MIRNEWS.135    28 JUNE 1992

PROGRESS-M12: OPERATIONS CONCLUDED.

To make the docking of the freighter Progress-M13 on 2 July
1992 possible, the Pr-M12 had to disappear. Pr-M12 had been
docked to the forward docking port (PKhO) on 22 April and was
often used to correct the orbit of the complex. This also
happened a few days ago and so only Keplerelements from day
178 or younger are useable.

Radiotraffic in the night from 27 to 28 June 1992 revealed
that the undocking operation was going on. Kaleri watched the
undocking and autonomous flight of Pr-M12 from the airlock
(S.Sh.O.) of Module-D and Viktorenko observed all what was
happening from the baseblock. During the pass in orb. 36394,
which began at 2129UTC, Pr-M12 separated from MIR. This was
right over our heads at 2135UTC. Telemetry and doppler beacon
(resp. on 166, 165 and 922.755 mc) could be heard. TsUP received
TV images made by Kaleri. For a long time MIR and Pr-M12
flew in formation. During the next pass (in orb. 35395, 2306-
UTC) Pr-M12 still flew autonomously still more or less observed
by Kaleri. At 230654UTC the exact TCA could be determined
(922.755mc passed the BFO-dip). Almost on this moment
Pr-M12's rocket worked to reduce its speed and it entered the
earth's atmosphere. It decayed (burnt up) at 2321UTC on 27
June 1992, so 9 minutes after our LOS. Pr-M12 had not been
equipped with a return capsule.

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