MIRNEWS.418    17 APRIL 1998

4th Spacewalk (EVA) crew 25th Main Expedition to MIR:

This arduous, but successful EVA was made on 17.04.1998 between 07.40.22UTC
(opening hatch) and 14.12.30UTC (closing hatch) so 6 hrs 32 minutes. The
schedule foresaw in opening at 0725UTC. A few minutes after this moment Budarin
accomplished opening of the locks of the exit hatch, but then something went
wrong with the transceivers in Budarins spacesuit. Musabayev could see the
moving lips of Budarin and even tried to determine what B. was saying, but this
is not the way to communicate during an EVA, so if they would not be able to
resolve this problem the EVA had to be cancelled. But all went well: by
switching from the main to the reserve radio set and back and by switching off
and on the contact with Budarin was fully restored.

From this moment on the operation proceeded according to plan. Musabayev used
a new spacesuit and he had to accustom himself to the other gloves and sleeves.
The transfer of Musabayev and the packages with equipment was done with the use
of the Strela boom steered by Budarin. The operation started with the
dismantling of 2 truss structures: the Rapana and the so called 3rd truss. The
3rd truss was folded up and installed on the outersurface of the Kvant-1
module. The original plan to jettison the Rapana into open space was abandonned
and this truss also was parked horizontally on the outersurface. (Obviously
they refrained from this launch to keep the Rapana available for future use.)

Then the cosmonauts went to the Progress-M38 and unlocked the bolts which had
been prevented the new VDU from autonomous adventures. Further the VDU was
raised by telecommands from earth. The VDU had to be inclined from the Pr-M38
to an angle of 35 degrees. The cosmonauts had to help the VDU to reach that
angle for the automatic regime did not function during the last few degrees.
When the inclination reached 35 degrees the cosmonauts secured the VDU in that
starting point for their work during the 5th EVA.

Andy Thomas documented the whole EVA from inside MIR regularly advised by
Musabayev.

Communications: The main part of the communications took place via Altair-2.
There was only phone, so no images of the EVA were relayed (at least not via
Altair-2) during the EVA itself. Sometimes the transmissions were interrupted
for technical reasons. After one interruption the signal was very poor. During
later sessions the quality was excellent. When MIR came within VHF range the
transmissions could be monitored simultanuously via the direct way and via the
long way through Altair-2 as well.

After the EVA everybody was satisfied. The spacewalkers were tired. Musabayev
said that their hands and wrists were very tired, but he added that this was
quite normal and within the acceptable limits.

5th EVA: This EVA is still scheduled for 22.04.1998. The cosmonauts are
determined to accomplish the installation of the VDU during that EVA.

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