[FPSPACE] Mir's end in sight?

[Jeff Foust]

This is getting confusing...

> Spaceflight Now, in an article written by fpspace member Anatoly Zak, is
> reporting that RKK Energia has decided to deorbit Mir shortly after its 15th
> anniversary (which will occur on 20 February 2001).  The reason given is
> MirCorp's failure to deliver additional funds.  The full story can be read at
> http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0010/03mir/


Interfax is reporting something similar:

DELHI.  Oct 3 (Interfax) - Chief designers a few days ago decided
that  Mir  space station must end its operation, Russian  Deputy  Prime
Minister Ilya Klebanov told the press in Delhi on Tuesday.

http://www.interfax.ru/freshnews/enews2240.htm

MOSCOW.  Oct 3 (Interfax) - The council of top rocket  and  space
technology builders decided at its Tuesday meeting that Russia's  space
station 'Mir' has to be allowed to return to Earth next February.

http://www.interfax.ru/freshnews/wbue1545.htm



However, the Associated Press is reporting something quite different:

MOSCOW (AP) - Russian space experts ruled Tuesday that the 14-year-old Mir space
station was fit to continue orbiting the Earth, if funding for the mission does
not dry up.

The Russian government, which had planned to abandon the Mir last spring,
extended the orbiter's life indefinitely after the Netherlands-based MirCorp
provided money for a new mission.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20001003/sc/russia_mir_1.html


Reuters, meanwhile, is hedging its bets:

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A top Russian minister said on Tuesday that a council of
designers had recommended downing the aging Mir space station in the Pacific
Ocean, but the national space authority still had to make a final decision.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001003/ts/space_mir_dc_1.html



Jeff Foust
jeff@spaceviews.com