MIRNEWS.340    14 JANUARY 1997

Atlantis/MIR:

Atlantis (mission STS-81) has been launched on 12.01.1997 at 09.27.33UTC
for her 5th docking mission. At 0950UTC Atlantis was within our range and
commander Baker could be heard on 259.700 Mc AM/W in a short contact with
Houston via Zaragoza in Spain. The rendezvous operations will begin on
14.01.1997 at 2212UTC. Atlantis arrives near MIR on 15.01 at 0247UTC and
will dock 15.01 at 0353UTC. Let us hope that the docking will take place
a few minutes earlier for the window during the first pass of both
enormous objects within our range will close at 0352UTC. Hard mate will
take place on 15.01 at 0427UTC and the hatches will be opened on 15.01 at
0537UTC.

John Blaha will conclude his experimental activities on board MIR with
some experiments related to the docking and immediately thereafter he
will be relieved by Jerry Linenger. Blaha will remain in space for a
while as payload specialist on board Atlantis and Linenger will continue
his flight as 2d Board Engineer/researcher in MIR.

Radiotraffic:

If they stick to the same frequencies as in the past we can expect
radiotraffic on 121.750, 130.165 and 143.625 Mc. Extensive use of the
American TDRSs after the docking van be expected. Possibly the Russians
will now and then use their (almost) geostationairy satellites Altair-1
and 2. During the 4th docking mission (STS-79 in sept. 1996, most
communications took place via the American TDRSs.

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