MIRNEWS.285 20 DECEMBER 1995 Progress-M30 launched: Pr-M30 has been launched from Baykonur on 18.12.95 at 14.31.34 UTC. She came in orbit at 14.40.09UTC. Docking to MIR was on schedule for 20.12.1995 at 1610UTC. Progress-M29 separated from MIR and decayed: The freighter Pr-M29 had to free the dockingport of Kvant-1 (axial +X axis) to make the arrival of Pr-M30 possible. When on 19.12 it was obvious that the systems of Pr-M30 worked well the Pr-M29 had to 'knock off'. Pr-M29 undocked from MIR that day at 0915UTC. After some autonomous orbits the engines of Pr-M29 started for the 'de-orbit' burn at 1526UTC. Pr-M29 burnt up in the dense layers of the atmosphere and only a few particles reached the surface of the Pacific in position 48 degr. 34 Min South and 201 degr. 18 min East at 1615UTC. The cosmonauts tried to observe and film the Pr-M29 at the moment of reentry in the atmosphere, but these attempts failed due the fact that Module Spektr blocked the sight. Progress-M30 linked up with MIR: Exactly on schedule Pr-M30 docked to the station on 20.12.95 at 16 hrs 10 mins 11 sec. During the last stage of the appro ach and docking operation the radiotraffic (mainly phone) was relayed by Altair. Gidzenko reported the distances, the appro ach speeds and he regularly added that this all was in accor dance with the predictions. At 1600UTC Pr-M30's beacon on 922.755 mc could be heard (TCA at 160304UTC) and there was some traffic on 143.625 mc, with the report that the green light for the final stage of the approach and docking had been given. Approach and docking took place in the automatic mode by the system Kurs-2. During the following passes could be heard that the airseal checks permitted the crew to open the hatches and to enter the Pr-M30. They had to unload some 'vulnerable' things and to install these in cool places or refrigators. Apart from the normal cargo: water, fuel (Reiter spoke about the arrival of a 'kerosine bomb'), food, delicious titbits for Christmas, additional spareparts for the complex, Pr-M30 delivered a package of 75 KG with experiments for Euromir'95. Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.