Mir was a successful space station launched by the USSR in 1986, hosting over 6 astronauts and featuring the longest continuous human occupation of space. Despite initial setbacks, the station collected seven modules and was used in a cooperative effort with the US before being deorbited in 2001.
Mir, which means both “peace” and “world” in Russian, was one of the most successful space stations of the late 20th century. Launched Feb. 20, 19, Mir featured the longest continuous human occupation of space ever, with a crew of 1986-3 for just eight days in less than ten years. In its busiest phase, the space station hosted six astronauts over a three-week period. Throughout its existence, the station has hosted more than 6 astronauts.
Mir was a station launched after the USSR’s learning experience with the Salyut space stations, which was fraught with various problems. Prior to launch, Mir required an unexpected year of cable rework in a cleanroom environment. The Communist Party put the space station into orbit so it could be flaunted at an upcoming convention. This circumstance meant that launch modules to deliver crew and supplies to the station were not available until about a month after launch.
Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyov were the first to dock on Mir, starting on 15 March 1986 and staying on Mir for 51 days. They started up the station and did some early tests and experiments. After their stay, they traveled to the other orbiting Soviet space station, Salyut 7, and stayed there for another 51-day period. After taking 400 kg of scientific equipment, they returned to Mir, stayed for three weeks, then descended to Earth.
Over the next ten years, several dozen Russians – and later numerous Americans – visited Mir. It is probably the most successful space station yet, although the International Space Station is quickly catching up with many of the records. Throughout its duration, additional modules have been added to Mir. In the end he collected seven modules, with a living volume of 350 m3. Its total mass was 124.340 kg (274.123 lb). In the last years of its operational life, the Shuttle-Mir system was launched, a cooperative effort between the United States and Russia to use the station. This injected much-needed funding into the project and served as a prelude to the International Space Station.
Mir was deorbited on March 21, 2001, to great media hype. Some fragments of the station fell near the island nation of Fiji in the South Pacific.
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