MIRNEWS.213 MIR-operations: After the docking of Progress-M22 to the MIR-station the passes gradually shifted to the nighthours. Meanwhile MIR passes take place again during the dayhours, which means that regularly radiotraffic can be heard. In this stage of the MIRmission there is not too much to report: just routine matters and the well-known experiments: measurements of the flows of elementary charged particles by the Mariya-spectrometer and xray and gamma radiation by spectrometers in the Kvant-1 module. The crew shot a lot of video- and photo-images of the earth on request by geologists en ecologists. Polyakov continues his medical experiments. On 9.05.94 the crew made films of heavy fires along the frontier of Siberia and Mongolia. During passes in which MIR is in contact with TsUP often only Afanasyev is heard. Sometimes, but not as much as Afanasyev, Polyakov and Usachov communicate with TsUP. Daily routine for the crew still remains the functioning of the waterregeneration systems, about the SRV-U -distillation of water from urine- they daily have discussions with TsUP. Baykonur: After long and difficult negociations Russia and Kazakhstan reached an agreement about the use by Russia of Baykonur and Leninsk. Russia has to pay a rent of 115 milj. US-dollars a year for a period of 20 years and the option for a prolongation by another 10 years. Russia can act in Baykonur and Leninsk as if it was Russian territory. Let us hope that the agreement puts an end to the uncertainties for Russian and future users of the cosmodrome and to the vexations and confiscations of vital materials by the Kazakhstan authorities. Soyuz-TM19: This transportship will be launched from Baykonur on 24.06.94 with the crew for the 16th Main Expedition to MIR. The first crew consists of Musabayev and Malenchenko, both rookies. Musabayev is from Kazakhstan, but the Russians stressed that he will fly just because he is a good cosmonaut and not to please Kazakhstan. On 4.04.94 the Statecommission decided to exclude Strekalov from that flight. He was on schedule for the Russians use to add an experienced cosmonaut to a crew with only rookies. So for the first time in many years a Soyuz-ship will fly with only rookies on board. The reason for the exclusion of Strekalov is economical: his seat will be used for an extra amount of cargo (85 KG). Strekalov is still in the race for he will fly during the 1995 program. He will then be 'ferried' to MIR by the spaceshuttle Atlantis. To get the training as an 'astronaut' he will arrive in the USA one of these days. Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.