MIRNEWS.399    17 DECEMBER 1997

Progress-M36:

According to plan this freighter undocked from MIR on 17.12.97 at
0602UTC. As soon as Pr-M36 was at a safe distance from MIR the German-
Russian observation satellite Inspektor was jettisoned from Pr-M36
(0735UTC). The crew of the MIR observed both autonomously flying objects
on monitors of the TORU system and via portholes.

Inspektor:

Immediately after the launch of the Inspektor it was clear that it would
be impossible to steer the satellite by the remote control system due to
a failure of the star sensor of Inspektor. The flight around the
Progress-M36 was impossible and after a few hours of observing and
analysing all further operations with Inspektor were cancelled.

During MIR's orbit 67565 between 1307 and 1354UTC during a communication
session via Altair-2 the cosmonauts and TsUP thoroughly discussed the
problems. MIR also transmitted images to earth with that what could be
seen on monitors and via the big porthole of the Priroda module.
Inspektor was flying not far from Pr-M36. Inspektor has to be given up
and will decay and burn up in the earth atmosphere in the near future due
to the natural drag. Next week experts of DLR will try to pick up
Inspektor's telemetry to find out what went wrong.

MIR:

As of the beginning of his autonomous flight Inspektor was an unguided
missile and a collision with the MIR-complex was possible. So the
Russians decided to bring MIR in a somewhat higher orbit. This orbit
correction took place on 17.12 at 1511UTC.

Progress-M36:

The transmissions of this freighter could be monitored during all
possible passes on 17.12.1997. When Pr-M36 will be put on a destruction
course was not yet decided when this report went to the press. (The use
of Pr-M36 for some additional tests of the TORU system might be a
possibility.)

Progress-M37:

Life goes on and so the launch of the next freighter is still on
schedule. This launch has been put forward and will take place from
Baykonur on 20.12.97 at 0845UTC. If all goes as fervidly whished Pr-M37
will dock at MIR on 22.12.97 at 1045UTC.

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