February 1981:Salyut 6 Expedition 4, part 2

Over the past four years cosmonauts from the socialist countries have been training in Zvyozdny Gorodok, Moscow,for flights aboard Soyuz spaceships and Salyut orbital stations. Up to the date of this report (July 1980) five cosmonauts from these countries have made flights to the Salyut 6 space station.

They were: Vladimir Remek (Czechoslovakia), Miroslaw Hermaszewski (Poland), Sigmund Jahn (German Democratic Republic), Georgi Ivanov (Bulgaria) and, the subject of the first part of this report, Bertalan Farkas (Hungary). Currently in training at Zvyozdny are cosmonauts from Cuba, Mongolia, Romania and Vietnam who are to make flights shortly. In addition two cosmonaut trainees from France,Jean-Loup Chretien and Patrick Baudry started training at Zvyozdny in September 1980 and Indian cosmonaut trainees are to be selected soon. In view of the growing importance of these international spaceflights it is important to illustrate the diverse and interesting goals of such flights. The flight of Valeri Kubasov and Bertalan Farkas is presented here in detail.

The late May/early June launch window was very busy as expected, with the Soviets taking the advantage of the western landing site in Kazakhstan to allow for two flights to be made to Salyut, each of a very different nature. In preparation for the flights to come, on 22 May 1980, the Dniepers (Popov and Ryumin) used the Soyuz 35 SKDU to refine the flight path of the Salyut complex pending the launch, four days later of the Soviet/Hungarian crew aboard Soyuz 36.

The Hungarian cosmonaut Bertalan Farkas told pressmen before the flight that he had worked very hard to come so far and he had spent up to 6 hours per day in the Soyuz training facility at Zvyozdny Gorodok learning to master the systems of the ferry vehicle. “All these difficulties made the unique assignment more fascinating,” Farkas said. Confirmation that Farkas and his commander Valeri Kubasov, call sign Orion,were to fly the mission came on May 24th from the State Commission for Space Flights. It was stated that Kubasov’s experience over 2 flights was crucial to the selection.

On 26 May the duo suited up and boarded the A-2 carrier rocket some 2 hours before the scheduled launch time of 1820:40 (all times GMT). At exactly 1820:39.844 the RD-107 and RD-108 engines ignited and Soyuz 36, carrying Kubasov and Farkas, was put into an orbit with the parameters: height 198 x 261 km; period 88.8 minutes; incl. 51.6°. On the first orbit the Orions inspected the hermeticity of the Soyuz's various compartments and checked the performance of certain instruments. By the second orbit the checking of the radionavigation system was completed and the docking latches had been primed. The crew were then allowed to take off their 10 kg pressure suits and settled down to supper. Corrections to the trajectory, beginning at 2300 left Soyuz 36 in a 263 x 319 km orbit with a 90 minutes period. The Orions then began their rest period. As the space crew rested their reserves, Dzhanibekov and Magyari, were at FCC where they were to act as capcoms and advisers. Valeri Rozhdestvensky (FE Soyuz 23) was the main capcom.

At 0900 (1200 MT) on 27 May both the Orions and the Dniepers were due to be woken by FCC, who had granted the latter a longer rest period. Although the Dneipers were up and working on time the Orions were still in slumber at 1000. Following breakfast the Orions checked the Soyuz’s systems and spoke to FCC flight director Aleksei Yeliseyev who discussed rendezvous procedures with them. After lunch, at 1600, the Orions donned their pressure suits in readiness for the final maneouvres. By now the distance between the Salyut and Soyuz 36 was about 1,400 km. At the time of the launch of Soyuz 36 Salyut was about 12,000 km distant.

At 1620 Soyuz 36’s SKDU was fired to put the ferry in an orbit intersecting that of the station. By orbit 17 the distance between the two was just 20 km and the approach was initiated. At a distance of 10 km the Igla navigation system was activated as the Dniepers held Salyut in an attitude with the rear docking unit facing the oncoming ferry ship. Docking occurred at 1956 with the final mechanical linkage being accomplished at 2005. After checking the pressurisation the hatch seal was broken and, at 2301, Farkas and Kubasov crossed into Salyut to be greeted by bear hugs and traditional bread and salt by the happy Popov and Ryumin. The transfer was completed by 2305. The Orions brought their hosts several souvenirs and 10 traditional Hungarian dishes (canned, of course). In front of the TV camera the cosmonauts were read messages from the Soviet and Hungarian leaders to which the cosmonauts later telegrammed replies. At the time of the transfer Salyut’s parameters were: height 340.16 x 360.21 km; period 91 minutes 35 seconds. This was corrected on the 29th by 4km in apogee using the Soyuz 36 SKDU to refine the re-entry track. Shortly after completion of the welcoming ceremonies the Orions began work on their experiments. The first job was to take samples of the station’s air for analysis on Earth, an experiment called Almaz. At 0200 on 28 May both crews retired.

The next working day was to start at 1100 on 28 May. During their tenure on Salyut the Orions worked for between 16 to 20 hours per day with only a 3 hr sleep period to cram in all of the planned experiments which are detailed below. The visitors often performed 10 different experiments in any one day of their one week flight on the station.

DIAGNOST: Immediately before and after the flight the portable Diagnost equipment was used to obtain several vital parameters of the Soviet/Hungarian crew. Tests were made of their hearing threshold, temperature, blood pressure, pulse,cardiovascular and respiratory systems etc., on the 5 measuring modules of the Diagnost device which weighed 25 kg.

BALATON: The 425 g Balaton instrument determines the intellectual and motor performance of the cosmonauts. The device is held in the palm of the subject’s left hand with two of his fingers touching two sensor plates which record the electric conductivity of the skin. Simultaneously pulse rate is measured from the forefinger. This data indicates if the task presented by the instrument has been solved easily or with difficulty.

Balaton registers the subject’s fatigue rate by measuring perspiration. During the test tasks are presented in the form of flashing numbers on a display with answers given by pressing a button. Correct and incorrect answers are totalled by a tiny computer. Eight questions are presented which can be solved in four ways, each under different loads. The total number of tasks is 32. In operation the subject, for example, pushes button number 1 and a 0 flashes on the display (the simplest task):a more difficult task is presented when the numbers 1 to 4 flash on the screen 16 times at a stretch. Response must be given to these by pressing the button corresponding to the location value. If the correct answer is presented the 16 digit “package" begins to flash faster, in quickening tempo. Response time is measured. These tasks are also combined with long and short audio signals dosed out disparately in varying rhythm to the subject via earphones. 6 specimens of Balaton were made. 3 for use in training. 1 for use at FCC and 2 for the flight.

INTERFERON: Interferon is produced by human cells and fulfills the purpose of protection against virus infection. Even cancer has been controlled by injections of Interferon. There is a snag, however, in that Interferon is extremely expensive to produce, even in tiny amounts. The Orions' experiment consisted of 3 parts to study the production in weightlessness of Interferon.

1. Human white corpuscle cultures and various Interferon-producing substances were placed in test tubes with a two-way valve separating them. The device was then placed into a thermostat at 37°C. When the white corpuscle culture reached average human body temperature pistons pumped them into the inductor fluid influencing Interferon production. The results were frozen for examination later on Earth.

2. Interferon pharmaceuticals placed in lyophilized gel and liquid state were delivered in synthetic ampoules to assess the influence of spaceflight conditions on the anti-viral effect of Interferon production in pharmaceuticals. These drugs may be necessary to prevent virus infections spreading on future long duration flights.

3. Blood samples were obtained to assess the effects of weightlessness on interferon production in the body.

DOSE: Using the Pille (moth) thermoluminescent devic (TLD). weight 1 kg volume 1 litre, radiation levels in 16 Salyut locations have been measured during the long flights. The TLD measures radiation levels in the 10 mrad to 10 rad range by inserting the thermoluminescent substance, contained in a glass tube, into a cavity of the detector. 30 seconds later the dosage is displayed on a screen. Readings from the TLD. which can be attached to the cosmonauts’ clothes as well as the station's walls, are obtained every 2 to 3 days throughout the flight.

OPROS: (Questionnaire) In this experiment the cosmonauts are required to answer 9 set questions about theii eating habits, changes in appetite, leisure time, sensory perception, mobility and need for medication in the form ol drugs (2 types of drug are available for the cosmonauts as stimulants), in order to determine their psychological state. The subject’s facial features are also studied.

Some of the experiments in the bio-medical field the Orions participated in were continuations of the earlier international flights’ studies. The AUDIO experiment, using the GDR-made Elbe audiometer, was continued as were measurements of the oxygen content of the cosmonauts' skin tissue with the Czechoslovak OXYMETER experimental device. Other studies conducted at a low level were studies of Drosophila (fruit flies), fish and plant-growing experiments,which occupied the Dniepers rather more than the Orions.

In 40 sessions of visual observations and photography of the Earth the Orions conducted many interesting studies utilising the GDR-made MKF-6M camera, the 10 kg Bulgarian-made Spektr-15 spectrometer and GDR-made Pentacon 6M handheld camera. The observations centred around the study, for the compilation of a geomorphological map. of the Carpatian Basin and the Tisza River Basin. Assessment of the formation of inland waters and soil salination were the objectives of photography of the Kiskoere water reservoir and a stretch of the Danube. In the UTROF experiment MKF-6M photos were made to assess the ecological impact on Lake Balaton, which is still regarded as clean. Simultaneous studies of pollution on vegetation on shores and open waters, particularly Keszthelv Bay and the area between Tihany and Balatolmadi. were conducted from Salyut 6 (at a height of about 350 km), an AN-30 flying laboratory taking similar pictures from 6 to 7 km altitude, an AN-2 aircraft taking multispectral data in 4 bands between 1.7 and 2.7 km,IR photography from a helicopter from 1 km and meteorological data, soil and water samples from ground level.

The Kristall furnace was used to smelt semiconductors of gallium arsenide,indium antimonide. gallium antimonide and a monocrystal of gallium arsenide was alloyed with chromium through the moving solvent method (one of 4 techniques possible in the Kristall furnace). Analysis of the returned samples isexpected to take up to one year to complete.

Because the Orions were to return to the Earth aboard Soyuz 35,thus leaving the Dniepers the fresher Soyuz 36,they had to change their form-fitting chairs from one ship to the other and stow their results in the descent cabin. Unwanted equipment was stowed in the orbital compartment of Soyuz 35 for destruction when that module was jettisoned after retrofire.

Early on 3 June the Orions bade the Dniepers farewell in front of the TV camera. Kubasov said He felt it was a pity to return home so soon but they had fulfilled their programme. Farkas thanked the Soviet crew for its hospitality and aid. At 0620,following final embraces, the Orions crossed over into Soyuz 35 and closed the hatches. They then donned their pressure suits and checked the pressurisation. At 1147 Soyuz 35 separated from the Salyut station. Shortly afterwards a small SKDU thruster firing imparted 0.3 m/ses of velocity to the ferry and the separation distance between the station and ferry quickly widened. At 1416, some 354 km above the South Atlantic, the SKDU was fired for 179 seconds, reducing the velocity of the ferry by about 115 m/sec to bring the Soyuz out of orbit. At 1437, some 170 km above the Sudan, the compartments of the Soyuz were separated and the descent cabin entered the denser layers of the’atmosphere. Some minutes before 1500,with Soyuz into the lower layers of the atmosphere the main parachute was deployed at about 10 km altitude. Soyuz 35 touched down safely at 1506:40 at a point about 140 km SE of Dzhezkazgan,Kazakhstan.

By the time the newsmen arrived in the recovery helicopter the Orions were busy directing the unloading of the returned equipment. The two cosmonauts, after giving some interviews at the site, were flown to Baikonur taking with them just their written documentation for traditional welcomes. Despite their long working days in space both men were well and looked happy. They were both given several Soviet and Hungarian State awards.

At 1638 the next day (4 June) the Dniepers undocked Soyuz 36 from the rear docking unit of Salyut 6,withdrew to about 180 m distance,and watched as the station was commanded to rotate 180°. Soyuz 36 was then maneouvred back to a docking with the front docking unit at 1709. The whole operation took about 30 minutes (this is based on the time for Soyuz 31 which undocked at 1153 and redocked at 1221:29 on 7 September 1978). After floating back into the station the Dneipers set about tidying up the compartments in readiness for their next visitors who were due to arrive the very next day.

The second manned flight of the May/June window saw the first manned flight of the Soyuz T (the "T" stands for Transport) spacecraft. The flight plan envisaged a docking with Salyut,after extensive checks of the spacecraft's systems,by the two man crew who would work for three days with the Dniepers and then return home. This simple plan would cover all the main aspects of the job the new spacecraft was designed to do. The landing was timed to occur under the most favourable landing window constraints possible with daylight left to attempt a search should the cosmonauts land off-target.

The cosmonauts assigned to be the first to fly a Soyuz T into space were 38 year old Lt-Col Yuri Malyshev (selected in the same group as Kovalenok and Lyakhov in 1967). call sign Jupiter, and Vladimir Aksenov who had,in September 1976, accompanied Valeri Bykovski on the Soyuz 22 flight. In preparation for the flight Malyshev and Aksenov had to study computer programming to operate the Argon ABKK.

Early on 5 June the Jupiters were woken and. after medical checks and breakfast, donned their new design 8 kg pressure suits, specially developed for Sovuz T. The suits featured, in addition to their lightness, new air supply systems, zip arrangements, improved hinge joints in the elbow, wrist and knee joints, helmets allowing almost peripheral vision and improved dexterity in the gloves (it is claimed that a cosmonaut can pick a single match from a box using the new gloves.)

The launch of Soyuz T-2, on a standard A-2 carrier rocket,occurred at 1419. The only visible modification to the A-2 was the introduction of a new, longer launch escape tower. Once in orbit the ABKK assessed the amount of thrust the cosmonauts would have to instruct the ODU engine to make to put the spacecraft into the corrected orbit. After receiving instructions to proceed from the crew the ABKK commanded the ODU, in two stages, to fire. The resulting orbit had a height of 267 x 316 km, period 90.2 minutes. Shortly after those 4th and 5th orbit manoeuvres Soyuz T-2 drifted out of the coverage of the tracking stations on the USSR’s land mass.

Following another maneouvre the next morning Soyuz T-2 was approaching Salyut 6. After asking for permission to proceed with the approach the ABKK brought Soyuz T-2 to within 180 m of the station at which point, because of an unspecified deviation from the normal operating procedure of the ABKK, Malyshev over-rode the computer and guided the transport ship to a successful docking with the rear docking port at 1558 (6 June). During the operation Malyshev’s pulse peaked at 130 beats/min.; Aksenov’s peaked at 97. Amid much joviality the Jupiters crossed over into Salyut, some 3 hours after the docking, to be greeted enthusiastically by the Dneipers. Following traditional welcoming toasts (in fruit juice) the Jupiters handed over mail and gifts to the resident crew.

For the next three days the two crews were busy performing. experiments and loading Soyuz T-2 with equipment and experiment results. Photography of the Earth and oceans with the MKF-6M camera was accomplished by Aksenov and the Refraction experiment was conducted. Medical tests were performed on the Dniepers showing them to be in excellent health and equipment was prepared for future experiments.

No sooner it seemed than the Jupiters arrived than they had to depart. At about 0925 on 9 June Soyuz T-2 was undocked from Salyut. The Jupiters then commenced to fly the transport ship around Salyut for inspection and photography of the station. On earlier occasions, because of Soyuz's limited propellant, the station had had to tum round so that cosmonauts in the stationary Soyuz could photograph it. The manoeuvre by Soyuz T-2 is attributable to the ODU fuel supply system.

In another variation to the earlier Soyuz versions Soyuz T-2 jettisoned the Orbital Compartment before the retro burn rather than after, this saves about 10% of fuel used normally for retrofire. Some minutes before 1200 the ODU was activated to bring Soyuz T-2 out of orbit and several minutes later the engine section and descent cabin separated. During the re-entry, because of the heat, the windows of the descent cabin became covered in thick black soot. Once the module was being braked by parachutes outer panes on the windows were cast off leaving inner panes which were untouched by the heat and soot, affording the cosmonauts a clear view of the flat steppes of Kazakhstan where, at about 1240,Soyuz T-2 landed in a cloud of dust blown up by the enlarged retro-rockets at the base of the cabin. The Jupiters were soon outside meeting reporters and signing their names on the outside of the cabin, as custom dictates. Medical checks showed them to be in good health.

In accordance with tradition the Jupiters were flown back, after their debriefing and recovery at Baikonur, to Moscow to receive their awards. The duo was greeted first at Zvyodny Gorodok’s Chkalovskaya Airport by their families and comrades. Later that day (10 June) the cosmonauts were given their awards by Leonid Brezhnev in a reception at the Kremlin.

Following the departure of Soyuz T-2 the Dniepers settled down to their daily routine of exercises, medicals and experiments. During the rest of June they took advantage of the long summer nights and reasonable weather over the USSR to conduct extensive visual and photographic observations of the Earth and oceans and in particular sites in the USSR,Hungary and the other socialist countries. They paid special attention to monitoring the growing season of cereals such as bread grain, attempting to forecast the productivity of pasture land and assessing water reserves in the Pamir and Tien-Shan mountain ranges. The Dniepers also conducted observations with the BST-1M of Beta Centauri; obtained gamma quanta readings with the Elena-F detector and conducted smelting experiments. Generally the cosmonauts worked efficiently and ahead of the flight plan with their productivity increasing steadily as the fight progressed. While they worked the two men detailed equipment and supplies they needed to FCC who were scheduling the cargo to be carried on the next Progress ferry ship due to be launched at the end of June.