MIRNEWS.412    15 MARCH 1998

Progress-M38:

The launch of this freighter from Baykonur took place on 14.03.1998 at
22.45.55UTC (for Moscow already 15.03.1998 01.45.55 DMV -Moscow Decree Time).
During the pass in the 3rd orbit I monitored the Telemetry transmitters of this
ship between 0321-0324UTC. During the pass in the 4th orbit the Telemetry
transmitters (166 and 165 mc) and the beacon on 922.755mc could be heard
between 0450 and 0458UTC. TCA for me was at 0453UTC. The most important cargo
is the VDU. This is the external thruster which has to be installed in the
Sofora mast on Kvant-1 during one of the EVA’s in the future. The new VDU
will replace the old one which almost run out of fuel. Under the cargo is a new
lock for the EVA hatch of Module-D, the necessary tools for the repair of that
hatch and of course the normal cargo: food, post and some other convenient
items for the crew. Progress-M38 has to dock at the Kvant-1 aft docking port
(+X-axis) on 17.03.1998 at about 0027UTC. In principle approach and docking
will be executed in the automatic mode with the system Kurs.

Progress-M37:

Today (15.03) Pr-M37 will separate from MIR to be put on a destruction course
for burning up in the atmosphere over a designated area East of New-Zealand.

MIR-routine:

Last week the cosmonauts worked on the installation of the new BKV-3, the a.c.
From 10.03 the BKV-3 is regularly operational and this resulted in decreasing
of the almost unbearable high temperatures in the Base Block. The temperature
of approx. 35 dgs C. decreased to 28 dgs C. The good functioning of the a.c.
makes it possible to use this installation for the filtering of the surplus of
condensation secreted by the Vozdukh CO2 scrubber. Thus this condensation can
be used for water regeneration purposes and has no longer to be blown into open
space. To make this possible the Vozdukh in the Base Block had to be modified
by a so called ‘dehumidifier’. This device is now installed in the
neighbourhood of the Vozdukh but it was difficult to find a place for it.
Meanwhile something went wrong with he thermal control in the module Priroda,
which had a negative effect on some experiments of Andy. After the repair or
replacement of a pump the temperatures in Priroda could be controlled again.
The work was far from easy and they could not always find the necessary parts
and equipment for the mounting. This often debouched into discussions with
experts on earth. Musabayev normally being in a good mood now and then got
upset. He stated that already from the first week the burden of work was too
high. There was a great difference between planning and the reality of time
schedules for their work in space. On 4.03.1998 he stated that this was the
first day they got enough sleep. He emphasized that if you force the crew too
much there will be a risk of fatal mistakes. (And indeed during this mission a
number of mistakes have been reported.)
Not only the Russians, but also Andy Thomas complained about matters he did not
appreciate. He had no problems with his direct ‘leads’, but with
some organisations. Regularly Andy repeated his complaint that he did not
receive his personal E-mails. Last week this resulted in the despatch of a
stream E-mails, reaching him by uplink Packet Radio transmissions, also via
Altair-2.
Andy reported problems with the American experiment COCULT. The flow of liquids
to feed cells of this experiment was full of air-bubbles. He tried to solve
this problem but did not succeed. In conversations with his consultative group
he emphasized that he does all what is possible to fulfil the American
experimental program, but that he attaches great value to the execution of his
physical exercises.
The forthcoming launch of Pr-M38 and the departure on 15.03.1998 of the old Pr-M37
were mentioned now and then. The crew tried to load as much as possible
waste and equipment which was no longer needed in the Pr-M37. Musabayev
reported that it was not possible to load the old BKV-3 in that freighter. He
gave a higher priority to the dismissal of waste containers, lots of old rags,
biological- and domestic garbage. More or less the lot of work on the life
support systems superseded the attention for the forthcoming departure of the
Pr-M38. Only yesterday (14.03) they spoke about the TORU (remote controlled
steering of Pr-M from inside MIR), which has to be operational in case the
automatic system Kurs should fail.
On 9.03.1998 a planned communication session of MIR with TsUP via Altair-2 did
not take place. Something went wrong with the uplink from Russia to Altair-2.
Musabayev who was calling continuously was almost desperate. He needed an
urgent advice about immunisation. For me it was interesting to hear how a
cosmonaut feels when he thinks that he has been abandonned by earth. During the
first communication session via VHF he said that they almost suffered an infarct.

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