progress-M40 got the impulse  to bring it back =
into the atmosphere.  At 1110UTC Pr-M40 burnt up over a designated area =
in the Pacific East of New-Zealand. =20
Communications: These began with the reception between 1302 and =
13.03.30UTC  of the 922.755 mc beacon and telemetry transmitter of =
Pr-M40.  This was for me  the prove that Pr-M40 was flying autonomously. =

MIR's radio conversations during the following passes of MIR and Pr-M40 =
made it clear that the experiment was not proceeding according to plan. =
Padalka reported hat he had switched off several systems and obviously =
the crew transferred the control of Pr-M40 to TsUP.=20
=20
Avdeyev continuously reported  to TsUP the distances  between MIR and  =
Pr-M40 with  the times.  During the pass in orbit 74054, 1439-1440UTC, =
he reported that at 13.54.40UTC the distance had been  4090 Meters.    =
At about 1439UTC the distance was approx. 2 KM.   For the measurements =
Avdeyev had to soar from port-hole to port-hole. Regularly he reported =
that it was difficult to track and to observe the Pr-M40  due to the =
sunlight shining in his eyes and now and then MIR's solarpanels  =
hampered him.  Possibly Avdeyev had to report the distances to the man =
at TsUP who controlled the Pr-M40.=20
Now and then the UKW-2 (130.165 mc) was in use for communications.   =
During the   pass in orb.  74055, (1606-1615UTC) he continued to report =
the distances.=20

One of my friends,   radio-amateur Hans van Dijk (NL number 10204), =
picked up images of the Pr-M40 transmitted to earth with SSTV on 145.985 =
mc.  =20

The failure of the experiment was discussed during radiotraffic. Padalka =
did not make a fuss about this, but he was disappointed about the fact =
that the crew had  not  been able to carry out their work. Heexpressed =
his satisfaction about the fact that the control of Pr-M40 with the TORU =
and the transfer of commands for the experiment worked flawlessly. He =
regretted the fact that they    had installed all equipment to film and =
photograph the events in vain.  He joked  that  they  might be able  to =
try it again in 6 years.   About this all and the plans with this =
experiment for the next day he had a conversation with Flight control =
chief V.A. Solovyov.=20

During the communication window in orb. 74057/58, 1915-1926UTC,  the =
crew, certainly   unintended,  startled the flight controller at TsUP by =
switching off the transmitter.  This man  possibly thought that =
something was wrong  (in fact a free flying   freighter not far from =
MIR!) and reacted immediately.  Avdeyev told him that all was well on =
board.=20

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

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>MIRNEWS.453&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
5 FEBRUARY 1999 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Znamya 2.5:&nbsp;&nbsp; =
A tragic=20
conjunction of circumstances caused the failure of this experiment. In =
soviet=20
times successes caused an enormous publicity explosion. Nowadays the =
balance=20
goes the other way: extensive information and publicity before an=20
interesting&nbsp; hazardous operation and when there is a failure&nbsp; =
a strong=20
hangover afterwards. For me the days before the execution of the =
experiment were=20
hectic.&nbsp; Lots of people, among them even some who never before were =
not=20
interested in spaceflight, tackled me to get&nbsp; information. The =
media had=20
given them the impression that the Russians were about to install a =
real&nbsp;=20
midsummer night's sun. As much as possible, often&nbsp; even =
disappointing those=20
enthousiasts, I tried to explain them that this was just an experiment =
to try=20
out the methods and the technologies of a solarreflector for the&nbsp; =
far=20
future and that it had not been planned to surprise us with an =
overwhelming=20
happening.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>It was clear the the =
Russians were=20
not happy with the enthousiasm and attention before and that some of =
them would=20
prefer a little bit soviet-like publicity: so exuberant joy when a risky =
attempt=20
was successful , but silence after a failure. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>What went =
wrong?&nbsp;&nbsp; Just=20
when Padalka transmitted the command to unfold the reflector packages, =
the=20
Progress-M40 got a command&nbsp; from earth to deploy a Kurs antenna. =
One slip=20
of the reflector got stuck behind this antenna and theunfolding =
process&nbsp;=20
stopped.&nbsp; After the retraction of the antenna and a motorburn of =
the=20
Progress-M40 the reflector came free, but a second attempt to deploy the =

reflector with the centrifugal forces of the spinning around its X-axis =
Pr-M40=20
failed. After analyses and nightly deliberations the Russians decided to =
blow=20
off the experiment and to put the Pr-M40 on a destruction course. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Progress-M40:&nbsp; On =
4.02.1999 at=20
09.59.32UTC the freighter separated from the aft (Kvant-1) docking port =
of MIR.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>On 5.02.1999 at 1016UTC =
Progress-M40=20
got the impulse&nbsp; to bring it back into the atmosphere.&nbsp; At =
1110UTC=20
Pr-M40 burnt up over a designated area in the Pacific East of =
New-Zealand.&nbsp;=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Communications: These =
began with the=20
reception between 1302 and 13.03.30UTC&nbsp; of the 922.755 mc beacon =
and=20
telemetry transmitter of Pr-M40.&nbsp; This was for me&nbsp; the prove =
that=20
Pr-M40 was flying autonomously. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>MIR's radio =
conversations during the=20
following passes of MIR and Pr-M40 made it clear that the experiment was =
not=20
proceeding according to plan. Padalka reported hat he had switched off =
several=20
systems and obviously the crew transferred the control of Pr-M40 to =
TsUP. <BR>=20
<BR>Avdeyev continuously reported&nbsp; to TsUP the distances&nbsp; =
between MIR=20
and&nbsp; Pr-M40 with&nbsp; the times.&nbsp; During the pass in orbit =
74054,=20
1439-1440UTC, he reported that at 13.54.40UTC the distance had =
been&nbsp; 4090=20
Meters.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At about 1439UTC the distance was approx. 2=20
KM.&nbsp;&nbsp; For the measurements Avdeyev had to soar from port-hole =
to=20
port-hole. Regularly he reported that it was difficult to track and to =
observe=20
the Pr-M40&nbsp; due to the sunlight shining in his eyes and now and =
then MIR's=20
solarpanels&nbsp; hampered him.&nbsp; Possibly Avdeyev had to report the =

distances to the man at TsUP who controlled the Pr-M40. =
</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Now and then the UKW-2 =
(130.165 mc)=20
was in use for communications.&nbsp;&nbsp; During the&nbsp;&nbsp; pass =
in=20
orb.&nbsp; 74055, (1606-1615UTC) he continued to report the distances.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>One of my =
friends,&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
radio-amateur Hans van Dijk (NL number 10204), picked up images of the =
Pr-M40=20
transmitted to earth with SSTV on 145.985 mc.&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>The failure of the =
experiment was=20
discussed during radiotraffic. Padalka did not make a fuss about this, =
but he=20
was disappointed about the fact that the crew had&nbsp; not&nbsp; been =
able to=20
carry out their work. Heexpressed his satisfaction about the fact that =
the=20
control of Pr-M40 with the TORU and the transfer of commands for the =
experiment=20
worked flawlessly. He regretted the fact that they&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; had =

installed all equipment to film and photograph the events in vain.&nbsp; =
He=20
joked&nbsp; that&nbsp; they&nbsp; might be able&nbsp; to try it again in =
6=20
years.&nbsp;&nbsp; About this all and the plans with this experiment for =
the=20
next day he had a conversation with Flight control chief V.A. Solovyov.=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 =
communication window in=20
orb. 74057/58, 1915-1926UTC,&nbsp; the crew, certainly&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
unintended,&nbsp; startled the flight controller at TsUP by switching =
off the=20
transmitter.&nbsp; This man&nbsp; possibly thought that something was=20
wrong&nbsp; (in fact a free flying&nbsp;&nbsp; freighter not far from =
MIR!) and=20
reacted immediately.&nbsp; Avdeyev told him that all was well on board.=20
</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&nbsp; =
Berg,=20
NL-9165/A-UK3202<BR></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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