ISSCOM 3 April 2010 (068)

Launch of Soyuz-TMA 18 with Skvortsov, Kornienko and Tracy Caldwell-Dyson on April 2nd at 0404UTC. The call sign of Skvortsov is Utyos-1 (Cliff-1) (So for Kornienko Utyos-2 and Caldwell Utyos-3).

1st flightday:

Already during the 2nd orbit Skvortsov and Kornienko could be heard loud and clear via 121.750 mc between 0706 and 0708UTC. So a short window for my position with a low elevation. Skvortsov with TsUP Moscow about activating the accelerometer.

Pass between 0836 and 0833UTC in orbit 3:

Thhe mood of the crew is good, everything is OK and they are ready to go on with their work. At 1009 Msc time they will give the command for the display. (Now and then Skv does not hear or understand TsUP). They will switch on the accelerometer with a little bit of delay. (Now and then Kornienko prompts Skvortsov.) The purification unit in the BO ( lifecompartment) has been switched on. The pressure in the SA (descent module) is 807 mm, the nitrogen pressure 702 (unclear). (The groundservices of the Rotterdam-The Hague Airport now and then blocks the signals of the S-TMA. This also took place during the following pass. A crash with a helicopter produced some extra radiotraffic.)

Pass between 1012 ans 1016UTC in orbit 4:

Skv asks TsUP to repeat something. He received the data for the 11th orbit and is ready to continue.

2d flightday, 3d of April 2010:

Pass between 0655 and 0659UTC in orbit 17: Skv complains about a lot of interference in the reception. So he did not understand something. Skv switched on the accelerometer for 10 minutes from 0850 to 0901UTC. The reception of TsUP is still not too good. The crew is feeling well. Skv speaks about the preparations for a descent (possibly a training.) Pass between 0823 and 0834UTC in orbit 18:

Skv reports problems with a ventilator. At 1101 they switched over to ventilator GSA BO number 2. It seems that it was somewhat better after the replacement. Skv wants to know if TsUP has objections against the replacement. Misha (Kornienko) touched it and he felt that their was streaming something. After the communication session they had closed the hatch.

Skv asks TsUP to give a recommendation, but Skv did not receive this.

Pass between 1001 and 1007UTC in orbit 19:

Telemetry in the 166 mc band, but no voice communications.

Following pass (about 1129 – 1137UTC in orbit 20): No transmissions at all.

Chris van den Berg, NL-9165

ATENTION!!!

For some time I am writing my autobiography. This autobiography started before World War 2. This means that from time to time a new paragraph about a timeperiod will be added. So it will be useful to log in now and then.

The autobiography, pictures and audio files included, can be found in my website:

www.chrisvandenberg.com