MIRNEWS.133    12 JUNE 1992

PROGRESS-M13:

This freighter will be launched to MIR on 30 June 1992 and is planned to dock
with the complex on 2 July 1992. Apart from the normal supplies (water, food,
fuel, post, etc.) the freighter will deliver French experiments, 2 new gyrodynes
and tools for the installationwork for these gyrodynes.

EXTRA-VEHICULAR ACTIVITY:

This EVA possibly will take place on 10 July 1992. This crew will do only one
EVA, which is necessary in relation to the replacement of 2 gyrodynes in
Module-D. The gyrodynes rotate in vacuum-cases inside Module-D and so in fact
the replacement will be performed without an EVA. The EVA is necessary to mend
and/or open valves on the outer surface of Module-D. The vacuum in the
gyrodyne-cases must be achieved via the valves between the cases and open
space.On a somewhat longer term they still plan to install an attitude- (roll-)
control motor in the top of the Sofora mast, but this will take place after the
French expedition and has to be done by the next crew (Solovyov and Avdeyev).
The installation of the new gyrodynes is urgently needed.

NAVIGARE NECESSE EST:

At the moment more Russian cosmonauts are seaborne than there are in space.

Kosmonavt Pavel Belyayev:

This former trackingship left London for Portugal and Spain on 2 June 1992.
Regularly in ports as well at sea K.P.B. makes contact with the cosmonauts on
board MIR. Among the passengers of K.P.B. are some cosmonauts: Savinykh,
Afanasyev and -possibly- the good old G. Titov.

PROFESSOR KHLYUSTIN:

This ship -never involved in tracking operations- is cruising from St.
Petersburg through the Baltic, North Sea and the Channel. It has been very
difficult to get sufficient information about the purpose of the cruise and the
itinary. Sometimes I felt like the English admiral searching for the Bismarck in
WW-II. The ship left Russia on 6 June 1992 with a spaceflight exhibition and a
lot of prominents, among which 3 cosmonauts, on board. The purpose has been
contained in the definition: 'International Scientific and Educational
Ecological Expedition in the framework of Space in the Interest of Inhabitants
of Planet Earth'. Head of the expedition is cosmonaut G.T. Beregovoy., his
deputee is a writer (and editor) Chukanov. 2 more cosmonauts are among 63
prominents, i.e. Oleg Makarov and Anatoliy Filipchenko. Among the scientists is
the Head of the Geophysical Faculty of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. On 11
June 1992 the ship visited Antwerp, but instead of starting an interesting
program for Belgians, the ship already on 12 June shaped course for Le Havre.
Thusfar further plans seem not to have been revealed and so we must continue
our Bismarck-like search. And of course, according to naval-staff practice,
being prepared for the hunt of a 3d vessel: we already heard the name of the
formertrackingship K.G. Dobrovolskiy.

TRANSFER OF MY MESSAGES POSSIBLY SUSPENDED FOR SOME WEEKS:

The system operator of of my key-node in the chain to packet-radio facilities
will suspend his activities during his leave as of 15 June 1992. I will continue
my work and my messages can be found on the BBS of FIDO NOS, F.A. 2, Tel.
035-245395. After the return of the system operator all outstanding (do not
object against the second meaning of this word as well) files will be dissipated
by p/r as soon as possible.

Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.