MIRNEWS.184    11 AUGUST 1993

Progress-M19:

This freighter has been launched from Baykonur on 10.08.93 at
2223UTC (for Moscow and TsUP-time already 11.08.93) for a 2-
days flight to the MIR-station. Perhaps there has been a
slight delay for I expected the launch at 2216UTC. Somewhat
later than expected I monitored the transmissions of Pr-M19 on
922.755 mc and in the 166 and 165 mc bands between 0256 and
0301UTC. To enable Pr-M19 to dock to the forward dockingport
of MIR (transition section - P.Kh.O.) the old Pr-M still
docked to that port has to disappear soon. This undocking is
scheduled for 11.08.93 at 1534UTC.

Perseid-meteorites:

These meteorites coming from the comet
Swift-Tuttle are visible (clouds permitting) around 12 august
every year. Thusfar clouds did not permit this for us this
year, but the MIR-cosmonauts, not hindered by clouds or fog,
were able to see the meteories. Tsibliyev, the captain of the
MIR-station, reported during the pass in orbit 42770, 11.08.-
93, 0452-0503UTC, that they saw a little bit of it. He added
that he had to report some 'battle wounds'. He told TsUP that
the station had been hit by 4 particles obviously coming from
that mteorite-rain. They caused minor damages to 2 solarbat-
teries (on the baseblock and on Kristall - Module-T) and to
one of the portholes. The window of that porthole showed a
cavern with a diameter of 2 a 3 mm. T. nor TsUP did not show
any concern.
To be realistic: thusfar we have to do with minor particles,
but bigger particles can cause serious damages to space-ships
and -stations, even leakages and consequently decompression.
In my opinion the recent experience of the MIR-crew fully
justifies NASA's decision to put back the launch of Space-
shuttle Discovery until 12.08.93 due to concern for that
meteorite-storm.

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