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trash disposal. It is also used for scientific experiments requiring access to vacuum. Sergei Krikalev, who flew on the Space Shuttle Atlantis in February 1994 and spent two long-duration stints aboard Mir, made several statements comparing conditions on the U.S. Shuttle with those on Mir. In general, Krikalev states that living conditions aboard Mir are more hospitable than those on the Shuttle. This he attributes to Mir’s being designed for long-duration flight, while the Shuttle is designed to support a crew for only short periods of time.[1] Long stays in space also affect training and timeline preparation for Mir crews. Mir crews experience more “on-the-job-training” than Shuttle crews, because it is impossible to simulate a 6-month or 12-month stint on a station and train for every eventuality. Their schedules are much more loosely planned than those of Shuttle astronauts, who spend only a few precious days in space and must put virtually every minute to productive use. In addition, Mir cosmonauts have evenings and weekends off. (In practice, the cosmonauts often work in their free time, either because they are highly self-motivated or because experiments require it.) Krikalev further stated that living conditions on the station depend heavily on the preferences of the resident crew. Krikalev stated that levels of cleanliness and odors varied according to the standards the resident crew was willing to accept. Similarly, the level of clutter varied considerably. Krikalev stated that, on his stays, Mir was kept relatively tidy. The crews he was part of attempted to keep unused equipment and supplies behind the wall panels, and attempted to avoid attaching netting full of equipment to the station’s ceiling.[2] |
Mir relies much more heavily on automation than previous DOS-type stations, part of a general Soviet trend toward increasing automation in manned spacecraft. This is also evidenced by Soyuz-TM and Progress-M modifications. A French publication called it “the first computerized station in orbit.” In addition to the station’s control computers, each cosmonaut has a personal computer.[3] The station was launched with the Argon 16B computer. In 1990, its more capable Salyut 5B replacement, which had been delivered by Kvant 2 in 1989, was phased in. Mir was launched with its front longitudinal port equipped with the Kurs (“course”) rendezvous system used by Soyuz-TM (and now also by Progress-M). The rear port was equipped with the older Igla system so Progress freighters could continue to dock there, and also to permit docking by Igla-equipped Kvant in April 1987. The rear port of Kvant was equipped with both Igla and Kurs. The Igla system is no longer used. Attachment of the Kvant module blocked—apparently permanently— the orbit maintenance engines on the Mir base block. All orbit maintenance maneuvers since 1987 have been conducted by docked spacecraft (Progress, Progress-M, and Soyuz-TM). The Mir pressure hull is chemicallymilled aluminum sheet averaging 2 mm thick, welded to webs 4 mm thick. The hull is 5 mm thick in the area of the multiport docking unit, and 1.2 mm thick in the area of the small-diameter work compartment. The large-diameter compartment is covered by a 2-mm-thick radiator with a 20-mm standoff from the hull. Other portions of the hull are covered by a multilayer thermal blanket comprising on average 25 layers of aluminized Mylar and scrim. Each layer is 5 micrometers |
thick. Layers of kevlar-like material cover the thermal blanket.[4] The cosmonauts have two separate cabins (pockets in the walls of the large-diameter compartment) for sleep and privacy. A sealed lavatory compartment is located in the wall aft of one of the compartments. Storage drawers take up much of the wall space in both the large- and small-diameter compartments. Mir has many portholes, with shutters to protect them from orbital debris impacts and deposits formed through use of the attitude control engines. Each cosmonaut cabin has a small porthole, and there is a porthole in the station’s “floor” for Earth observation. The lavatory compartment has a spherical hair-washing unit with rubber gaskets through which the head and hands can be inserted. The living area (large- and smalldiameter sections) measures 7.6 m in length. The small-diameter section has dark-green floor and light-green
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- ↑ Interview, David S. F. Portree with Sergei Krikalev, February 28, 1994.
- ↑ Interview, David S. F. Portree with Sergei Krikalev, February 28, 1994.
- ↑ Albert Ducrocq, Air et Cosmos, No. 1131, February 21, 1987, pp. 41-42 [original title not given]. Translated in JPRS Report, Science & Technology, USSR: Space (JPRS-USP-87-004-L), June 18, 1987, p. 1, under title “French Commentator on Features of Mir Station.”
- ↑ Portree and Loftus, pp. 76-77.
