MIRNEWS.468 29 AUGUST 1999 MIR-FINALE: Separation of Soyuz-TM29 took place on 27.08.99 at 2117UTC. On board the crew of the 27th Main Expedition to MIR. This concluded the last manned period which lasted from 6.09.89. (I neglected the very short unmanned period during redockings of Soyuz-ships) Nearly 3 hours before the crew left the MIR-space station and closed the hatches behind them. With a TV camera, which had been installed in the P.Kh.O. (transition section) on 19.08.1999, remote controled by TsUP, transmissions were made of the crew entering the Soyuz-TM29 and the closure of the outer hatch by Afanasyev (at 1815UTC). The landing at a distance of approx. 80 KM east of Arkalyk took place after 2 autonomous orbits on 28.08.99 at 00.34.54UTC. As always during return operations when no geostationary communication satellite is available (Altair-1 and Altair-2 are out of order), there would be no radiotraffic within my range if the landing had taken place in time. But nevertheless I was ready to monitor traffic if the Russians would put back the descent until the 2nd or 3rd opportunity. This happened during the return flights of S-TM5 with Lyakhov/Makhmond and the S-TM6 with Titov/Manarov/Chretien. In both cases I got downlink from the ship (and comments from the MIR-crew) on 121.750 mc. So I did what almost everybody could do that night: follow the live events via CNN. CNN got TV images of the crew still on board MIR and boarding the S-TM29 and de undocking and spring controled moving away. These images came via relays from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka. There were no live TV images from the descent operation and the landing. Even those who attended the operation at TsUP did not see anything. The Russians had to pay too much and also CNES did not want to meet the demands. So CNN continued broadcasting irrelevant items and the unavoidable hotels, so I had to tap other sources to be sure that it was not necessary to remain on duty for eventual radio communications due to a delay. As soon as I heard that the landing had taken place in time, I sank down on my bunk. Though I was satified that the brave men of MIR 27 had returned to earth in good health, I fell asleep with mixed feelings. My short night's rest ended precisely at 0624UTC. Without setting my alarm-clock, my inner alarm woke me up at the beginning of MIR-s pass for my position in orbit 77275. Belief it or not but I stumbled to my communications gear and monitored the radio-amateur frequencies 145.985 and 145.940 mc. Like thousands of radio-amateurs all over the world, I hoped that the Packet Radio installation on board still was operational. Regretfully this was not so. In fact, I should have known so, during the last radio-amateur sessions there was not a single indication that these transmissions would continue. TsUP was willing to give permission only if they would have the possibility to switch off the system when needed. MIR-routine during the last days: The amount of radio-traffic was enormous until and inclusive 26.08.99. The cosmonauts waited with the conservation of the modules Kvant-2 (module-D) and Kristall (module-T) until the evening of 26.08.99. The main part of that day was dedicated to the replacement of equipment (mainly filters of the life support systems) and all kinds of checks, for instance the valves of the gyrodynes. Connections in the Base Block and in the module Kvant-1 (module-E) had to be disconnected, and the Elektron oxygen generator in Kvant-1 was switched off. This all emerged in radio conversations with TsUP from where many specialist fired a lot of instructions or demands at the cosmonauts and so every minute of these working days was overloaded. On 26.08.99 Haignere spent more than 3 hours for the preparation of equipment which he had to bring back to earth. For me it turned out better than expected that the workload did not result in stress (as far as I could hear) or unpleasant incidents. In his contacts with the French consultative group, Haignere now and then used the word 'panique'. For me the last day of possible radio-traffic, 27.08.99, was an anticlimax. I sharply listened out on all frequencies during windows for my position, but there was no traffic at all on the service channels. Only a few radio-amateur transmissions, for instance SSTV images, Packet Radio, some phone from Haignere and at last but not least greetings from Avdeyev in english. Communications during the last pass for my position on 26.08.99: Afanasyev: We connected that cable. TsUP refers to radiogram nr. 9962. Avdeyev: I am reading this radiogram now. TsUP: we are waiting for telemetry. Avdeyev: We changed the BMP (Unit for the detection of noxious admixtures) in the Base Block with that one of Module Kristall. Avdeyev: On your command we will switch on the ZRU (device for loading and unloading of accumulator batteries). Then Haignere takes over and has a long converation with his wife Claudie. He says that he is a little bit tired. He hopes that the weather in the landing zone will be good. It has been rainy over there and normally there is only one rainy day a year, he would not be amused if this would be so during the landing. Claudie sets him at ease: there are just some clouds and the temperature is 16 degrees C. Jean-Pierre says that 16 degrees makes it necessary to order a sweater. During this conversation Avdeyev breaks in for a while to say hello to Claudie and also we will meet soon! Unmanned status MIR-space station: Regularly I will adjust the predictions and check whether there is telemetry in the 166 and 165 mc bands. And of course I will be alert for an eventual rescue mission. Such a mission will be inevitable if something inside the MIR-complex is going wrong. In a few days TsUP will switch off the Ts.V.M.-1, the main computer, and stop the gyrodynes. Thus the complex will come in the free drift and the BUPO (Unit for control, docking and orientation) has to take over (or did this already). Let us keep our fingers crossed! Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.