MIRNEWS.205

Soyuz-TM18 flown from aft to forward docking port MIR-station:

This operation was on schedule for 21.01.94 but was put back
to 24.01.94. Instead of a short operation (undocking, hoovering
until the complex turned 180 degrees and docking to the
other port) TsUP decided to use the operation for an inspection
of the whole complex to be sure that the collision of STM18
and the Kristall-module on 14.01.94 did not cause fatal
damages.
The whole crew went aboard the S-TM18 and undocked from the
aft docking port at 0309UTC and flew autonomously for a long
time. At 0452UTC S-TM18 docked to the forward (P.Kh.O.) docking
port and remained on board of the S-TM18 until 0619UTC.
During the first pass of the complex within our range (orb.
45359, 0615UTC) Usachov reported via 121.750 mc that Afanasyev
had opened the hatch. During the long period between docking
and entering the station the crew checked systems and airseal
of compartments.

Damage assessment during inspection flight:

Apart from some negligible scratches in the area of the collision
(on Kristall-module) no significant or fatal damages
have been discovered. In a long communication session between
TsUP and MIR via Altair (0855-0946UTC) the crew extensively
reported about that inspection and transmitted images to
earth. Obviously it will not be necessary to insert an unscheduled
spacewalk to inspect the outersurface of Kristall.

Progress-M21:

This freighter will be launched from Baykonur on
28.01.94 at 0212UTC. Docking 2 days later to MIR's aft (Kvant)
docking port on 30.01.94 at abt. 0300UTC.

Yevpatoriya:

The tracking and communication facilities near
Yevpatoriya and Simferopol on the Crimea are again operational
for TsUP's control of the MIR-spacestation. On 20.01.94 (orb.
45300, 1137UTC) the crew waited for communications via Yevpatoriya.
Meanwhile this has been confirmed: the RKA and her
Ukrainian counterpart have reached an agreement on the use of
Ukrainian spacefacilities for Russian spaceflight.

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