Silence Still On Space Mission

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32119, 15 October 1969, Page 1

Silence Still On Space Mission

(N.Z.P.A,-Reuter— Copyright! MOSCOW, October 14. The Soviet Union’s seven cosmonauts in space were reported to be feeling fine when they awakened today to begin what might be toe crucial day of their group flight in three spacecraft orbiting the earth.

As the Soviet press and radio continued their silence on the purpose of the mission, unofficial report* persisted that toe cosmonaut* would soon take a major step toward toe construction of the world’s first long-term orbiting space station. Radio Moscow announced briefly early this morning that ail seven cosmonauts had finished breakfast and were busy “implementing the plan of toe day.” The announcer added: “They are all feeling fine, and the flight continue* successfully.” At that time (5.30 p.m. New Zealand time), Soyuz 6 had completed 45 orbits of the earth, Soyuz 7 and made 29 and Soyuz 8, 13. Most scientific observers agree that toe mission of toe seven men, who, a writer in the Government newspaper, “Izvestia,” said last night, had “the October revolution throbbing in their veins,” is to build an orbiting platform. But how the operation will be carried out is a complete mystery. Soyuz 6 has no docking apparatus, and Dr Alexei Yeliseyev, the scientist flight-engineer aboard Soyuz 8, told television viewers yesterday that there was no need to move from one ship, to another on this mission.' One suggestion is that Soyuz 7 and Soyuz 8 might link in what by now has become an almost routine docking movement, and Soyuz 6 might moor itself to the coupled craft by means of a long flexible steel tube.

One of the officiallystated aims of the Soyuz 6 crew is to do some experimental automatic welding of metals in conditions of deep vacuum and weightlessness. But it has still not been disclosed how this will be done.