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Mir Expedition EO-15. Docked at the Kvant module on January 10 at 11:15 GMT. Transported to the Mir orbital station of a crew comprising the cosmonauts V M Afanasev, Y V Usachev, and V V Polyakov for the fifteenth main expedition. The Soyuz TM-18 descent module landed 110 km north of Arkalyk in Kazakhstan at 10:32:35 GMT on July 9.
Narrative (adapted from D S F Portree's Mir Hardware Heritage, NASA RP-1357, 1995)
On January 10, 1994 Progress M-19 departed and Mir Principal Expedition 15 (Viktor Afanaseyev, Yuri Usachyov, Valeri Polyakov) arrived aboard Soyuz TM-18. Tsibliyev and Serebrov boarded Soyuz TM-17 on 14 January for the return home. Soyuz TM-17 struck Mir during the customary inspection fly-around prior to deorbit burn. Tsibliyev and Serebrov were conducting proximity operations with Mir. Among other things, they were photographing a NASA JSC-built docking target they had installed during one of their EVAs. They were unable to arrest Soyuz TM-17's forward movement because of an improperly set switch, and so struck Kristall two glancing blows with its descent module. The blows temporarily disabled Mir's orientation system. Masterful piloting by Tsibliyev prevented Soyuz TM-17 from striking Mir's antennas and solar arrays. After the incident, the EO-14 cosmonauts and ground controllers checked over Soyuz TM-17, while the EO-15 crew on Mir checked over Kristall. They found no damage. Normal Mir operations resumed, and Soyuz TM-17 made a normal re-entry.
Afanaseyev, Usachov, and Polyakov examined Kristall when they repositioned their spacecraft at the Mir forward port on 24 January. They detected no damage from the Soyuz TM-17 recontact. On 30 January Progress M-21 arrived at the station and remained docked until 23 March. Launch of Progress M-22 was delayed to March 22 from March 19 by heavy snowfall at Baikonur Cosmodrome. The rails used to transport Progress M-22 to its launch pad were covered in snowdrifts up to 7 m deep, so the spacecraft and booster could not be moved from their assembly building. The freighter finally docked with Mir on 23 March.
The week of March 28, Mir cosmonauts fired an electron beam gun at the Swedish Freja plasma and magnetospheric physics satellite to study space plasmas and Earth's magnetosphere. At the time Mir was 383 km above the Pacific, south of Alaska, while the 214-kg Freja satellite was 1770 km above the southeast Alaskan coast. A Canadian ground station monitored the test, which resembled one conducted on the STS-45 Space Shuttle mission (March 24-April 2, 1992).
Soyuz TM-19 arrived at Mir with the Principal Expedition 16 crew of Yuri Malenchenko and Talgat Musabayev on 3 July. Valeri Polyakov, who had arrived on Mir with the Principal Expedition 15 crew, remained aboard on his long-duration mission. The EO-15 crew returned uneventfully aboard Soyuz TM-18 on 9 July.
AKA: Derbent (Derbent - Russian city); Soyuz TM-18 (Afanasyev, Usachyov).
First Launch: 1994.01.08.
Last Launch: 1994.07.09.
Duration: 182.02 days.
Soyuz-TM17:
The present Mir-crew (Tsibliyev and Serebrov) is already involved in activities related to their oncoming relief and their return to earth on 14.01.94. On 5.01.94 they remained on board of this ship for a long time to check systems and to look for areas in which they can stow things, which have to be returned to earth.
Progress-M17:
This freighter is still flying autonomously after the separation from Mir on 11.08.93. The Russians left Progress-M17 in space to check the lifetime of the systems due to the future use by the Americans of a Soyuz-TM modification as ACVR (rescue boat) for their space station. During a manoeuvre before Christmas the station came in a lower perigee (235 KM) due to a failure in the attitude control system. TsUP lost control over the freighter and they plan to have her decayed in the end of February this year. Probably this will happen spontaneously: the present orbital elements will lead to a decay at abt 28.03.94 (+ or - 3 days).
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
The 5 men will work together during the next 3 days and the old crew (Mir Main expedition nr. 14) will then hand over the station to the 15th Main expedition.
On 14.01.1994 Tsibliyev and Serebrov will return to earth in the Soyuz-TM17.
The 15th Main Expedition will last until 6.07.1994, so 177 days. Then Afanasyev and Usachev will be relieved by Malenchenko, Musabayev and Strekalov. Strekalov will return with the relieved crew. Dr. Polyakov will remain on board until spring 1995 (427 days) to conduct medical experiments aimed at the long-lasting flights to Mars.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Return operation:
At 0145 UTC the hatch of Soyuz-TM17 was closed behind Tsibliyev and Serebrov. At 0430 UTC the Soyuz-TM17 undocked from Mir. Tsibliyev had got orders to make a short inspection flight around the Mir-complex. They had to make images of the outer surface and they had to give special attention to the APAS89 docking system on Kristall (Module-T). In a distance of 30 Meters S- TM17 deviated from the desired course and collided with the Mir-station. Immediately radio contact with Soyuz-TM17 was lost. After 10 minutes TsUP managed to re-established radio contact with Soyuz-TM17 and the crew reported that their ship did not suffer damages and that the air-seal was still in good order. They also did not see any damages on the Mir-complex. Soyuz-TM17 made its last 2 orbits around the earth and the descent started at abt. 0715 UTC. At 0804 UTC the parachute opened and the 2-tonne heavy capsule made a safe landing at 08.18.20 UTC.
Mir:
The new crew (15th Main Expedition) immediately started observations through the portholes to try to determine eventual damages. During the passes in orbits 45206 (1100 UTC) and 45207 (1234 UTC) they transmitted to earth video-images which they made during the departure and fly-around of Soyuz-TM17. Shortly Afanasyev and Usachov will have to make a non-scheduled spacewalk to inspect the place, where Soyuz-TM17 hit the Mir- station. (probably near the APAS89 docking device on Kristall -Module-T).
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
This operation was on schedule for 21.01.94 but was put back to 24.01.94. Instead of a short operation (undocking, hovering until the complex turned 180 degrees and docking to the other port) TsUP decided to use the operation for an inspection of the whole complex to be sure that the collision of S- TM18 and the Kristall-module on 14.01.94 did not cause fatal damages. The whole crew went aboard the Soyuz-TM18 and undocked from the aft docking port at 0309 UTC and flew autonomously for a long time. At 0452 UTC Soyuz-TM18 docked to the forward (P.Kh.O.) docking port and remained on board of the Soyuz-TM18 until 0619 UTC. During the first pass of the complex within our range (orb. 45359, 0615 UTC) Usachov reported via 121.750 mc that Afanasyev had opened the hatch. During the long period between docking and entering the station the crew checked systems and airseal of compartments.
Damage assessment during inspection flight:
Apart from some negligible scratches in the area of the collision (on Kristall-module) no significant or fatal damages have been discovered. In a long communication session between TsUP and Mir via Altair (0855-0946 UTC) the crew extensively reported about that inspection and transmitted images to earth. Obviously it will not be necessary to insert an unscheduled spacewalk to inspect the outer surface of Kristall.
Progress-M21: This freighter will be launched from Baykonur on 28.01.94 at 0212 UTC. Docking 2 days later to Mir's aft (Kvant) docking port on 30.01.94 at abt. 0300 UTC.
Yevpatoriya: The tracking and communication facilities near Yevpatoriya and Simferopol on the Crimea are again operational for TsUP's control of the Mir-space station. On 20.01.94 (orb. 45300, 1137 UTC) the crew waited for communications via Yevpatoriya. Meanwhile this has been confirmed: the RKA and her Ukrainian counterpart have reached an agreement on the use of Ukrainian space facilities for Russian spaceflight.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Expected docking time of Progress-M21 to Mir:
On 30.01.94 at abt. 0354 UTC Progress-M21 will dock to Mir's aft (Kvant-1) docking port. The approach and docking will be automatically with the system Kurs. Afanasyev will be standby with the TORU (tele-orientation and command regime) which might enable him to take over manually in case of a Kurs system failure.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Schedule for operations with Progress-M freighters:
Progress-M22: Launch on 16.03.94, docking with Mir on 18.03.- 94. This freighter does not carry a VBK (ballistic return capsule). Progress-M21: Separation from Mir on 17.03.94 if Progress-M22 is in the right orbit and functioning normally. Progress-M21 has no VBK on board. Progress-M23: Launch on 18.03.94, docking to Mir at 20.04.94. This freighter carries a VBK. Progress-M22: Separation from Mir on 19.05.94 if all is going well with Progress-M23. A schedule for the freighters after Progress-23 has been published, but data might be subject to changes. The transport ship Soyuz-TM19, had to be launched on 24.06.94, but this launch has been put forward to 20.06.94, docking to Mir on 22.06.94. The first crew consisted of Malenchenko, Musabayev and Strekalov. Strekalov had to return with the relieved Afanasyev and Usachov after 12 days. Possibly Strekalov will fly with Soyuz-TM21 together with Dezhurov and an American cosmonaut on 01.03.95.
American 'cosmonauts': 2 American astronauts had to arrive in Starcity near Moscow on one of these days to begin with their training for a flight as 'cosmonaut'. Due to technical reasons their departure has been postponed for 1 or 2 weeks.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
Fire on Baykonur: On 7.03.94 a heavy fire broke out in a MIK (Assembly and test complex) and spread to a Maintenance Unit Headquarters. There the fire damaged a Telemetry installation. The fire caused a damage of appr. 1.7 a 1.8 million dollars. The Russians declared that space-programs will not suffer from this event.
Progress-M17: This freighter has been flying autonomously from 11.08.93 for a duration test of its systems. The Russians planned to leave the Progress-M17 in orbit for a year and a half on request by the Americans who want to use modified versions of the Soyuz-TM-ships for ACRV (assured crew return vehicle) for the space station Alpha. A test flight with a Progress-M was useful for a lot of systems of this freighter are the same as those of the Soyuz-TM. During an orbit manoeuvre in December 1993 something went wrong and the Progress-M17 came in a very low perigee from where it decayed naturally by burning up in the Earth's atmosphere on 3.03.94 at 0406 UTC
Tracking ships: The tracking ship Cosmonaut Pavel Belyayev is floating somewhere in the Atlantic for the support of spaceflight operations which have nothing to do with the Mir-station. Nevertheless the ship now and then assists TsUP for communications with the Mir-station. This took place on 13.03- .94 at 2004 UTC and on 14.03.94 at 2045 UTC, so out of our range. We can expect that within due time we can hear Mir- radio traffic relayed by the KPB or one of the other ships.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Tracking ships: Now and then TsUP and Mir meet problems with the communications via the geostationary satellite Altair. Probably this is caused by malfunctions of the meanwhile worn out transceiver (Antares) on board Mir The tracking ship Cosmonaut Pavel Belyayev (KPB), somewhere in the Atlantic, regularly is involved in Mir-communications. On 23.03.94 from 1705-1714 UTC Mir and TsUP have a communication sched via KPB.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Progress-M22 docked to the Mir-space station:
Progress-M22 docked to the aft (Kvant-1) docking port of the complex on 24.03.94 at 0639 UTC. The docking took place just after LOS of Mir and Progress-M22 for my position. During the pass before the docking Mir's radio traffic on 143.625mc and Progress-M22's beacon on 922.755mc could be heard. Afanasyev reported data about the approach: the final approach, distance 59 M, approach speed 0.3M/sec, etc. Already during the next pass (orb. 46281, 0803 UTC) the hatch to Progress-M22 had been opened. Inside Progress-M22 all was clean and the crew -as always- enjoyed the nice smell of apples. Progress-M22 delivered to the complex food, water, fuel, post, spare parts and equipment for the maintenance of Mir's systems and additional equipment to be used by Dr. Polyakov for his medical experiments. If the Russians stick to the original schedule Progress-M22 will have to leave the aft docking port on 19.05.94 to enable her successor Progress-M23 to dock on 20.05.94. Progress-M22 does not have a VBK on board; Progress-M23 will carry a VBK.
Baykonur: As of 22.03.94 Russian and Kazakhstan politicians and experts are gathered in Moscow for negotiations on a draft agreement about the right of Russia to use the cosmodrome Baykonur. Thus far it was impossible to reach consonance about the amount of money for the rent and the compensation for ecological damages caused by soviet space-activities over some decades. Russians are considering the possibility to reconstruct the base for ICBM's near Svobodnyy (East Siberiya, 51degr24min N, 128degr07min E.) into a cosmodrome to replace Baykonur. Yuriy Semyonov, Head of NPO 'Energiya', is against this idea: in his opinion Russia will loose its place as a leading space-power if Russia abandons Baykonur. Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Baykonur: After long and difficult negotiations Russia and Kazakhstan reached an agreement about the use by Russia of Baykonur and Leninsk. Russia has to pay a rent of 115 million. 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 confiscation of vital materials by the Kazakhstan authorities.
Soyuz-TM19: This transport ship 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 State commission 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 space shuttle 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
The docking of Progress-M23 to the Mir-complex is scheduled for 24.05.94 at abt. 0617 UTC, so 4 minutes after LOS (Loss of signal) for our position.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
Progress-M22: This freighter had to free the aft (Kvant-1) docking port for the Progress-M23. After TsUP was sure about the good functioning of all systems of Progress-M23 Progress-M22 could be separated from Mir for decay in the atmosphere. The undocking took place on 23.05.94 at 0057 UTC and after some hours Progress-M22 burnt up over the Pacific.
Progress-M23 docked to the Mir-station on 24.05.94 at 0619 UTC. During the first pass, in which the approach of Progress-M23 to Mir was in its final stage, there was no radio traffic on VHF (possibly again due to the absence of the Yevpatoriya- facilities). For communications TsUP used the Ku-bands of the Altair satellite. During the 2d pass (orb. 47232, 0745-0751- UTC) Polyakov reported from Mir's central post that Afanasyev and Usachov already were near the opened hatch to the Progress-M23. They had followed the safety recommendations of TsUP (for instance the use of protection glasses). The Progress-M23 was clean and already had given the whole complex a higher pressure to 717mm. The crew enjoyed the fresh air with the smell of fruits. Afanasyev reported that all was well. Launch date Soyuz-TM19 possibly put back:
There are circulating messages about a possible change of the launch date of Soyuz-TM19, thus far on schedule for 24.06.94. These messages are not equal: there might be a delay until 20.07.94, but the Russians did not confirm this. They admitted that there are discussions about a possible delay, but if so the launch will take place not mare than 2 weeks later. The discussions are still going on.
Yevpatoriya: For a short period in the beginning of 1994 this station could be used by the Russians for TsUP- Mir communications. During the flight of the Soyuz-TM18 the station could be used due to a provisional agreement between the RKA and her Ukrainian counterpart. Regretfully this probably only worked for a short period. Tough negotiations between Russia and the Ukraine were going on about this matter and the present problems on the Crimea certainly will not make the negotiations easier. Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
Kazakhstan insists upon the fact that Musabayev will make his spaceflight as a representative of Kazakhstan for he is a native of that country. The Russians agreed with that, but told Kazakhstan that this means that Musabayev will fly as a foreign guest cosmonaut and that Kazakhstan has to pay for that just like western countries have to pay for their cosmonauts. Kazakhstan cannot afford this.
Progress-M23: Before Soyuz-TM19 can dock to the aft docking port the freighter Progress-M23 has to undock from there. If all goes well on board Soyuz-TM19 after launch Progress-M23 will separate from Mir on 2.07.94. The return capsule (VBK) of Progress-M23 has to make a soft landing somewhere in Kazakhstan.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
Soyuz-TM19 has a crew of two: Yuriy Malenchenko and Tolgat Musabayev. For a long time the status of this flight was unknown: Musabayev's native country is Kazakhstan, but he was supposed to fly as an officer of the Russian airforce. Now the flight has been announced as a Russian-Kazakh expedition. Russia paid for the preparations and Kazakhstan will pay a contribution for Musabayev's activities on board Mir. All went well during the launch and the first day of the flight. The cosmonauts use the call sign Agat-1 and Agat-2. The crew has no problems with micro-gravity and space sickness. During the 3d orbit at 1527 UTC the ship came in our range. Malenchenko reported that all was going according to plan and the results were positive. The pressure of the atmosphere on board was 803 mm. Already during the next pass (orb. 4, 1656 UTC) Malenchenko reported the first 2 orbit corrections accomplished as needed and without any problems. During the following pass (orb. 5, 1837 UTC) Malenchenko announced that the 3d orbit correction would take place at 18 hrs 47mins and 45 secs UTC. As usual during such flights: radio contact with TsUP on 121.- 750 mc and telemetry and beacons on 166, 165 and 922.755 mc.
Progress-M23: As soon as TsUP was sure that all went well with Soyuz-TM19 the undocking of Progress-M23 was possible and took place on 2.07.94 at 0841 UTC. The landing of the VBK (ballistic return capsule) had to take place on 2.07.94 at 1500 UTC at 150 KM North East of the town Orsk, within Russian territory, so no need to pay import duties.
Estimated docking day and time of Soyuz-TM19 with Mir:
3.07.94 at 1404 UTC, so just after LOS for us after the first pass of Mir and Soyuz-TM19 for our position.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
16th Main expedition to Mir:
This mission consists of the new crew together with Doctor Polyakov. Malenchenko and Musabayev will return to earth on 2.11.94. Together with the new enthusiastic cosmonauts Soyuz-TM19 delivered to Mir hard- and software for experiments during the Euromir 94 mission of Merbold in October this year. In September 1994 Mal. and Mus. have to make 4 EVA (spacewalks) aimed at the transfer of the solar panels from Kristall to Kvant-1, maintenance and inspections of the outer surface of the complex and the replacement of containers (among other things the American Trek-experiment) with experiments exposed to open space.
Soyuz-TM18: The relieved crew (Afanasyev and Usachov) will return to earth by this ship on 9.07.94.
Progress-M23: This freighter undocked from Mir on 2.07.94 at 0841 UTC and decayed in the earth's atmosphere the same day. Just before decay it jettisoned the VBK (ballistic return capsule) which made a safe landing within Russian territory 150 KM N.E. of the town Orsk at 1508 UTC.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
Mir: 2 days ago the command of the Mir-complex was handed over by Afanasyev to Malenchenko. From this moment on the call sign of Polyakov changed from Derbent-3 to Agat-3.
Soyuz-TM19: This ship is still docked to the aft (Kvant-1) docking port of the Mir-complex. Contrary to the normal practice this ship will remain there, so no redocking from the aft to the forward docking port has been planned. One of the reasons may be the future operations with modules like Module- T (Kristall), Spektr and Priroda.
Progress-M24: Thus far the launch of this freighter is still on schedule for 13.07.94.
Tracking ships: On 8.07.94 the tracking ship Kosmonavt Pavel Belyayev moored in the port of Antwerp. A few hours later I visited the ship for a long interview with the Chief of the Expedition of KPB. I was able to follow the movements of the ship and to determine her destination by monitoring radio traffic between the ship and the Mir-station. The chief answered a lot of questions regarding the fate and future of the famous fleet of tracking ships. The KPB is now on her way to Sankt Peterburg. A ship to take over her task in the Atlantic did not show up but remained in Sankt Peterburg due to budget problems.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
