MIRNEWS.404    26 JANUARY 1998

MIR-routine:

During the weekend of 17.01.98 Solovyov and Vinogradov entered the airlock
(Sh.S.O.) of the Module-D (Kvant-2) and showed images of the outer hatch and
its malfunctioning locks. One of those locks was seriously damaged. The repair
of this hatch will be done by the next crew for a special spanner is needed
which has to be made on earth and delivered to MIR by that crew. The Russians
can work inside the Sh.S.O. not wearing a space suit for the air in the Sh.S.O.
is leaking away very slowly.

Endeavour (STS-89):

During the launch of Endeavour on 23.01 at 0248UTC the MIR was over Western
Europe. As the crew was not able to see the launch they slept. Appr. 19 minutes
later Endeavour came in range of Western Europa and via the 259.700 mc (AM-W)
Terrence Wilcutt could be heard reporting some facts to Houston via a
trackingstation in Spain. During the periods in which Endeavour and MIR could
communicate directly on VHF both objects were out of our range. A short time
before the docking images from MIR with the approaching Shuttle could be seen
via Altair-2. This was not very much: 2 huge projectors and a few obstacles. In
a very short transmission CNN transmitted the same images. (Not much attention
by CNN for the Clinton sensation had a higher priority)

Communications MIR after the docking:

Via VHF channels a lot of interesting traffic. The docking took place on
24.01.98 at 20.14.15UTC. Just before the docking there was a short pass for
Western Europe (MIR's orbit 68163, 2008-2010UTC) with an elevation of 1 degree.
No traffic on 143.625 or 130.165 mc could be monitored then. During the pass in
orbit 68164, 2140-2149UTC, Solovyov could be heard on those 2 frequencies. He
reported that at his side all was ready to open the hatches after airseal
checks, egalisation of the pressures with the 'vestibule' of the docking
compartment (SO) and the installation of protection caps. At the side of the
Shuttle these procedures lasted longer and we had to wait until appr. 2225UTC
before we could see how both commanders met each other. During the pass in
orbit 68165, 2314-2324UTC, Solovyov reported that the hatches were open and
that the joint crew had been instructed how to escape in case of emergency.

Working days during the combined flight:

Both crews will stick to the Houston working day.

On 25.01.1998 during MIR's orbit 68179 (2007-2050UTC) Altair-2 was in use for
MIR-TsUP-M traffic. Meanwhile Andy Thomas had relieved David Wolf as a MIR-crew
member. Andy belonged to the MIR crew after the installation of his 'seat-
liner' in the Soyuz-TM26. That ship serves as a lifeboat in case of emergency
and the seat-liner (the Russians speak about 'lozhement") must guarantuee a
safe landing for him. After a conversation about this seat-liner MIR
transmitted video-images. The first images showed a totally desoriented
salamander, followed by those of the approaching Endeavour, again the poor
salamander and at last the opening of the hatch and capers of a happy David
Wolf.

But.... there was a problem: the spacesuit especially made for Thomas did not
fit. He could not get in it and so he tried the suit of David Wolf. Again a
problem: the fingers of his gloves were too long, the Americans said 15
centimeter, but in Solovyov's opinion this was not more than 7 centimeters.
Solovyov convinced TsUP-M that this was not a problem for it was possible to
correct the size of the gloves by the use of special tape (or: ribbons).
Nevertheless for some time the Americans considered the possibility to take
Andy back to earth this week. After 2 long communication sessions and a visit
to Soyuz-TM26 of Terry Wilcutt they gave Andy permission to fulfil his mission
on board MIR.

Soyuz-TM27:

On 29.01.98, so the day on which Endeavour will undock from MIR, the Soyuz-TM27
will be launched from Baykonur at 1633UTC. The docking at MIR's aft (Kvant-1 +X
) docking port is planned for 31.01.98 at 1813UTC. The main crew of S-TM27 (and
the crew for the 25th Main Expedition to MIR) will consist of Talgat Musabayev
(commander) and Nikolay Budarin (flight engineer). They will bring CNES guest
astronaut Leopold Eyharts to MIR. Eyharts will remain 3 weeks on the MIR and
after his stay return to earth together with Solovyov and Vinogradov in the
Soyuz-TM26. The reliefcrew has the callsign: Kristall.

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