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Mir Detailed labeled diagram of the completed Mir space station as of 1996, showing its modular structure with labeled components including Kvant 1, Kvant 2, Kristall, Spektr, Priroda, the Mir base block, shuttle docking module, and multiple solar panels. A Soyuz TM crew spacecraft and an unmanned Progress cargo ferry are shown docked to the station. Key features such as attitude-control thrusters, airlock hatch, communication antennas, and docking ports are also identified. Anatoly Yakovlevich Solovyov. Sergey Konstantinovich Krikalyov. Valery Polyakov Soyuz TM-19 Soyuz TM-20 STS-63; Harris, Bernard A., Jr. Gennady Mikhailovich Strekalov playing guitar and singing with (from left to right) astronauts Charlie Precourt, Bonnie Dunbar, and Greg Harbaugh in June 1995 during the space shuttle's first visit to the Russian space station Mir. Robert Gibson and Vladimir Dezhurov
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Mir
Mir Russian space station Mir—in the background is Cook Strait near New Zealand's South Island—as photographed March 23, 1996, from the space shuttle orbiter Atlantis prior to docking of the two spacecraft.

Mir

Soviet-Russian space station
Written by
David M. Harland
Space historian and freelance writer, Glasgow, Scotland. Author of Exploring the Moon: The Apollo Expeditions; Jupiter Odyssey: The Story of NASA's Galileo Mission; and others.
David M. Harland
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Mir, Soviet/Russian modular space station, the core module (base block) of which was launched into Earth orbit by the U.S.S.R. in 1986. Over the next decade additional modules were sent aloft on separate launch vehicles and attached to the core unit, creating a large habitat that served as a versatile space laboratory for more than 14 years.

Mir (Russian: “Peace” or “World”) was the third generation of space stations developed by the Soviet Union. Its core module resembled its simpler predecessors in the Salyut series but had additional docking ports (a total of six) that accommodated not only a succession of crewed spacecraft and cargo ferries but also permanently attached expansion modules equipped for scientific research.

Detailed labeled diagram of the completed Mir space station as of 1996, showing its modular structure with labeled components including Kvant 1, Kvant 2, Kristall, Spektr, Priroda, the Mir base block, shuttle docking module, and multiple solar panels. A Soyuz TM crew spacecraft and an unmanned Progress cargo ferry are shown docked to the station. Key features such as attitude-control thrusters, airlock hatch, communication antennas, and docking ports are also identified.
MirSoviet/Russian space station Mir after completion in 1996. The date shown for each module is its year of launch. Docked to the station are a Soyuz TM crewed spacecraft and an uncrewed Progress resupply ferry.

Mir’s core module was launched on February 20, 1986. It had the form of a stepped cylinder about 13 metres (43 feet) long and 4.2 metres (13.8 feet) in diameter at its widest point. The module had a docking port at each end and four ports sited radially at its forward end. On March 13, 1986, cosmonauts Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyov were sent aloft aboard a Soyuz T spacecraft to rendezvous with Mir and become its first occupants. Between March 1987 and April 1996, five expansion modules were added to the core unit—Kvant 1 (1987), an astrophysics observatory; Kvant 2 (1989), containing supplementary life-support equipment and a large airlock; Kristall (1990), a materials-sciences laboratory; and Spektr (1995) and Priroda (1996), two science modules containing remote-sensing instruments for ecological and environmental studies of Earth. With the exception of its first occupants, Mir’s cosmonaut crews traveled between the station and Earth in upgraded Soyuz TM spacecraft, and supplies were transported by robotic Progress cargo ferries.

Edwin E. Aldrin (Buzz Aldrin) stands on the moon, Apollo 11
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Mir supported human habitation from March 14, 1986, to June 15, 2000, which included an uninterrupted stretch of occupancy of almost 10 years. It hosted more than 100 people from 12 countries, including a series of U.S. astronauts in 1995–98 as part of a Mir–space shuttle cooperative endeavour. Between January 1994 and March 1995, Mir cosmonaut-physician Valery Polyakov set an endurance record of 438 continuous days in space, longer than the approximately nine months estimated for a crewed voyage to the planet Mars.

Designed for only a five-year life, the aging Mir suffered a series of equipment failures and accidents in 1996–97 but remained in service. On March 23, 2001, the abandoned Mir made a controlled reentry, with the surviving pieces falling into the Pacific Ocean. (See also Energia.)

A chronology of missions to Mir is shown in the table.

Chronology of manned missions to Mir space station
mission country crew dates notes
Soyuz T-15/Mir/Salyut 7 U.S.S.R. Leonid Kizim; Vladimir Solovyov March 13–July 16, 1986 first spaceflight between two space stations
Soyuz TM-2/Mir U.S.S.R. Aleksandr Laveykin; Yury Romanenko Feb. 5–July 30, 1987 (Dec. 29 [Romanenko]) new space endurance record (Romanenko; 326 days 12 hours); addition of Kvant 1 module to Mir
Soyuz TM-3/Mir U.S.S.R. Aleksandr Viktorenko; Aleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrov; Muhammed Faris July 22–30, 1987 (Dec. 29 [Aleksandrov]) first Syrian astronaut (Faris)
Soyuz TM-4/Mir U.S.S.R. Vladimir Titov; Musa Manarov; Anatoly Levchenko Dec. 21, 1987–Dec. 21, 1988 (Dec. 29, 1987 [Levchenko]) new space endurance record (Titov and Manarov; 365 days 23 hours)
Anatoly Yakovlevich Solovyov.
Soyuz TM-5/Mir U.S.S.R. Anatoly Solovyov; Viktor Savinkyh; Aleksandr Panayatov Aleksandrov June 7–17, 1988 second Bulgarian astronaut (Aleksandrov)
Soyuz TM-6/Mir U.S.S.R. Vladimir Lyakhov; Valery Polyakov; Abdul Ahad Mohmand Aug. 29–Sept. 7, 1988 (April 4, 1989 [Polyakov]) first Afghan astronaut (Mohmand)
Sergey Konstantinovich Krikalyov.
Soyuz TM-7/Mir U.S.S.R. Aleksandr Volkov; Sergey Krikalyov; Jean-Loup ChrĂ©tien Nov. 26, 1988–April 27, 1989 (Dec. 21, 1988 [ChrĂ©tien]) Mir was left unoccupied after crew returned to Earth
Soyuz TM-8/Mir U.S.S.R. Aleksandr Viktorenko; Aleksandr Serebrov Sept. 5, 1989–Feb. 19, 1990 addition of Kvant 2 module to Mir
Soyuz TM-9/Mir U.S.S.R. Anatoly Solovyov; Aleksandr Balandin Feb. 11–Aug. 9, 1990 addition of Kristall module to Mir
Soyuz TM-10/Mir U.S.S.R. Gennady Manakov; Gennady Strekalov Aug. 1–Dec. 10, 1990 crew performed spacewalk to fix damaged hatch on Kvant 2
Soyuz TM-11/Mir U.S.S.R. Viktor Afanasiyev; Musa Manarov; Akiyama Toyohiro Dec. 2, 1990–May 26, 1991 (Dec. 10, 1990 [Akiyama]) first Japanese citizen in space (Akiyama)
Soyuz TM-12/Mir U.S.S.R. Anatoly Artsebarsky; Sergey Krikalyov; Helen Sharman May 18, 1991–Oct. 10, 1991 (March 25, 1992 [Krikalyov]; May 26, 1991 [Sharman]) first British astronaut (Sharman)
Soyuz TM-13/Mir U.S.S.R. Aleksandr Volkov; Toktar Aubakirov; Franz Viehböck Oct. 2, 1991–March 25, 1992 (Oct. 10, 1991 [Aubakirov; Viehböck] first Austrian astronaut (Viehböck)
Soyuz TM-14/Mir Russia Aleksandr Viktorenko; Aleksandr Kalery; Klaus-Dietrich Flade March 17–Aug. 10, 1992 (March 25 [Flade]) first Russian spaceflight after breakup of the U.S.S.R.
Soyuz TM-15/Mir Russia Anatoly Solovyov; Sergey Avdeyev; Michel Tognini July 27, 1992–Feb. 1, 1993 (Aug. 10, 1992 [Tognini]) crew performed spacewalks to extend lifetime of Mir
Soyuz TM-16/Mir Russia Gennady Manakov; Aleksandr Poleshchuk Jan. 24–July 22, 1993 placed docking target on Mir for use by space shuttle Atlantis
Soyuz TM-17/Mir Russia Vasily Tsibliyev; Aleksandr Serebrov; Jean-Pierre HaignerĂ© July 1, 1993–Jan. 14, 1994 (July 22, 1993 [HaignerĂ©]) slight collision with Mir
Valery Polyakov
Soyuz TM-18/Mir Russia Viktor Afanasiyev; Yury Usachyov; Valery Polyakov Jan. 8–July 9, 1994 (March 22, 1995 [Polyakov]) new space endurance record (Polyakov; 437 days 18 hours)
Soyuz TM-19
Soyuz TM-19/Mir Russia Yury Malenchenko; Talgat Musabayev July 1–Nov. 4, 1994 Malenchenko performed first manual docking of Progress resupply ship
Soyuz TM-20
Soyuz TM-20/Mir Russia Aleksandr Viktorenko; Elena Kondakova; Ulf Merbold Oct. 4, 1994–March 22, 1995 (Nov. 4, 1994 [Merbold]) first woman to make a long-duration spaceflight (Kondakova)
STS-63; Harris, Bernard A., Jr.
STS-63 (Discovery) U.S. James Wetherbee; Eileen Collins; Bernard Harris; Michael Foale; Janice Voss; Vladimir Titov Feb. 3–11, 1995 demonstrated shuttle orbiter's ability to approach and maneuver around Mir
Gennady Mikhailovich Strekalov playing guitar and singing with (from left to right) astronauts Charlie Precourt, Bonnie Dunbar, and Greg Harbaugh in June 1995 during the space shuttle's first visit to the Russian space station Mir.
Soyuz TM-21/Mir Russia Vladimir Dezhurov; Gennady Strekalov; Norman Thagard March 14–July 7, 1995 first American to fly on Russian spacecraft (Thagard); addition of Spektr module to Mir
Robert Gibson and Vladimir Dezhurov
STS-71 (Atlantis)/Mir U.S. Robert Gibson; Charles Precourt; Ellen Baker; Gregory Harbaugh; Bonnie Dunbar; Anatoly Solovyov; Nikolay Budarin June 27–July 7, 1995 (Sept. 11, 1995 [Solovyov, Budarin]) first space shuttle visit to Mir
Soyuz TM-22
Soyuz TM-22/Mir Russia Yury Gidzenko; Sergei Avdeyev; Thomas Reiter Sept. 3, 1995–Feb. 29, 1996 first German to walk in space (Reiter)
STS-74 astronauts with Mir crew
STS-74 (Atlantis)/Mir U.S. Kenneth Cameron; James Halsell; Chris Hadfield; Jerry Ross; William McArthur Nov. 12–20, 1995 attached docking module to Mir
Soyuz TM-23
Soyuz TM-23/Mir Russia Yury Onufriyenko; Yury Usachyov Feb. 21–Sept. 2, 1996 addition of Priroda module to Mir
Lucid, Shannon Wells
STS-76 (Atlantis)/Mir U.S. Kevin Chilton; Richard Searfoss; Ronald Sega; Michael Clifford; Linda Godwin; Shannon Lucid March 22–31, 1996 (Sept. 26 [Lucid]) delivered supplies to Mir
STS-89; Lucid, Shannon; Kalery, Aleksandr Y.
Soyuz TM-24/Mir Russia Valery Korzun; Aleksandr Kaleri; Claudie AndrĂ©-Deshays Aug. 17, 1996–March 2, 1997 (Sept. 2, 1996 [AndrĂ©-Deshays]) first French woman in space (AndrĂ©-Deshays)
Soyuz TM and Mir
STS-79 (Atlantis)/Mir U.S. William Readdy; Terrence Wilcutt; Jerome Apt; Thomas Akers; Carl Walz; John Blaha Sept. 16–26, 1996 (Jan. 22, 1997 [Blaha]) conducted experiments in Spacelab Double Module
STS-81; Ivins, Marsha S.; Linenger, Jerry M.
STS-81 (Atlantis)/Mir U.S. Michael Baker; Brent Jett; Peter Wisoff; John Grunsfeld; Marsha Ivins; Jerry Linenger Jan. 12–22, 1997 (May 24, 1997 [Linenger]) returned with first plants to complete a full life cycle in space
Soyuz TM-25
Soyuz TM-25/Mir Russia Vasily Tsibliyev; Aleksandr Lazutkin; Reinhold Ewald Feb. 10–Aug. 14, 1997 (March 2 [Ewald]) fire seriously damaged Mir's oxygen generation system (Feb. 23); collision with Progress punctured Spektr module (June 25)
Eileen Collins toys with a roll of paper scrap in microgravity while serving as pilot of the U.S. space shuttle orbiter Atlantis in May 1997.
STS-84 (Atlantis)/Mir U.S. Charles Precourt; Eileen Collins; Jean-François Clervoy; Carlos Noriega; Edward Lu; Yelena Kondakova; Michael Foale May 15–24, 1997 (Oct. 6 [Foale]) carried Biorack research facility, which conducted microgravity experiments
STS-86; Mir
Soyuz TM-26/Mir Russia Anatoly Solovyov; Pavel Vinogradov Aug. 5, 1997–Feb. 19, 1998 Mir's oxygen generation system repaired
STS-86
STS-86 (Atlantis)/Mir U.S. James Wetherbee; Michael Bloomfield; Vladimir Titov; Scott Parazynski; Jean-Loup ChrĂ©tien; Wendy Lawrence; David Wolf Sept. 25–Oct. 6, 1997 (Jan. 31, 1998 [Wolf]) carried Spacehab module, which included replacement computer for Mir
STS-89; Reilly, James
STS-89 (Endeavour)/Mir U.S. Terrence Wilcutt; Joe Edwards; James Reilly; Michael Anderson; Bonnie Dunbar; Salizhan Sharipov; Andrew Thomas Jan. 22–31, 1998 (June 12 [Thomas]) carried experiments in protein crystal growth
STS-91
Soyuz TM-27/Mir Russia Talgat Musabayev; Nikolay Budarin; Leopold Eyharts Jan. 29–Aug. 25, 1998 (Feb. 19 [Eyharts]) unsuccessful attempt to repair Spektr solar panel
STS-91; Precourt, Charles J.; Musabayev, Talgat A.
STS-91 (Discovery)/Mir U.S. Charles Precourt; Dominic Gorie; Franklin Chang-Díaz; Wendy Lawrence; Janet Kavandi; Valery Ryumin June 2–12, 1998 final space shuttle mission to Mir
Soyuz TM-28/Mir Russia Gennady Padalka; Sergey Avdeyev; Yury Baturin Aug. 13, 1998–Feb. 28, 1999 (Aug. 28, 1999 [Avdeyev]; Aug. 25, 1998 [Baturin]) first Russian politician in space (Baturin)
Soyuz TM-29/Mir Russia Viktor Afanasiyev; Jean-Pierre HaignerĂ©; Ivan Bella Feb. 20–Aug. 28, 1999 (Feb. 28 [Bella]) first Slovak astronaut (Bella)
Soyuz TM-30/Mir Russia Sergey Zalyotin; Aleksandr Kaleri April 4–June 16, 2000 last occupants of Mir
David M. Harland