Cargo Ship Docked at International Space Station

DATE= November 18, 2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-269404

TITLE= Space Station (S) Only

BYLINE= Larry James

DATELINE= Moscow

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A Russian cosmonaut aboard the International Space Station has had to manually dock a cargo ship early Saturday (6:41 a.m. Moscow time) after the automatic docking system failed. Larry James reports from Moscow that the unexpected procedure was necessary to make a safe linkup with the space station.

TEXT: Everything was going according to plan as the Progress cargo ship was maneuvering to dock with the International Space Station. But when the ship was 90 meters away, the automatic system failed. At that point Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko took control and used a joystick (manual control device) to successfully dock the two space craft. Even that attempt had some problems caused by bright sunlight and a fogged camera lens, making it hard for the cosmonaut to see. Forty minutes later, however, the maneuver was completed.

It was the first docking of the Progress cargo ship during this mission. The crew of two Russians and one American have two weeks to unload the Progress of its cargo of food and equipment. The Space shuttle Endeavor is to launch on November 30th to bring solar panels to the space station and the cargo craft must be gone by then to make room. (Signed)

NEB/LDJ/PFH