ISSCOM 27 April 2003 (034)

Soyuz-TMA2: The launch of Soyuz-TMA2 from Baykonur took place on 26.04.03 at 03.53.51UTC.
S-TMA2 has to bring the relief crew to the International Space Station.

The commander of the S-TMA2 is Yuriy Ivanovich Malenchenko: on board engineer is the American Edward Lu. During the flight to the ISS they use the call signs Agat-1 and 2. This task can be entrusted to these cosmonauts.
Malenchenko already made 2 space flights of which 1 to the MIR-space station and 1 to the ISS. Lu is also an experienced astronaut with Shuttle flights and a visit to the ISS.
During their visit to the ISS (mission STS-106) they were members of that same crew.

Malenchenko reaped fame when he was commander of the MIR station in August 1994: he safely docked the Progress-M24 ship using the remote control. A few days earlier the automatic system Kurs failed and the freighter almost collided with MIR.

The estimated docking time of S-TMA2 is on 28.04.03 at about 0556UTC.

Communications of S-TMA2 during flight day 1 and 2: I had no problems monitoring voice communications from S-TMA2 via the channel 121.750 mc FM/N. I was not able to execute measurements and checks via the TLM bands because my main receiver is almost ‘deaf’’ and has to undergo maintenance. During the passes 3 and 4 the traffic was loud and clear. Malenchenko read out results of 2 performed orbit corrections. During one of those corrections the engines worked 1 second less than had been planned.
In good Russian Lu gave data about the fuel consumption.

On 27.04.03 voice could be heard via 121.750 mc. During the first pass here Lu spoke with friends or colleagues.

When during the 2nd pass Malenchenko called he used the abbreviation A MN.
I am trying to trace the meaning of that abbreviation.
During MIR operations 3 letter abbreviations were call signs of tracking ships.

During both passes Malenchenko transmitted figure groups.

Docking plan: The S-TMA2 arrives at the ISS on 28.04.03 at about 0550UTC and will somewhat later approach and dock. Over the Netherlands voice traffic about the approach can be monitored during ISS orbit 25321 between 0539-0547UTC via 121.750 mc and possibly also via 130.165 mc. Simultaneously Budarin can be active from ISS via 143.625 mc. The soft and hard mate will take place when both objects just have disappeared over the eastern horizon for Western Europe.

During the following pass in orbit ISS 25322 (0714-0724UTC) we can hear if the docking had been successful. Later on we can expect traffic about the air seal checks , the opening of the hatches and the meeting of the crews.

Communications ISS during the last months: Relatively the communications between the Russian segment and TsUP-M were scarce.
Budarin chooses not to speak much and the discussed subjects generally referred to technical routine matters.
Bowersox and Pettit did not show up via the Russian channel, but settled their affairs via NASA channels.

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