Mir's orbit has fallen to between 310 and 320 kilometres (190 to 200 miles) above earth since being abandoned by its crew in August. That is too low an orbit for the next manned mission to Mir, scheduled for March 31, said Valery Lyndin, TsOuP's press spokesman.

"Progress," which is scheduled to dock with Mir at 0757 GMT Thursday, will push the space station out to an orbit of between 360 and 380 kilometres (225 to 240 miles). Mir will then switch to automatic pilot.

The supply ship "Progress" was launched Tuesday at 9:47 am (0647 GMT) from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on a mission to prepare Mir for the upcoming manned mission.

In that mission, three cosmonauts are scheduled to be sent up to the station on March 31, for a stay of at least 45 days. It will be the 28th mission to Mir. If the necessary funds can be raised, the mission will be prolonged until August and a 29th mission will follow.

"Progress" is carrying two tons of supplies, including water, spare parts, food and all the equipment necessary for the cosmonauts.

Russia's cash-strapped space programme was forced to abandon Mir last year because it could not cover its operating costs and at the same time participate in the multi-nation International Space Station project.

The last cosmonauts to have lived on Mir were two Russians, Viktor Afanassiyev and Sergei Avdiyev, and the French astronaut Jean-Pierre Haignere, who ended their mission August 28.

SPACE TRAVEL
Russia Launches Soyuz To Resupply Mir
by Sergei Goloborodko
Moscow (AFP) February 1, 2000 - Russia successfully launched a supply rocket Tuesday bound for the Mir space station to prepare for its next manned mission in March, the flight control center in Moscow reported.