The MIR Space Station

When we think about space stations we tend to think of the International Space Station and its recent achievements.

It is easy to forget that the soviet union had a continually habited space station Called MIR.

The name means literally world peace.

Construction began in 1986 when the first module was sent into orbit. The first crew of Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyov entered the space station on March 15th 1986 for a stay of 51 days.

over the next 10 years until 1996 the station was gradually added to one module at a time.

The Space Shuttles made over 10 visits to MIR ferrying crew and equipment back and forth. But it was mainly the unmanned progress vehicles and Soyuz vehicles that were responsible for its construction.

Britain's first astronaut Helen Sharman spent her time in space on board MIR launched in a Russian Soyuz space craft.

Astronauts from many different nations have spent time on MIR.

In March 1995 seven US astronauts began a stay of over 28 months on board MIR during which time there was a fire on board and also a collision with an unmanned progress supply vessel.

Both times evacuation of the space station was narrowly avoided.

In June 1998 American astronaut Andy Thomas left MIR on board the space shuttle discovery.

The station remained in orbit for the next few years but hopes of reviving it faded and it was decided to bring it back to Earth in a blaze of glory.

On March 21st 2001 the 15 year old space station was sent into a low earth orbit were it began to break up in the Earth's atmosphere.

It broke up and fell harmlessly into the South Pacific ocean