MIRNEWS.288    9 FEBRUARY 1996

3d Spacewalk (EVA) 20th Main Expedition MIR:

Gidzenko and Reiter made this EVA on 8.02.1996. For the Euro
mir95 astronaut this was the 2d EVA. The estimated duration of
the EVA was appr. 5 hrs and 30 minutes. Due to the cancella
tion of the 2d part of the operation the EVA lasted conside
rably shorter. After extensive checks of the spacesuits and
technical systems in the airlock of Module-D the cosmonauts
opened the hatch at 1403UTC. The Euromir95 part of the EVA has
been executed successfully and in accordance with the timeli
ne. Gidzenko and Reiter transported themselves by the Strela
girder to the surface of the module Spektr. After the necessary
checks they removed the scientific samples of the
ESEF-experiment (European Space Exposure Facility). Reiter and
Avdeyev installed these samples during the EVA on 21.10.1995.
Reiter brought back 2 cassettes which have been collecting
natural cosmic dust and man-made space debris. These cassettes
could be opened and closed by remote control from inside MIR.
This possibility was needed for the most effective reception
of space-debris and for the protection from pollution by the
engines of the Atlantis during the docking in November 1995.
The 2d part of the EVA had to be cancelled. They had to work
on the mechanism of the joint system of an antenna of the
Kristall-module. The bolts, which had to be loosened were
fixed so firmly that the cosmonauts were unable to unscrew
them with the equipment at their disposal. So TsUP ordered
them to stop those activities and to return to the station.
The cosmonauts closed the hatch behind them at 1709UTC. So the
duration of this EVA was 3 hrs and 6 minutes. After the EVA
Gidzenko and Reiter were in good health and mood. The task
still to be done has to be accomplished by another crew for
this one will return to earth shortly.

Communications:

During the preparations for the EVA the crew
communicated via trackingstations in the east of Russia and
the geostationairy satellite Altair. During the EVA itself
they communicated via trackingstations and the Luch-1 satelli
te (94.082A over 96 degrees East).

Plans for the near future:

Launch of the Soyuz-TM23 with the
reliefcrew still on schedule for 21.02.1996 at 1233UTC. Return
of the 20th ME MIR and the Euromir95 astronaut by Soyuz-TM22
on 29.02.1996. The launchdate of the module Priroda has not
been determined thusfar. Possibly the launch will take place
in the beginning of April 1996.

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