MIR 14 years and I live

2000/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronautika

Next 20 February will be 14 years since the launch of the MIR space station. More than by the investigations carried out in recent years, the MIR has referred to the endless list of technical problems that occurred, and due to the serious economic crisis that Russia suffers, it was decided to bring and destroy the station to Earth. However, for more than one occasion rumors have been heard about the intention to extend the life of the MIR, and rumors of a month ago have become reality.

The director of the Russian Space Agency said that next March 31 two astronauts will be sent to a long stay at the MIR and the station will remain in place until August. The money needed for the project has been provided by the US telecommunications company Golden Apple, which has as its final objective the commercial exploitation of the MIR. The MIR has remained longer than anyone had imagined in space, as it has long passed its official expiration date in 1991.

For years the MIR station has been the Russian pride, symbol of the ability of the former Soviet Union in space research.