ISSCOM 25 September 2002 (028)

A shy attempt: To pick up to pick up the old thread and to go on as good as possible...... My long absence was caused by a boring dip in my health.

Routine: I did not at cease my monitoring activities and meanwhile did all what was possible to enhance my operational possibilities. Regretfully my good old Revox tape recorder gave up the ghost and now I use some inferior alternatives. But now I am able to store my audio material digitally.

Now the first shy attempt: Progress-M46: This old freighter separated from the ISS on 24.09.02 at 135849UT, not to be de-orbited some orbits later, but to continue her flight for a photo mission over the flooded areas in Europe and the wood fires in territories behind de former Iron Curtain. This mission will last until the midst of October this year.
On 24.09.02 between 1959 and 2008UTC I monitored Pr-M46's Telemetry and this was confirmed during the next orbit at 2140UTC, strong signals at 166.134 mc. No transmissions via 922.755 mc.
ProgressM1-9: This long promised freighter will start from Baykonur on 25.09.02 at 1658UTC for a flight of 4 days to the ISS. Estimated time of arrival there: 29.09.02 at about 170400UTC (plus/minus 3 minutes) Regretfully for us in Western Europe both objects will then out or our range behind the eastern horizon.

To conclude: I will continue my tracking and inform you all as much as possible, but I will reduce my contributions to communication aspects, for information about all what is done on and around the ISS can be found in many well known sites.

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