Subject: mirnews.472
From: "C.M. vd Berg" <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 08:23:20 -0500 (EST)

Dit is een meerdelig bericht in MIME-indeling.

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                    =20
MIRNEWS.472                                                             =
29 DECEMBER 1999

Continuation of hibernation:  After a test period in the first 3 days of =
December, the complex could continue its  winter sleep. The results of =
the tests were positive and gave the responsible experts at TsUP the =
confidence that they would be able to interfere if necessary, that they =
could control the attitude and movements of the complex and if needed  =
to switch on the main computer (TsVM-1) and speed up the gyrodynes. So =
it was obvious that   the analogue computer BUPO can be used. The =
concern about the small air leakage remains.  During this test period =
the orbit of MIR was raised somewhat with the use of the engines of the =
freighter Progress-M42.    Daily the complex is loosing a  few hundred =
meters. Now the perigee is 316 KM and the apogee 322 KM.  =20

The future of the station:  The promise to take a decision about MIR's =
near future before the end of this year has not been kept.  The last =
information about an eventual decision was that this will take place =
before 15.01.2000, although it is not clear if this will happen.  The =
Head of the RAKA, the Russian NASA, is against the prolongation of the =
exploitation of the MIR-station. Nevertheless he accepted 2 draft =
scenario's between which the ultimate choice has to be made. Which of =
the 2 will be chosen depends on the destination of the money 1.5 billion =
rubel (approx. 58 million dollars) earmarked for the MIR-exploitation. =
In the opinion of Koptev this money is badly needed for other purposes,  =
for instance  for communication, meteorological, navigation and military =
satellites, but also for the Russian obligations in the framework of the =
ISS. A week ago Koptev assured Goldin that Russia will stick to her =
promise to take the MIR-complex out of orbit.=20

The first  draft plan, assuming that the MIR-station will be de-orbited =
in 2000, starts with the launch of the tanker ProgressM1 nr. 1 on =
24.01.2000 and concludes with the de-orbiting of the complex on =
30.06.2000.  This plan also foresees in an extra manned mission, the =
Main Expedition 28, consisting of 2 Russians (launch foreseen on =
30.04.2000) and 1 extra tanker, the ProgressM1 nr. 2.

The second draft plan, supported by RKK Energiya, foresees in the =
continuation of the MIR-exploitation during the whole year 2000. Apart =
from Main Expedition 28, there should be a Main Expedition 29 and the =
delivery of 3 tankers of the ProgressM1 type. This plan does not include =
a planned date for an eventual de-orbit of the complex before 1.01.2001. =

I wish you all a smooth transfer to the New Millennium (still convinced =
that this starts on the first second of the first day of the next year =
2000), a  Happy and Prosperous New Year and the acceptance and the =
execution of the 2nd plan.

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

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000=20
size=3D2><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000=20
size=3D2>MIRNEWS.472&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb=
sp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
29 DECEMBER 1999</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Continuation of hibernation:&nbsp; =
After a test=20
period in the first 3 days of December, the complex could continue =
its&nbsp;=20
winter sleep. The results of the tests were positive and gave the =
responsible=20
experts at TsUP the confidence that they would be able to interfere if=20
necessary, that they could control the attitude and movements of the =
complex and=20
if needed&nbsp; to switch on the main computer (TsVM-1) and speed up the =

gyrodynes. So it was obvious that&nbsp;&nbsp; the analogue computer BUPO =
can be=20
used. The concern about the small air leakage remains.&nbsp; During this =
test=20
period the orbit of MIR was raised somewhat with the use of the engines =
of the=20
freighter Progress-M42.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daily the complex is loosing =
a&nbsp;=20
few hundred meters. Now the perigee is 316 KM and the apogee 322 =
KM.&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The future of the station:&nbsp; The =
promise to=20
take a decision about MIR's near future before the end of this year has =
not been=20
kept.&nbsp; The last information about an eventual decision was that =
this will=20
take place before 15.01.2000, although it is not clear if this will=20
happen.&nbsp; The Head of the RAKA, the Russian NASA, is against the=20
prolongation of the exploitation of the MIR-station. Nevertheless he =
accepted 2=20
draft scenario's between which the ultimate choice has to be made. Which =
of the=20
2 will be chosen depends on the destination of the money 1.5 billion =
rubel=20
(approx. 58 million dollars) earmarked for the MIR-exploitation. In the =
opinion=20
of Koptev this money is badly needed for other purposes,&nbsp; for=20
instance&nbsp; for communication, meteorological, navigation and =
military=20
satellites, but also for the Russian obligations in the framework of the =
ISS. A=20
week ago Koptev assured Goldin that Russia will stick to her promise to =
take the=20
MIR-complex out of orbit. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The first&nbsp; draft plan, assuming =
that the=20
MIR-station will be de-orbited in 2000, starts with the launch of the =
tanker=20
ProgressM1 nr. 1 on 24.01.2000 and concludes with the de-orbiting of the =
complex=20
on 30.06.2000.&nbsp; This plan also foresees in an extra manned mission, =
the=20
Main Expedition 28, consisting of 2 Russians (launch foreseen on =
30.04.2000) and=20
1 extra tanker, the ProgressM1 nr. 2.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The second draft plan, supported by =
RKK=20
Energiya, foresees in the continuation of the MIR-exploitation during =
the whole=20
year 2000. Apart from Main Expedition 28, there should be a Main =
Expedition 29=20
and the delivery of 3 tankers of the ProgressM1 type. This plan does not =
include=20
a planned date for an eventual de-orbit of the complex before 1.01.2001. =

</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>I wish you all a smooth transfer to =
the New=20
Millennium (still convinced that this starts on the first second of the =
first=20
day of the next year 2000), a&nbsp; Happy and Prosperous New Year and =
the=20
acceptance and the execution of the 2nd plan.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Chris van den Berg,=20
NL-9165/A-UK3202</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 =
size=3D2>&nbsp;<BR></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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