Got up at 7 and started the new autonomous astro-orientation modes. Now the ground gives us only the astrophysical source numbers, and we take their coordinates from the catalog and enter them into the machine. Before starting maneuvers toward a source, we need to understand the station’s spatial position, using stars as our guides.

Here’s how it’s done. First we put the station in stabilization mode so it’s motionless relative to the stars, using gyroscopes or discrete angular rate sensors. Then, in any porthole, having entered its number into the machine, I identify a pair of stars and by turning the sight sequentially center each one. At those moments I press a button, making a readout for the machine about the sight’s position in its gimbal. The machine then computes angles between the sight axis and station axes. After entering the stars’ catalog coordinates, and since Delta constantly calculates orbital parameters, the machine can determine the station’s spatial orientation. From there it’s simple: we enter the target coordinates, specify the instrument number, and issue the execute command. Delta determines which axes to rotate, by what angle, at what rate. Everything worked well, with some minor Delta deviations that we resolved.

During the day, my colleague Seva came on comm and said they received the photographic materials returned with the second visiting expedition — so now they have 70% of excellent material for geography from space.

I felt stomach spasms. Started exercise on the treadmill — don’t want to run, don’t want to sweat, but you have to force yourself. Everything up here saps your willpower, and you must fight it. But after exercise comes relief of the soul and relaxation of the body. Now I’m reading tomorrow’s radiogram — it’s our day off, but they’ve scheduled a “Korund” experiment. I categorically refused. I said: “It’s time we rest on our days off and do exercise; experiments on those days we’ll do only by choice.” They agreed.