🚀 go-pugleaf

Flight International quoted official Russian sources confirming 
rumors that the crew to be launched to Mir in late 1993 will probably
include a doctor with the objective of staying on the station for 540
days. The mission would last through the visiting French flight
scheduled for mid-1994, and they would be joined by the NASA astronaut
in early '95 to round out the last 100 or so days. They hope to be
returned by the US Shuttle in 1995 after the planned docking with Mir 
and delivery of the replacement Mir crew. This plan presumably takes 
advantage of NASA's post flight medical analysis skills for what would
be the longest manned spaceflight ever.

Flight International also reports that the 540 day mission was 
planned earlier to succeed the year long mission in 1988, but 
was delayed by the policy change to fly 5-6 month missions
to increase productivity of the crew. Exactly what caused the 
latest change in policy is unclear, but I suspect it is intended
to entice NASA into long term missions using Mir or Mir 2 studying
life sciences.

Also, remember to watch the news for the Soyuz TM-16 launch this
Sunday (Jan 24.). CNN usually allocates 10 or 15 seconds of their 
precious time for a tapeed Soyuz launch. Current plans are for the 
Soyuz TM 16 crew to be replaced by the Soyuz TM-17 joint French 
Mission scheduled to be launched July 1.

There are still a number of other nations interested in visiting
flights to Mir so the Russians immediate problem may be to much demand
to satisfy within the constraints of their current infrastructure.
The Soyuz TM-18 in late 1993 will also probably be a joint German
flight. Assuming the routine 6 month visiting crew interval is
unchanged this leaves late 1993, mid 1994, and late 1994 Soyuz
missions undefined before the joint NASA flights begin.

Dennis Newkirk (dennisn@ecs.comm.mot.com)
Motorola, Land Mobile Products Sector
Schaumburg, IL