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MIR Reported to be Crashing Back to Earth in Early 2001

By Marc Boucher
October 3, 2000
Filed under

MIR
The Russian Interfax news agency is reporting that the
council of top rocket and space engineers has told
the Russian government that “Mir has to be allowed
to return to Earth next February.”


Reuters is reporting that Deputy Prime Minister
Ilya Klebanov said “This decision was taken by
chief designers several days ago.” Klebanov is
accompanying President Vladimir Putin on a visit
to India.

Spaceflight Now is also reporting that a representative of
the Russian space industry (who did not wish to be
identified) said “Unless RKK Energia has 7-10 million
dollars in its bank account by Tuesday, it has no choice
but to go ahead with de-orbiting of Mir.”


AP is also reporting that the same council of engineers
has given Mir the green light for continued operation once
it is boosted up into a higher orbit.


While conflicting stories seem to be proliferating today
on Mir’s future, what is clear is that Mir needs an
infusion of cash to stay in orbit. While MirCorp recently
annnounced that NBC would use Mir for a reality based
show dubbed “Destination Mir” no money has been paid to
MirCorp yet.

MirCorp issued a press release on Tuesday evening whereinthey reiterated their confidence in their plans to use Mir while expressing concern about the confusion that seems to be swirling about Mir and its future.

According to the stories that say that Mir is going to be brought down, the space station would be crashed into the Pacific Ocean.

Stay tuned for further developments on this story.

Press Releases

  • 3 October 2000: MirCorp Statement on the Mir Space Station’s Future

    News Stories

  • 3 October 2000: The era of Russia’s space station Mir coming to an end (Spaceflight Now)
  • 3 October 2000: Mir facing crunch time in Russia (MSNBC)
  • 3 October 2000: Russian Minister: Mir Space Station May Be Downed (Yahoo News, Reuters)
  • 3 October 2000: Mir Space Station Fit for Orbit (Yahoo News, AP)
  • 3 October 2000: Mir space station may be sunk in Pacific Ocean – deputy PM (InterFax)
  • 3 October 2000: Chief constructors’ council decides to sink Mir – Source (InterFax)

    Companies

  • MirCorp
  • Energiya, Ltd (USA)
  • Energiya, Ltd (Russia)


    Background Information

  • 22 September 2000: MirCorp Funds Launch of Third Progress Cargo Spaceship to Mir (MirCorp)
  • 28 September 2000: Sending “Average” People into Space is Suddenly VERY Popular (SpaceRef)
  • Going Public 2000: “Moving Toward The Development Of A Large Space Travel and Tourism Business, The Space Transportation Association
  • 27 September 2000: The Challenge of Outer Space Tourism: European space company Astrium investigates technical feasibility, Astrium
  • 12 September 2000: NBC Launches Space Odyssey in 2001 With New Reality Drama That Will Select One American to Travel to Mir Space Station, MirCorp
  • 27 September 2000: Dreamtime Delivers Cutting Edge TV Technology, NASA PAO
  • 27 July 2000: Boeing, Khrunichev Propose Commercial Space Module, press release
  • 8 August 2000: RSC Energia and SPACEHAB Announce Agreement with The Russian Aviation and Space Agency for Enterprise Deployment, press release
  • 3 August 2000: Space Media Inc. and RSC Energia Join Forces Forming New Multimedia Partnership, press release
  • 10 July 2000: Kodak To ‘Take Pictures, Further’ Via International Space Station; Watch the Creation of a New “Star”
  • 2 June 2000: NASA Dreamtime Partnership Propels Space Information Age to New Heights
  • 10 December 1999: Spacehab and Energiya Announce Commercial Module for ISS, SpaceRef
  • 10 December 1999: Enterprise Module and Space Station Internet Media Company Will Take Space Commerce to New Heights, SpaceHab

  • SpaceRef co-founder, entrepreneur, writer, podcaster, nature lover and deep thinker.