MIRNEWS.390    15 OCTOBER 1997

Progress-M36:

The opening of the hatches took place on 9.10 at abt 0830UTC. Thsufar the crew
did not spend much time for the unloading of the ship. Among the normal cargo
Pr-M36 delivered the spare SUD (attitude control) computer, the mini-sputnik-1
and the German/Russian satellite Inspector. On 12.10 during a long TV-session
via Altair-2 with relatives the crew showed the little Sputnik.

MIR-routine:

The crew replaced some accumulators in the Base Block and the Module-D (Kvant-
2) and rearranged other batteries to ensure a better charging. Now and then the
crew has to collect condensation water. Vinogradov reported that the module
Priroda is dry.

The next spacewalk (EVA, so this time an IVA) will be made inside the module
Spektr. This is the 3d one for this MIR-crew (the 3d for Solovyov) the 2d for
Vinogradov. The IVA is on schedule for 20.10 from 0855UTC and will last about
5hrs 30mins. The preparations for this IVA began after the arrival of Pr-M36
and intensivated from 13.10.97. The crew will have to replace an electronic
unit in the Spektr. This unit has to control the servomotors to aim the
solarpanels. The unit in the Spektr did not survive the vacuum in that module
and will be replaced by the same device still installed in the module Kristall.
On 13 and 14.10 the cosmonauts worked on the spacesuits (this time again the
Orlan-DMA). They connected tanks, devices, a.s.o. and checked the airtightness.
On 14.10 the crew continued the preparations for the work to be done. On 15.10
they underwent medical tests.

The 4th EVA MIR-crew:

This external spacewalk is tentatively scheduled for 3.11.97. During this EVA
they will have to remove the old solar panel on the module E (Kvant-1). The
new Russian solar panel which is still stored at the outersurface of the SO
(docking compartment) will be installed during an EVA in the future.

Minor technical problems:

Now and then minor technical problems emerge: On 10.10 a minor repair of the
Elektron and the BKV (a.c.) and in the evening TsUP derives from Telemetry that
the pressure in a KOB (heating loop) increased. On 12.10 they had to economize
electrical energy and to switch off some systems. On 14.10 a ventilator of the
Vozdukh CO-2 scrubber failed and had to be switched off. During the next orbit
the Vozdukh worked well.

David Wolf:

David is very busy with his experiments. He even sometimes had no time for
lunch. Like his predecessor Foale he also handles the Packet Radio traffic on
the service channel. In a conversation with relatives (possibly his parents and
grandmother) he said that all was well, but that he was yearning for a pizza
and a beer. Now and then David can be heard during radio-amateurtraffic on
145.985 mc.

Mini-sputnik-1:

This little satellite (3 KG) will be jettisoned during the first EVA, so
possibly on 3.11.97. The transmissions can be heard on 145.800 mc. The output
will be 0.2 Watt. The antenna polarisation is circular, but as there is no
attitude control the received signal may have clockwise or counter clockwise
polarisation. The modulation will be FM and the audio tone about. 1.3 kc
varying with the temperature. The endurance of the power supply batteries will
be about 30 days.

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