Peace Came to Earth

Author: Linda DeLaine
Website: RL Online
Department:
Page: 1   ( 3) pages

Summary: This technological wonder outlived its original expectations by over 10 years and saw both near disasters and unbelievable achievements. Mir was the crown jewel of Soviet and Russian ingenuity; a bright shining star, both in the night sky and the collective pride of the Russian people. Mir's end came on March 23, 2001.

If the Space Station Mir were still in orbit, it would celebrate its 16th birthday on February 20 (2002). This technological wonder outlived its original expectations by over 10 years and saw both near disasters and unbelievable achievements. Mir was the crown jewel of Soviet and Russian ingenuity; a bright shining star, both in the night sky and the collective pride of the Russian people.

Why did Mir have to be destroyed? Many asked this almost hopeless question and even protested in Moscow against the government's ultimate order to bring Mir out of orbit, blazing through Earth's atmosphere and crashing into the Pacific Ocean. The primary reason was familiar; money. Mir, having served much longer than anticipated, was in serious need for major repairs, upgrades, etc. Russia's economic woes of the 1990s and commitment to the pricey ISS had left little if any viable funds to maintain Mir. The space station received a brief respite in the form of Mir Corp, but, this venture failed.

Why couldn't Mir have been taken apart and brought back to Earth, reassembled and placed in a museum? In theory, Mir could have been dismantled in space. However, each component would have required its own de-orbit, rocket and controls. The Space Shuttle may have been an option - bringing each module back in the Shuttle cargo bay. Aside from the prohibitive cost; a separate trip for each module; most of Mir's components were too big, either in dimension and/or weight; to be accommodated by the US Shuttles. Saving just the core module proved to be cost prohibitive.

How was Mir forced down? On January 27, 2001, a fuelled and unmanned Progress (M1-5) craft docked with Mir. Progress fired its engines several times, forcing Mir down and into Earth's atmosphere. From there, Mir descended and much of it burned up in the atmosphere. Several pieces splashed down in the ocean at an impact similar to the crash landing of an airplane.

The Russian government tasked the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, Rosaviakosmos, with Mir's re-entry mission. RSC Energia, Mir's operator, along with Rosaviokosmos, was responsible for the space station's de-orbit. Mission control was at Korolev, outside of Moscow. The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA monitored Mir's demise.

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