MIRNEWS.197    16 NOVEMBER 1993

Progress-M20:

For some time the MIR-crew is preparing the freighter Pro-
gress-M20 for its last autonomous flight. They store all what
they want to throw away in the Progress-M20 herself and all
experiments, films etc. in the returncapsule (VBK). The Pr-M20
has to undock from MIR on 21.11.93 at abt. 0900UTC for decay
in the atmosphere. Before burning up the Pr-M20 will jettison
the VBK for a safe landing in the Orenburg region, so on
Russian territory. A landing in Kazakhstan means that the
Russians must pay import duties to Kazakhstan!

Orbitcorrection:

One of these days the Pr-M20 will have to
correct the orbit of the complex. After this correction old
Keplers will no longer be valid.

MIR-crew:

The cosmonauts reported that the outside surface of
the MIR-station is in a good shape. The damages caused by
micro-meteorites are not that bad as previously expected.
More concern they expressed about the inside systems of the
station. The guaranteed lifetime is running to its end and
they have to do a lot of strenuous maintenance work on the
lifesystems. Nowadays they have problems with the provision of
oxygen.

Contact between MIR and Shuttle Columbia on 26.10.93:

It was a great surprise for the MIR-crew to get a call in
Russian from the Columbia on a radio-amateur channel. 

Renovation work in my shack:

Due to renovation work in my shack it might be difficult to
maintain my operational possibilities for a while. So there
might be a period in which I will be unable to make MIR-
reports. Please don't worry: when this misery is over I will
be back again!

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