MIRNEWS.374    31 JULY 1997

Soyuz-TM26:

The launch of this ship with on board a crew of 2 for MIR's Main
Expedition 24 is still planned for 5.08.1997 at 1535UTC and if launch and
flight go according to plan the docking will take place on 7.08.1997 at
1723UTC. This time deviates from the normal routine to dock only a few
minutes after LOS for the first pass for our position. This time the
docking will take place almost 20 minutes later possibly to enable
Solovyov and Vinogradov to make a video and/or photosurvey of the module
Spektr for damage assessment and to see whether Spektr is not the only
module that suffered from the blow on 25.06.97. Recently there have been
suggestions that there might be more damage than had been supposed
initially.

On 6.08.1997, so 1 day after launch of S-TM26 the freighter Progress-M35,
meanwhile fully loaded with trash , will leave the aft (Kvant +X axis)
docking port for a 10 days lasting autnomous flight. On 7.08 S-TM26 has
to dock at that port, but after the departure of S-TM25 with the relieved
crew on 14.08.97, S-TM26 with on board Solovyov, Vinogradov and Foale
have to redock at the forward (P.Kh.O. = -X axis) port as soon as
possible. This is scheduled for 15.08.97. They can fly around, but also
wait until the MIR complex has made a turn of 180 degrees around the Z-
axis.

After redocking the Russians have to accept another challenge for already
on 16.08.97 Progress-M35 has to redock at the aft (+ X axis) port. This
time again in the automatic mode with the reliable system Kurs. There
will be no time to recover from the sustained strain for the crew will
have to deal with the preparations for the IVA on 20.08.97. If this IVA
will be awarded by success TsUP can give green light for an EVA (so a
real external one) on 3.09.97 for an inspection of the outer surface of
Spektr.

Radio-amateurtraffic:

On 145.985 mc Packet Radio could be monitored in which Foale gave the
following MIR-statusreport: TNC frozen again, this time the PMS. Waiting
for a replacement with MIR 24, Anatoliy and Pavel, docking on the 7th.
Crew is preparing for their arrival, getting Progress loaded with trash,
to be undocked before next crew. Greenhousing, but not yet showing
cotyledons. Mike.

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