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Author
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Topic: Mir space station: de-orbit and re-entry
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Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 03-22-2001 06:35 PM
   
As time counts down to a farewell to the Mir space station, anybody have any thoughts about the last 15 years? |
astronut
Member Posts: 969
From: South Fork, CO
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 03-22-2001 08:37 PM
I hope it hits that target Taco Bell set out in the Pacific because then everyone in America gets a free taco! |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 03-22-2001 09:07 PM
I just read that the Taco Bell sign is anchored 10 miles off Australia. If we're eating tacos, then Brian (collshubby) will be selling pieces of Mir from his front yard. |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-22-2001 09:17 PM
If I am able to sell off pieces of Mir, I'll buy everyone a taco! |
astronut
Member Posts: 969
From: South Fork, CO
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 03-22-2001 09:46 PM
Brian, let me be your first confirmed sale! |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 03-22-2001 10:01 PM
Personally, I hope they miss big time and drop a big piece right here in Fountain Valley, California.(Safely in the middle of Mile Square Park naturally!) |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-22-2001 10:47 PM
Seriously though, I do feel sorry for the Russians. I know that they had a lot of pride in that space station, and now they have to bring it down. They have to kill an old friend. I also feel for the cosmonauts who spent so much time on board. I know they can take it like pros however, because they knew this day would come. I guess it is kin to having to move out of the house you grew up in. Mir did its job, and went above and beyond. Thank you, Mir. As far as anyone wanting it to land in your backyard, think again. I came across these numbers: A Volkswagon size piece of Mir, if it hit land, could puncture a two meter thick slab of concrete, and dig a crater 10 meters deep and up to 100 meters in diameter. I don't know how accurate those are, but it would be a disaster if it landed in a residential neighborhood. Hopefully, the debris that survives re-entry and sinks to the bottom of the ocean could be found one day. Perhaps even recovered and placed in museums. What do you think are the odds of that? |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 03-23-2001 05:36 AM
I have been curious as to what might float on the ocean surface... insulation that came loose? If so, then some of those fishing boats in the area have first dibs I suppose. Maybe that's why they refused to leave.  |
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 03-23-2001 11:31 AM
They have a nice video on Space.com of the re-entry and have music and video of the first cosmonaut entering the station. It ends with "Mir 1986-2001." Kind of a sad video, but I think it went in style. The shot of the modules flying over Fiji kind of reminded me of the "missing man" formation as they passed over in flames. Very sad day for Russia, but I congratulate them for a great 15 years of exploration, and a great job on hitting the target reentry! Goodbye Mir! (Do a search on eBay for "Mir station" and there are some people already selling "pieces" of Mir that were fished out of the ocean. The seller has 0 positive points and I seriously question those parts. I won't be bidding that's for sure! Too expensive too!) |
astronut
Member Posts: 969
From: South Fork, CO
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 03-23-2001 01:29 PM
A lot of us, myself included have poked fun at Mir through the years. I believe we all owe the Russians a round of applause for a job well done. While we built a shuttle with no place to go, they built the world's greatest space station of its time. They set numerous long term flight records that will stand for years. Invaluable knowledge we can use if/when we go to Mars and the asteroids. We learned to handle the tragedy and triumph of Apollo 1, 13, and Challenger. They learned how to handle fire in space, a collision and rapid depressurization and numerous other life and death moments on their space station. All of that knowledge will serve us well in the decades to come. They did all of this on a shoestring budget compared to the wealth available to the US space program. To our Soviet friends I say "Thank you for taking the risks and doing a fine job in the process!" Let's say goodbye to a grand old lady, she died well. |
Jacqueline
Member Posts: 344
From: UK
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 03-23-2001 03:49 PM
Goodbye Mir. Rest in Peace. |
Odyessy85
Member Posts: 61
From:
Registered: May 2000
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posted 03-24-2001 10:43 PM
It's kind of hard to imagine after 15 years that Mir is actually gone. That station was first being built when I was being born. But if you think about it this might actually lead the International Space Station into the future and I am hoping that it will be able to go longer than Mir. We have learned so much in terms of safety, cooperation, etc. I only hope we can continue the progress we have in international space flight. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-23-2016 01:20 PM
The Mir space station is now as long gone as it was in space: 15 years ago today (March 23) it was de-orbited and destroyed over the Pacific Ocean.(In addition to this thread, another remnant of that day in 2001 is our archived meMIRabilia watch.) |
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