Subject: mirnews.464
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 05:00:25 -0400 (EDT)

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 MIRNEWS.464                                                29 JULY 1999

3rd Spacewalk (EVA) 27th Main Expedition to MIR:

This EVA was  made by Afanasyev and Avdeyev and so -contradictory to the =
expectations- there will  be no 2nd EVA for Haignere.=20
=20
 The EVA was made on 28.07.1999 from 0937UTC (opening hatch) until =
1459UTC (closure hatch), so 5 hrs and 22 minutes.  The simple fact that =
the EVA could be made within the planned 5 hrs and 30 minuters was an =
indication that all went very well.=20

The first task was to resume the attempts to achieve the full deployment =
of the Georgian-Russian reflector antenna. This was a success. The =
enormous antenna, a little bit looking like an ellipse, has a diameter =
between 6.4 and 5.2 Meters. The experiment was just an engineering =
operation to test a new system for the antenna deployment by remote =
control. So not to use the antenna for communication purposes now.  In =
the  future this system has to be implemented for antennae used on =
navigation satellites. As soon as everybody was convinced that the =
system was able to be used flawlessly, the antenna was disconnected and =
pushed away for a short autonomous flight in space.  Not without showing =
some pride, the Georgean specialists stated that this was the launch of =
the 1st Georgian sputnik.=20

The smooth course of this operation enabled the Russians to perform a =
lot of still awaiting tasks.=20
They installed the experiments Indicator and Sprut-4 and changed the =
cassettes of the Migmas ione spectrometer. They also retrieved some =
experiments from the outside of the complex, i.e. the Danko-M and the =
Ekran-D frame.

Communications during and after the EVA: Again TsUP and the cosmonauts =
had to use the short communication windows via ground facilities. =
Nevertheless nice images of the activities with the reflector antenna =
reached earth.  These were made by Haignere. The French enthousiast =
assisted the spacewalkers and relayed radiotraffic with TsUP.  To TsUP =
he reported about those parts of the operation which took place when MIR =
was not in range of stations on earth.=20

During the first pass of MIR for my position in orbit 76792, 1404UTC, =
the EVA was still going on and I heard that Avdeyev asked Afanasyev  to =
shake firmly something which was not cooperating. He also spoke about =
hot electrical contacts   and he asked Afanasyev to salvage a =
screwdriver. He also was struggling along with a  not properly fixed =
platform.

In the next pass (orb. 76793, 1535UTC) radiotraffic still came via the =
usual lower frequencies.  Avdeyev reported how he secured the good =
closure of the exit hatch. One by one he closed the locks or latches to =
be sure that the hatch was closed hermetically. (This hatch is still a =
main concern for the Russians.) TsUP asked Haignere to report the air =
pressure in the complex. H. answered that this pressure did not change.=20

During later communication sessions   dense   radiotraffic  revealed  =
that there was  a lot of attention for the airtightness in the Module-D, =
especially between the compartments and the airlock.  TsUP ordered =
Afanasyev to switch on the meter for the signalisation of the pressure =
in the airlock to electrical control and to close the pressure =
equalisation valve between the airlock and the PNO (instrument and =
scientific compartment). TsUP said that an airtightness check had to be =
done today, but Afansyev proposed to do that tomorrow. Haignere added =
that this was dangerous and not comfortable. TsUP cancelled the =
instruction and stated that they accepted Afanasyev's proposal.  So =
there was no need to transfer the airpressure meter to electric control. =

Radio-amateurism: As soon as the situation permitted Haignere again went =
back to his passion: radio-amateurism. He opened with a message to all =
radio-amateurs: The EVA has been  accomplished, the reflector antenna =
has been deployed splendidly and launched into open space. The =
experiment with the antenna lead by the Georgian republic  was very =
important and the success was a good moral support for the spacewalkers, =
who, though tired, were happy and in a good condition.=20

Last week during the flight of Columbia (STS-93), Haignere told =
radio-amateurs along this latitude that there had been a radio-amateur =
contact between MIR and Columbia. He told that he spoke with his =
colleague Tognini and that the commanders of both space objects had =
exchanged good wishes, greetings and congratulations.  Regretfully I =
missed that contact  myself due to the low inclination of the orbit of =
Columbia (28.5 degrees).

Almost always in vain, Haignere asked radio-amateurs to practise more =
discipline and to listen carefully before calling.  Sometimes he was =
upset and left the band.=20
 =20
 Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
=20
=20

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><BR>=20
MIRNEWS.464&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb=
sp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp=
;=20
29 JULY 1999</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>3rd Spacewalk (EVA) 27th Main =
Expedition to=20
MIR:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>This EVA was&nbsp; made by Afanasyev =
and Avdeyev=20
and so -contradictory to the expectations- there will&nbsp; be no 2nd =
EVA for=20
Haignere.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>&nbsp;The EVA was made on 28.07.1999 =
from=20
0937UTC (opening hatch) until 1459UTC (closure hatch), so 5 hrs and 22=20
minutes.&nbsp; The simple fact that the EVA could be made within the =
planned 5=20
hrs and 30 minuters was an indication that all went very well. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The first task was to resume the =
attempts to=20
achieve the full deployment of the Georgian-Russian reflector antenna. =
This was=20
a success. The enormous antenna, a little bit looking like an ellipse, =
has a=20
diameter between 6.4 and 5.2 Meters. The experiment was just an =
engineering=20
operation to test a new system for the antenna deployment by remote =
control. So=20
not to use the antenna for communication purposes now.&nbsp; In =
the&nbsp; future=20
this system has to be implemented for antennae used on navigation =
satellites. As=20
soon as everybody was convinced that the system was able to be used =
flawlessly,=20
the antenna was disconnected and pushed away for a short autonomous =
flight in=20
space.&nbsp; Not without showing some pride, the Georgean specialists =
stated=20
that this was the launch of the 1st Georgian sputnik. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The smooth course of this operation =
enabled the=20
Russians to perform a lot of still awaiting tasks. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>They installed the experiments =
Indicator and=20
Sprut-4 and changed the cassettes of the Migmas ione spectrometer. They =
also=20
retrieved some experiments from the outside of the complex, i.e. the =
Danko-M and=20
the Ekran-D frame.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Communications during and after the =
EVA: Again=20
TsUP and the cosmonauts had to use the short communication windows via =
ground=20
facilities. Nevertheless nice images of the activities with the =
reflector=20
antenna reached earth.&nbsp; These were made by Haignere. The French =
enthousiast=20
assisted the spacewalkers and relayed radiotraffic with TsUP.&nbsp; To =
TsUP he=20
reported about those parts of the operation which took place when MIR =
was not in=20
range of stations on earth. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>During the first pass of MIR for my =
position in=20
orbit 76792, 1404UTC, the EVA was still going on and I heard that =
Avdeyev asked=20
Afanasyev&nbsp; to shake firmly something which was not cooperating. He =
also=20
spoke about hot electrical contacts&nbsp;&nbsp; and he asked Afanasyev =
to=20
salvage a screwdriver. He also was struggling along with a&nbsp; not =
properly=20
fixed platform.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>In the next pass (orb. 76793, =
1535UTC)=20
radiotraffic still came via the usual lower frequencies.&nbsp; Avdeyev =
reported=20
how he secured the good closure of the exit hatch. One by one he closed =
the=20
locks or latches to be sure that the hatch was closed hermetically. =
(This hatch=20
is still a main concern for the Russians.) TsUP asked Haignere to report =
the air=20
pressure in the complex. H. answered that this pressure did not change.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>During later communication =
sessions&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
dense&nbsp;&nbsp; radiotraffic&nbsp; revealed&nbsp; that there was&nbsp; =
a lot=20
of attention for the airtightness in the Module-D, especially between =
the=20
compartments and the airlock.&nbsp; TsUP ordered Afanasyev to switch on =
the=20
meter for the signalisation of the pressure in the airlock to electrical =
control=20
and to close the pressure equalisation valve between the airlock and the =
PNO=20
(instrument and scientific compartment). TsUP said that an airtightness =
check=20
had to be done today, but Afansyev proposed to do that tomorrow. =
Haignere added=20
that this was dangerous and not comfortable. TsUP cancelled the =
instruction and=20
stated that they accepted Afanasyev's proposal.&nbsp; So there was no =
need to=20
transfer the airpressure meter to electric control. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Radio-amateurism: As soon as the =
situation=20
permitted Haignere again went back to his passion: radio-amateurism. He =
opened=20
with a message to all radio-amateurs: The EVA has been&nbsp; =
accomplished, the=20
reflector antenna has been deployed splendidly and launched into open =
space. The=20
experiment with the antenna lead by the Georgian republic&nbsp; was very =

important and the success was a good moral support for the spacewalkers, =
who,=20
though tired, were happy and in a good condition. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Last week during the flight of =
Columbia=20
(STS-93), Haignere told radio-amateurs along this latitude that there =
had been a=20
radio-amateur contact between MIR and Columbia. He told that he spoke =
with his=20
colleague Tognini and that the commanders of both space objects had =
exchanged=20
good wishes, greetings and congratulations.&nbsp; Regretfully I missed =
that=20
contact&nbsp; myself due to the low inclination of the orbit of Columbia =
(28.5=20
degrees).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Almost always in vain, Haignere =
asked=20
radio-amateurs to practise more discipline and to listen carefully =
before=20
calling.&nbsp; Sometimes he was upset and left the band. <BR>&nbsp; <BR> =
Chris=20
van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202<BR> <BR> </FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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