MIRNEWS.464    29 JULY 1999

3rd Spacewalk (EVA) 27th Main Expedition to MIR:

This EVA was made by Afanasyev and Avdeyev and so -contradictory to the
expectations- there will be no 2nd EVA for Haignere.

The EVA was made on 28.07.1999 from 0937UTC (opening hatch) until 1459UTC
(closure hatch), so 5 hrs and 22 minutes. The simple fact that the EVA could
be made within the planned 5 hrs and 30 minuters was an indication that all
went very well.

The first task was to resume the attempts to achieve the full deployment of the
Georgian-Russian reflector antenna. This was a success. The enormous antenna, a
little bit looking like an ellipse, has a diameter between 6.4 and 5.2 Meters.
The experiment was just an engineering operation to test a new system for the
antenna deployment by remote control. So not to use the antenna for
communication purposes now. In the future this system has to be implemented
for antennae used on navigation satellites. As soon as everybody was convinced
that the system was able to be used flawlessly, the antenna was disconnected
and pushed away for a short autonomous flight in space. Not without showing
some pride, the Georgean specialists stated that this was the launch of the 1st
Georgian sputnik.

The smooth course of this operation enabled the Russians to perform a lot of
still awaiting tasks. They installed the experiments Indicator and Sprut-4 and
changed the cassettes of the Migmas ione spectrometer. They also retrieved some
experiments from the outside of the complex, i.e. the Danko-M and the Ekran-D
frame.

Communications during and after the EVA:

Again TsUP and the cosmonauts had to use the short communication windows via
ground facilities. Nevertheless nice images of the activities with the
reflector antenna reached earth. These were made by Haignere. The French
enthousiast assisted the spacewalkers and relayed radiotraffic with TsUP. To
TsUP he reported about those parts of the operation which took place when MIR
was not in range of stations on earth.

During the first pass of MIR for my position in orbit 76792, 1404UTC, the EVA
was still going on and I heard that Avdeyev asked Afanasyev to shake firmly
something which was not cooperating. He also spoke about hot electrical
contacts and he asked Afanasyev to salvage a screwdriver. He also was
struggling along with a not properly fixed platform.

In the next pass (orb. 76793, 1535UTC) radiotraffic still came via the usual
lower frequencies. Avdeyev reported how he secured the good closure of the
exit hatch. One by one he closed the locks or latches to be sure that the hatch
was closed hermetically. (This hatch is still a main concern for the Russians.)
TsUP asked Haignere to report the air pressure in the complex. H. answered that
this pressure did not change.

During later communication sessions dense radiotraffic revealed that
there was a lot of attention for the airtightness in the Module-D, especially
between the compartments and the airlock. TsUP ordered Afanasyev to switch on
the meter for the signalisation of the pressure in the airlock to electrical
control and to close the pressure equalisation valve between the airlock and
the PNO (instrument and scientific compartment). TsUP said that an airtightness
check had to be done today, but Afansyev proposed to do that tomorrow. Haignere
added that this was dangerous and not comfortable. TsUP cancelled the
instruction and stated that they accepted Afanasyev's proposal. So there was
no need to transfer the airpressure meter to electric control.

Radio-amateurism:

As soon as the situation permitted Haignere again went back to his passion:
radio-amateurism. He opened with a message to all radio-amateurs: The EVA has
been accomplished, the reflector antenna has been deployed splendidly and
launched into open space. The experiment with the antenna lead by the Georgian
republic was very important and the success was a good moral support for the
spacewalkers, who, though tired, were happy and in a good condition.

Last week during the flight of Columbia (STS-93), Haignere told radio-amateurs
along this latitude that there had been a radio-amateur contact between MIR and
Columbia. He told that he spoke with his colleague Tognini and that the
commanders of both space objects had exchanged good wishes, greetings and
congratulations. Regretfully I missed that contact myself due to the low
inclination of the orbit of Columbia (28.5 degrees).

Almost always in vain, Haignere asked radio-amateurs to practise more
discipline and to listen carefully before calling. Sometimes he was upset and
left the band.

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