Mir News
Walter Nissen (dk058@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Tue, 18 Jun 1996 09:03:05 -0400
Some of you may be unaware of the Mir News compiled by Chris v.d. Berg.
Below is the information file plus a composite of the news available today
from his website.
The correct URL for Mir News is apparently
http://www.support.nl/muurkrant/mirmain.html, although the internal
links would suggest use of
http://website.support.nl/muurkrant/mirmain.html.
I am posting this because of the possibility that the information will
shed some light on the source(s) of the Mir debris objects.
I appreciate very much hearing from quite a number of you. My
correspondence is horrendously backlogged. I assure all of you who may
hope to hear back from me that my unresponsiveness does not signal any
intended slight nor any lack of interest in the subjects you raise. I
apologize for being such a poor correspondent. Please feel free to
express any urgency to me.
Cheers.
Walter Nissen dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu
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It's ok to add a parent; it's not ok to subtract one.
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MIRnews information
MIRNEWS INFORMATION. reports now obtainable from Internet.
Many years ago I started this service to enhance the informa
tion about sovjet manned spaceflight (Salyut-7 and MIR). The
information about operations, plans, mission-statusses of
russian spaceflight has always been insufficient. The 'cold
war' and 'excessive secrecy' were to blame, but also the fact
that the russian conception of 'public relations' totally
differed from that in western countries. Gradually russian
'public relations' are improving, but there is still a long
way to go.In my opinion those working and struggling in
russian spaceflight deserved that we in the west knew what
they did, what they achieved and how. After a launch it was
very difficult to get the most simple details: launchtime,
orbitaldata, frequencies, callsigns, estimated times of opera
tions, dockings, plans for the near future, etc. So I decided
to fill up that gap by a regular distribution of 'reports'. I
gathered my information by monitoring radio-frequencies used
by spacecraft, trackingships and russian broadcaststations
and other sources. Recently the Russians started a new servi
ce: the issue of MIR-statusreports, but for the time being I
will continue my MIRNEWS-service. The Dutch Association Muur
krant, the Hague, the Netherlands, will put these messages on
Internet. The 5 most recent messages can be downloaded from
there: (http://www.support.nl/muurkrant/ [this URL edited and,
hopefully, corrected by WINJr]). Older versions can
be downloaded from E-mail or from Fido Scoop BBS the Nether
lands, 03499-96366, file-area 2 or post-areas 16 and 17.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
MIRNEWS 21 MAY 1996 (305)
2d Spacewalk (EVA) crew 21st Main Expedition to MIR:
The EVA began on 20.05.96 at 2250UTC (opening hatch) and ended
on 21.05.96 at 0410UTC (so duration 5 hrs 20 mins.).
During the EVA all went well and that what the crew had to do
has been accomplished for 100% . The crew transferred a solarbattery
from the outside of the docking compartment (SO) to
the Kvant-1 (Module-E). For their work the cosmonauts used the
2d Strela girder.
Radiotraffic between the cosmonauts and Sannon Lucid who kept
watch on board MIR went via the normal VHF-frequencies and was
relayed via the geostationary satellite Altair (Kosmos-2054)
on 16 dgs West. Shannon assisted the cosmonauts during the
putting on and off of their spacesuits. During the EVA she
took care for the systems of the spacestation and the communications.
3d EVA:
This is on schedule in the night from 24 to 25.05.96.
Opening of the hatch on 24.05 at 2050UTC, closing of the hatch
on 25.05.96 at 0205UTC. During this EVA the cosmonauts will
deploy, connect and test the solarpanel on Kvant-1.
MIRNEWS 25 MAY 1996 (306)
3d Spacewalk (EVA) crew 21ste Main Expedition MIR:
The cosmonauts Onufriyenko and Usachov made this EVA between
24.05 at 2047UTC and 25.05 at 0230UTC.
This EVA lasted somewhat longer than planned, but all went
well. The cosmonauts installed the new solarpanel on the
outersurface of Kvant-1, connected the contacts and attended
the deployment of that panel. This was also a good performance.
During the last phase of the EVA radiotraffic went via
Altair-1 (Cosmos-2054) and the known VHF-frequencies. After
returning inside MIR the cosmonauts expressed their satisfaction
about the good cooperation with TsUP during this work and
also about the very good construction of the new solarpanel.
4th EVA:
This EVA is on schedule for 30.05.1996 between 1900-
2100UTC. Main task will be the transfer of the MOMS (opto-
electronic stereoscanner) to the outersurface of the Priroda
module and the installation of this device over there. The
MOMS has been delivered to MIR as a part of the cargo of the
Priroda. Apart from this work they will also have to accomplish
some minor tasks.
MIRNEWS 31 MAY 1996 (307)
4th Spacewalk (EVA) Onufriyenko and Usachov:
This EVA started on 30.05 at 1820UTC (opening of the hatch)
and ended on 30.05. at 2240UTC (closing of the hatch).
The MOMS-2 camera (Modular Optoelectronic Multispectral/
Stereoscanner has been installed on the outersurface of the
module Priroda. The 2d task was the installation of an extra
handrail outside Priroda to facilitate EVA's. The EVA passed
without problems.
5th EVA:
The 5th EVA is already on schedule for 6.06.96. The
cosmonauts will work on scientific equipment and instrument at
the outside of Priroda. The times for this EVA not decided
thusfar.
MIRNEWS 5 JUNE 1996 (308)
5th Spacewalk (EVA) Onufriyenko and Usachov:
This EVA is planned for 6.06.1996 between 1655UTC (opening
hatch) and 1930UTC (closing hatch).
During this EVA the cosmonauts will work at the outersurface
of module Spektr and module Kvant-2 ('D'). On Spektr they will
replace the cassette of the Komza-experiment. Then they will
retrieve some American and Russian dustcollectors from Module
Kvant-2 ('D').
6th EVA Onufriyenko and Usachov:
This EVA will take place on 13.06.1996. Times not decided yet.
During this EVA the cosmonauts will install Ferma-3 (a girder
or trussconstruction) at the outersurface of the astrophysical
module Kvant-1. Experience with constructions like these are
very important for the future. They will be used for the
building and exploitation of the International Space Station
Alpha.
MIRNEWS 7 JUNE 1996 (309)
5th Spacewalk (EVA) MIR-crew:
This EVA took place on 6.06.1996 between 1656UTC (opening of
the hatch) and 2030UTC (closing of the hatch). At the outer
surface of the Module Spektr they replaced a cassette of the
KOMZA-experiment (a Swiss experiment for the study of inert
interstellary gasses) and at the outside of Module-D (Kvant-2)
they installed some detectors for space dust and space debris:
an American instrument and the SKK-11, a Russian made device.
The EVA lasted 1 hour longer than had been planned. Onufriyenko
and Usachov needed for their work and movements considerably
more time than had been foreseen in the so called cyclogram
for this EVA.
During the EVA communications took also place via the geosta
tionary satellite Altair-1 (Cosmos-2054). Now and then the EVA
cosmonauts gave instructions to Shannon Lucid who was on duty
inside the complex and observed the EVA through portholes.
6th EVA:
Still on schedule for 13.06.96. Times not yet decided.
Task: Installation of the Ferma-3 girder construction at
the outersurface of the astrophysical module Kvant-1.