STS-86
Report # 15 
Thursday, October 2, 1997 -  8:30 p.m. CDT 
 
  The ten astronauts and cosmonauts of the Atlantis-Mir space complex
completed their joint work today, having transferred more than four
tons of logistical supplies and water between the two spacecraft over
the course of six days of joint docked operations.

  With their work successfully concluded, Atlantis Commander Jim
Wetherbee and Mir 24 Commander Anatoly Solovyev shook hands for a
final time at 5:45 p.m. this afternoon and closed the hatches between
the two spacecraft in preparation for tomorrow morning's undocking of
Atlantis from the Mir and an end to the seventh Shuttle-Mir docking
mission.

  Left behind on the Mir were more than 1700 pounds of water, hardware
for the repair of the damaged Spektr module, a new computer to
maintain attitude control for the Russian complex and U.S. astronaut
David Wolf, setting out on his four-month scientific research
mission..

  The change-out of the Mir's troublesome motion control system
computer for the new one brought to orbit by Atlantis' astronauts was
successfully completed today with the spinup of the Mir's ten
gyrodynes, the automatic attitude control mechanisms used to keep Mir
pointed at the sun. The Mir now has full attitude control for future
operations following Atlantis' departure.

  Atlantis is scheduled to undock from the Mir tomorrow morning at
10:43 a.m. Central time while the two vehicles are passing just East
of the Caspian Sea over Turkmenistan. Pilot Mike Bloomfield plans to
back Atlantis away to a distance of about 600 feet below and in front
of Atlantis to test navigation sensors, before closing in toward the
Mir to a distance of 240 feet. Bloomfield will stationkeep at that
range for an hour waiting for sunrise, before initiating a 46-minute
fly-around of the Russian station to enable his crewmates to use
cameras equipped with high-powered lenses and video equipment for the
documentation of the Spektr module.

  At several points during the fly-around, plans call for Solovyev and
Flight Engineer Pavel Vinogradov to open a pressure regulation valve
in the Mir to allow air to rush into the depressurized Spektr. Russian
flight controllers hope Atlantis' astronauts may detect some seepage
of particles or debris from the breach in the hull of Spektr which
will assist them in the future planning of repairs to the module.

  Bloomfield will conduct a final separation maneuver from the Mir at
1:43 p.m. Central time, bidding the Mir farewell until January, when
the Shuttle Endeavour returns during the STS-89 mission.

###

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