ROD%SU-AI@sri-unix.UUCP (11/02/83)
From: Rod Brooks <ROD@SU-AI>
a205 1043 01 Nov 83
BC-Soviet-Space,140
Soviet Cosmonauts Work In Space
MOSCOW (AP) - Cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakhov and Alexander Alexandrov
left their orbiting Salyut 7 station on Tuesday and attached a
solar-powered battery to the outside in a ''landmark'' maneuver in
Soviet space exploration, Tass said.
The official news agency said the two men worked two hours and 50
minutes in widely varying temperatures to assemble, weld and attach an
extra solar-powered battery to the outside of the Salyut.
''Nonetheless, the cosmonauts are feeling fine,'' it said, adding
that for the first time it had conducted a radio interview with the
two men in space, but giving few details of what was said.
Tass, apparently seeking to squelch Western reports of hitches in
the operation of the Salyut 7, stressed that today's maneuver was
planned and practiced in advance before the two cosmonauts went into
space June 27.
ap-ny-11-01 1340EST
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