Something strange is going on with us. We walk around, stay silent, get offended at each other. We need to find ways to keep living. Yesterday I spent all day struggling with “Oasis.” Tolya says: “Why do you put up with it and not tell them off for doing it badly?” I say: there’s no point now in ruining people’s nerves and proving what they can no longer fix; it’s easier to do it ourselves. And I did.

Today I questioned my own ability to complete the long-duration flight. They say that to doubt is the beginning of failure. Maybe, but that’s one path. For me, to doubt is to search for ways to reach the goal. Savchenko came on comm and said all the “Piramig” films are good; they’ve already compiled a catalog of images, including geophysics. On the horizon shots they’ve found some strange clouds at high altitude and asked us to observe them. He says we achieved manual orientation accuracy of 2-5 arc minutes during the astrophysical experiments, with angular rate stabilization down to 5-10 thousandths of a degree per second. These results were achieved by using the sextant S-2 for refinement and holding orientation in the minimum-impulse mode, which allowed us to regulate engine firing times down to the minimum. This made it possible to photograph without correcting stabilization — that is, without firing engines to counter drift, whose flashes cause heavy fogging.

Savchenko proposed that I write an article about this work here on board. I agreed.

During the day there was a family meeting. Talked with Lyusya, Mama. Zhenya for some reason spoke to us in an official tone this time.

I told him: don’t forget that your main job as crew physician is our morale. Today is Fisherman’s Day; we received a radiogram: “On behalf of the sailors of the Northern, Southern, and Far Eastern basins, we send our very best wishes to Anatoly Berezovoy and Valentin Lebedev for the tasks outlined in the World Ocean research program. We express special gratitude for the constant help provided to our fleet. Deputy Minister Bystrov.”

At the end of the day, at 10 PM, they showed us the World Cup final — Italy versus West Germany, 3:2. An interesting feature of sleeping on board: you can sleep however you want — standing, upside down, on the ceiling — and even sleep all night on one side without getting sore. You don’t feel the weight, so you hardly toss at all.