MIRNEWS.402    9 JANUARY 1998

6th Spacewalk (EVA) crew 24th Main Expedition MIR:

This EVA started on 8.01.98 at 2308UTC and ended on 9.01.98 at 0214UTC.
The times were those of the opening and closure of the outerhatch of the
airlock of Module-D (Sh.S.O.). The Russians confirmed the duration: 3
hrs 6 mins.(Changes in this duration might be possible for the
cosmonauts had in fact to use 2 airlocks i.e. the PNO - Instrument and
scientific compartment- and the Sh.S.O.)

At the outset it was clear that the plan of work had been changed.
Radiotraffic during the last days revealed that it was difficult for
Solovyov and Vinogradov to mend the outerhatch of the Sh.S.O. not
knowing what exactly was wrong.

They now had orders not to try to repair the hatch, but only to inspect
and film the exit port and the hatch.

They used the PNO to don and check their spacesuits and as an airlock.
Very soon they also opened the hatch between the PNO and the Sh.S.O. It
lasted a long time before the Sh.S.O. was depressurized and the
outerhatch could be opened.

Almost immediately Vinogradov discovered what the problem had been: one
of the many locks of the hatchdoor was in a bad shape and , as the
Russians use to say : 'vinovat', so guilty! The reparation of this lock
can be accomplished without the need for an extra EVA. He also said that
only 5 of 10 locks had been used. So probably the hatch has enough
reserve locks to secure a safe air-seal.

Inspection of the packing of the exit port did not reveal anomalies.
After this inspection the cosmonauts used one of the Strela cranes to go
to the outersurface of the SO (docking compartment at Module-T) from
where they dismantled the American optical monitoring experiment OPM
for retrieval. They also checked the connections of some antenna's
before returning to the airlock.

David Wolf remained inside the complex and assisted his colleagues, made
photo- and video-images and now and then communicated with them or TsUP.

Apart from one all Altair-2 windows have been used for phone-
communications. Altair-2 was only in use when MIR was not in direct range
of Russiand tracking stations. After the EVA during a session via
Altair-2 the crew transmitted video images made by David and the
cosmonauts.

After the EVA the crew as well as experts on earth were very satified
about the good results of this operation. The pressure in the meanwhile
repressurized and sealed Sh.S.O remained stable at 640 mm mercury until
deadline of this report.

The 7th EVA of MIR's Main Expedition nr. 24: The positive results of the
6th EVA mean green light for the EVA by Solovyov and David Wolf in the
night from 14 to 15.01.98. Opening hatch: 14.01.98 at 2040UTC.

Computer repair:

The computer failure reported in MIRNEWS.401 could be repaired very
quickly. The crew used a spare Ts.M.O. (Central Exchange Module) and
after installing and testing of this interface in the night from 2 to
3.01.1998 the SUD (movements control system) was restored. The effect of
the last computerfailure has been less dramatic than usually during
recent failures due to a better power supply situation.

STS-89 (Endeavour):

On 7.01.1998 NASA confirmed that the launch will take place on 22.01 at
0248UTC with a docking at MIR on 24.01 at 2012UTC. Endeavour will
separate from MIR on 29.01.98 at 1652UTC.

Soyuz-TM27:

This transportship with the reliefcrew (Musabayev and Budarin) and the
French (CNES) astronaut Leopold Eyharts start from Baykonur on 29.01.98
at 1652UTC. Estimated time docking at MIR: 31.01 at 1833UTC.

So for 2 days 3 manned objects will be autonomously orbitting earth with
in same inclination: 51.6 dgs: Endeavour, MIR and Soyuz-TM27.

Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.