MIRNEWS.227    2 SEPTEMBER 1994

TO BE ALLOWED TO TRY THREE TIMES RUNNING IS BUT FAIR!!

The 3d attempt to dock the freighter Progress-M24 to MIR
succeeded. This time they used the system TORU instead of Kurs.
Malenchenko safely guided and docked Pr-M24 to the forward axial
dockingport (P.Kh.O.-transition section). The docking took place
on 2.09.94 at 1330UTC. During the last phase of the approach
Malenchenko was fully responsible and in an admirable way he
performed his task. Molodets!! Voice communication between MIR
and TsUP via Altair was loud and clear and so I was able to
monitor the actions and obser vations of Malenchenko. Just
before docking the voice communi cation stopped while Pr-M24 was
on a distance of 5 Meters with an approach speed of 26 cm/sec.
M. had to correct Pr-M24's course due to a slight deviation to
left.

Radiotraffic via VHF after the docking:

During the pass in orb. 48809 (1648UTC) M. reported that the
hatch had been opened and that they already more or less had
started the unloading. The ship was in good order and all was
clean. The crew had to unload the container Biokrist and install
it in the right place as soon as possible. (Biokrist is complex
of protein crystallization experiments) During the next pass
(orb. 48810, 1824UTC) the main subject again was the cargo and
the special attention for the contai ner Biokrist).

Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.