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From: ROD%SU-AI@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Cosmonauts returning
Message-ID: <13800@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 19-Nov-83 04:07:00 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.13800
Posted: Sat Nov 19 04:07:00 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 22-Nov-83 00:09:23 EST
Lines: 18

From:  Rod Brooks <ROD@SU-AI>

    MOSCOW (AP) - The official Soviet news agency Tass says two
cosmonauts aboard the orbiting Salyut 7 space station for nearly five
months will return to Earth in a few days.
    ''The cosmonauts will start preparations in the coming days for
their return,'' Tass said Friday. ''They are to mothball the Salyut 7
station, (and) carry into and stack in the transport ship Soyuz T-9
materials on research conducted in orbit.''
    U.S. intelligence sources have said the Soyuz T-9 has weak batteries
and its fuel is nearly evaporated, making the the cosmonauts' return
possibly risky. The Soviets have denied there have been any problems.
    Cosmonauts Alexander Alexandrov and Vladimir Lyakhov began their
mission June 27 aboard the Soyuz T-9, which docked the next day with
the space station.
    
ap-ny-11-19 0347EST
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