A government commission, consisting of Speer, Milch, Doenitz, and Fromm viewed launches of the competing missiles at Peenemuende. The V-1/Fi-103 was much cheaper than the V-2/A4, but it was slow and low - it operated at 160 m/s at an altitude of between 200 and 2000 m - and vulnerable to enemy flak batteries and interceptors. It provided the enemy with a forewarning of attack by its characteristic engine noise and the cut-off of that noise when it went into its terminal dive. It could only be launched from fixed concrete launch ramps, making the launchers vulnerable to enemy air attack. The V-2 was mobile, more accurate, could not be intercepted, and gave the enemy no warning of attack in its supersonic ballistic course to the target. In the end, the commission could find no overwhelming advantage to either of the very different weapons, and both were ordered into production. The positive advantages of each weapon outweighed the negatives. In the tests before the commission, the Fi-103 had bad luck, and achieved no successful shots for two of the A4. '2:0 for your team', Milch told Dornberger. Speer claimed he 'always supported' the A4 but Dornberger ruefully noted they had lost 18 months in delays, primarily due to Degenkolb's incompetence. Speer pressed Dornberger - if Degenkolb really can't make it happen, then just give me the word. He'll be dismissed. But Degenkolb was not dismissed - he had Saur's complete backing.

First launch attempt of MX-770 technology demonstrator. Seven rockets were built in total. There is very inconsistent information on the flight series. One source speaks of six launches, another of four, and a third of three. It seems that there were six launch attempts, three of which never made it very far off the pad, two made it some distance aloft, and only one was considered somewhat successful (reaching Mach 2.23 and an altitude of 18 km).

Arab-Syrian pilot cosmonaut 1985-1987. First Syrian to fly in space. Graduated from Military Pilot School, Aleppo, 1973. Colonel and pilot in the Syrian Air Force. Specialist in navigation. Returned to duty after his mission. 1 spaceflight, 8.0 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz TM-3 (1987).

The technological basis was the N-3 project, which covered various engine and propulsion approaches. In 1955 a unit was formed within Tikhonravov's section of OKB-1 to develop the first satellite; this included Feoktistov, Bazhinov, Maksimov, and Soldatora.

The Fifth Academy of the Ministry of National Defence is founded for development of ballistic missiles. Tsien is named its first Director on October 8. The Academy is established on the premises of an old hospital and two sanatoriums, with an initial staff of 100 high school graduates and 100 to 200 college graduates. Tsien teaches an 'Introduction to Rocket Technology' course while Zhuang Faggan from CalTech teaches aerodynamics.

American Bosch Arma Corporation's contract for an all-inertial guidance system was transferred from the Titan (XSM-68) development program to Atlas (XSM-65) that was to become operational sooner. The Bell Telephone Laboratories (BTL) radio-guidance system would be used on all Titan research and development missiles and for the first four Titan operational squadrons.

The group was selected toprovide payload specialists and physicians for Voskhod spaceflights.. Qualifications: Engineers, scientists, or physicians nominated by their parent organizations; under 40 years of age; under 170 cm tall; under 70 kg in weight.. In 1963 it was decided to fly the Voskhod multi-seat spacecraft. There followed a chaotic struggle between the commander of the Soviet cosmonaut team, Kamanin, and leaders of other military and civilian scientific and engineering organisations over who would fly on these missions. The training group for the first Voskhod 3-seat mission included:

ASPO requested the Apollo Program Director to revise the LEM control weight at translunar injection as follows:

• Ascent stage - 2,193kg (4,835lbs)
• Descent stage - 2,166kg (4,775lbs)
• Total LEM (fueled) - 14,515kg (32,000lbs)

Afanasyev, Kerimov, and Tyulin object to Kamanin's conclusion that problems exist with the automated landing system and that a manual backup is needed. They want to find fault only with the parachute. The findings of VVS LII, and TsAGI are discussed. Later Kamanin has an unpleasant conversation with Gagarin. He wants to remove control of the manned flight control centre away from the MOM. Kamanin believes this is contrary to the interests of the Ministry of Defence.

Thiokol Chemical Corporation's Wasatch Division test fired the ninth 156-inch diameter, solid-propellant motor in Space Systems Division's Large Solid Rocket Motor Program (Program 623A). Motor 156-9-T demonstrated a flexible seal thrust vector control system while generating more than one million pounds of thrust for one minute.

Apollo 10 splashed down in the Pacific at 12:52 p.m. EDT on May 26, 5.4 kilometers from the recovery ship. The crew was picked up and reached the recovery ship U.S.S. Princeton at 16:52 GMT. All primary mission objectives of evaluating performance and support and the detailed test objectives were achieved.

Apollo 10 splash down in the Pacific 690 kilometers from Samoa and only 6 kilometers from the prime recovery ship U.S.S. Princeton at 00:52 GMT. A helicopter picked the crew up and carried them to the ship within an hour. The flight proved the Apollo mission profile and hardware for all mission phases except the final descent to the lunar surface. The way was cleared for Apollo 11 to attempt the first landing on the moon.

Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 34.5 deg W in 1977-1983 over the Atlantic Ocean 21.5 deg W in 1983-1989 As of 28 August 2001 located at 153.30 deg E drifting at 2.976 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 121.69W drifting at 3.003W degrees per day.

X-ray experiments. Launch time 1518 UT. Launching agency ESA. EXOSAT is a space research satellite of the European Space Agency. The scientific objectives of the EXOSAT mission are to measure the position, structural features, spectral and temporal characteristics of cosmic X-ray sources in the energy range from less than 0.1 keV to greater than 50 keV.

Redocking of Kristall module from -Y axis to -X axis:

In the night from 26 to 27.05.95. Period: from 26.5 2309 UTC to 27.05.95 at 0040 UTC. (-X axis is forward port transition section, P.Kh.O.)

4th Spacewalk (EVA):

This EVA will take place on 28.05.95 from 2240-2310 UTC (in Moscow time already 29.05.1995). The cosmonauts will remain inside the vacuumed P.Kh.O. (transition section) for the replacement of the docking cone from the -X axis to the -Z axis. This for the temporary 'parking' of the Kristall.

Redocking of Kristall from the -X axis to the -Z axis on 29.05.1995 from 2200-2330 UTC (in Moscow time already 30.5). The forward docking port (-X axis) is then free for the reception of Spektr.

Docking of Spektr is planned for 1.06.1995 at abt 0038 UTC. Koppeling van de Spektr aan het Mir-station:

The 5th EVA will take place on 2.06.1995, again fully within the P.Kh.O. with a duration of abt. 40 mins. Beginning time thus far unknown. During this EVA the cosmonauts will replace the docking cone from the -Z axes to the -Y axes. This to make redocking from Spektr to that port possible.

Redocking of Spektr from the -X axes to the -Y axis will take place on 3.06.1995 (times thus far unknown).

When the Kristall will be redocked from the -Z axes to the -X axes is unknown thus far, but Kristall has to be positioned to that port for the docking of the Atlantis.

Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202

DLR-Tubsat carried on the experimental work of Tubsat-A and -B. The satellite measured 32x32x32 cm and had a mass of 44.8 kg. The dechnology demonstrator conducted earth observation with 6 m resolution and conducted attitude control experiments. It was still in operation as of 2003.

These days a huge amount of 'news' about Mir is reaching us. This news comes from different sources. Regretfully the enumerated facts are not always equal and even sometimes full of contradictions.

The transition of the Mir-exploitation from the Russian state to a commercial organisation meant to me that I had to change the way in which I used to publish information gathered by monitoring of radio communications. It would be incorrect to use that to put spokes in Mircorp's wheels.

Own 'observations' force me to take a lot of that what is published with a grain –and even sometimes 'ounces'- of salt. As an example can serve the information about the air leaks. The search for leaks and the air pressure checks still go on, but some days ago publications suggested that the station was fully airtight. On 25.05 the deputy Head of TsUP, V D Blagov, told the press that the certainty about this cannot be given earlier than next week when all airtight checks in the Kvant-module and the Base Block will be concluded. (Of all persons who give information about the state of the Mir-complex Blagov is the only one on which I rely for 100%.)

Another example of inconsistent publicity was the information that the crew would return to earth in the midst of June. So somehow the date 16.06 emerged. During a radio contact on 25.05 TsUP asked Zalyotin if the crew would have objections against the training for the return operations on 5.06. Zalyotin said that there were no objections, but that he would like to hear when the return was scheduled. TsUP uttered the possibility that this would be 16.06, but that this question was still under consideration. A spokesman at TsUP declared, also on 25.05, that there had not yet been a decision about the date of return and that a prolongation of the flight was still an option.

Stakhanovtsy: In the decade between 1930 and 1940 workers in the S.U. who managed to produce more than the plan demanded, got the title of honour 'Stakhanovets'. A tovarishch with that name was the first 'hero' in that respect. The present crew on board Mir is working so hard that it seems as if they try to achieve the title 'Stakhanovtsy'. The present dense radio traffic makes it clear that the crew is working extremely hard. Among the activities to prepare the complex for the oncoming autonomous flight they have to execute a lot of experiments, but they also continue repairs and the replacement of equipment and parts , like filters, ventilators, cables, pumps, valves, etc. A lot of time has to be invested in those activities and often the time-tables and schedules (the so-called cyclograms) cannot be used. Not all repairs are feasible.

The most attention has to be given to the life-support systems. The air pressure checks go on and with the instrument Bar the cosmonauts use temperature and humidity sensors to detect tiny air streams in the Module Kvant and the Base Block. After the EVA on 12.05 the airlock of Module-D (the ShSO.) got extra checks. With Bar they searched near the portholes and an air valve, the KSD. The crew has also worked on the pipes for the heating system KOB. Using the Germatizator glue and tape (possibly metallic) they sealed off leaks and cracks in those pipes.

On 20.5.2000 during the pass in orbit 81479, 1243-1247UTC, Zalyotin reported that the air-pressure was 664 MM Mercury and also that they just had burnt 3 cartridges. (These are lithium perchloride cartridges to produce extra oxygen. Possibly the Elektrons are not fully utilized due to the failure of the crucial solar battery on Kvant-1).

Experiments: The crew spoke about the experiments Optovert, Linza, Pelena, Prochnostj, Indikator and the medical ones in the MK-series, and they carried out experiments in the greenhouse Svet or Orangery. On 24, 25 and 26.05 the crew transmitted TV-images or video-films to TsUP. To adjust or aim the cameras, among which the LIV, Zalyotin had to go into the Module-Kristall. Files containing results of experiments are transmitted to earth via the telemetry system with the modem or interface BITS.

Communications: These are very intensive, especially because of the fact that all passes now take place within the normal working hours. Due to the limited communications infrastructure the Russians have to use every available communications window (Oberpfaffenhofn, White Sands, Dryden and Wallops do not play a role during this expedition). It is quite normal that I daily produce 4 or 5 pages A-4 with written translations of radio communications.

And last but not least: Information of TsUP on 26.05.2000 at 0900UTC. Provisional date of return of Zalyotin and Kaleri with the Soyuz-TM30 on 9.06.2000 with alternative: 14.06.2000. But I beg you all: don't blame me if this will not come true.

Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.

Complex Orbital Magneto-Plasma Autonomous Small Satellite. Earthquake research satellite for the Moscow-based IZMIRAN science institute. The satellite carried detectors for electrons, UHF/VHF waves, UV emission and radiation, a radio frequency analyser for electric field waves, and a Mayak ionospheric beacon. Reports indicated that the satellite did not respond to ground commands and that its mission was abandoned.