[FPSPACE] Buran.Ru news - Polyus vs Mir-2

[M.Wade@iaea.org]

This seems not to just be propaganda but to confirm that the Polyus module
was the intended core of the Mir-2 station. Therefore it would seem that it
was planned that the KB Salyut rather than the RKK Energia design was the
planned basis for Mir-2 (or perhaps some combination of the two, like the
RKK Battlestar station shown with both Almaz, FGB, and
Buran-fuselage-derived modules).

Ed Grondine already hinted at this possibility in an article on my site a
couple of years ago. This photo seems to confirm it. Therefore the loss of
Polyus may have had much larger meaning than was thought (eg it halted a
Mir-2 assembly sequence in its tracks). It seems a possibility that the real
Mir-2 was going to be a military station, with the Polyus (equipped with an
FGB tug) launched first, followed by the DOS 8  serial number 128 (finally
launched as the ISS service module). 

This is the same sequence as used for the ISS (except the FGB was launched
standalone rather than as part of a larger module. Therefore there is a real
possbility that some plans, hardware, and expertise from a military Mir-2
were used on the ISS.

Applicable drawings and article on my site are at:

http://www.friends-partners.org/~mwade/craft/miralyut.htm

http://www.friends-partners.org/~mwade/craft/mir2.htm


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Mark Wade