Manipulator system for module re docking on the Mir Orbital Complex

There are five docking ports on the transfer adapter of the Mir Orbital Station core: one axial port and four side ones. Initial docking is always accomplished with the axial port. To get to the side ports, the spacecraft or modules have to be undocked, reconfigured, and docked again to a side docking unit. To accomplish this operation a special manipulator system was conceived and designed. The system was developed, tested, and successfully used in space twice. Many specific problems were encountered during this work. The author describes the system, its design, operations and interfaces, as well as ground simulation and testing. The original ground test facility is also presented