. 24/7 Space News .
SPACE TRAVEL
Hundreds of Russians Protest Impending Destruction of Mir

Russian Mir space station approaches to the Progress cargo craft on the monitor of Space Mission Control Center in the town of Korolyov, Moscow region. Progress M1-5 has successfully docked with Mir station 05.33 GMT 27 January 2001 and carried 2.7 tones of fuel for splashing down Mir station in early March. AFP Screen shot by Alexander Nemenov Jan. 27, 2001.
Moscow (AFP) Feb, 9, 2001
 Some 200 people rallied in front of Moscow's city hall Thursday to protest against the impending destruction of the Mir space station, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

"We cannot agree with Mir's impending demise," cosmonaut Vitaly Sevastyanov told the rally, adding that Mir was still in working order and could continue functioning until December 2004.

Sevastyanov said that the ailing Mir would be destroyed at Washington's insistence, to remove any competition to the new International Space Station (ISS).

"The United States are practically owners of the ISS, and Russia would be merely a driver of this American machine," the cosmonaut complained, adding that if Mir were destroyed, Russia would lose parity with the United States in the fields of space research and industry.

The protesters demanded that fuel recently delivered to Mir be used to raise the veteran space station back up to its original orbit, rather than to bring it down to earth as Russian space agencies intend.

The Mir space station is to be brought down some time in early March, less than a month after the 15th anniversary of its launch on February 20, 1986.

The decision to destroy Mir follows several accidents in recent years, including a serious fire and a near-fatal collision with a cargo ship in 1997.

Russia has also found that its commitment to the International Space Station has stretched its funding to breaking point, making it unable to finance both space projects.

The protesters were to appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and Moscow region's Governor Boris Gromov to keep Mir up in orbit.

All rights reserved. � 2001 Agence France-Presse. All information displayed on this section (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

Mir Headlines Since Jan 1

  • Hundreds of Russians protest impending destruction of Mir
  • Russia maintains space programme despite upcoming Mir downing
  • Cheers as cargo ship takes first step in downing doomed Mir
  • Cargo craft successfully docks with Mir station
  • Russia ponders NASA offer on Mir downing
  • Russia launches cargo ship on mission to down Mir
  • Mir space station back on track for March crashdown
  • Russia to launch cargo ship Wednesday to faulty Mir
  • More trouble for Mir as orientation glitch upsets crashdown plans
  • Mir in new glitch drama as Russian space station loses balance
  • Last checks for Russian ship that will bring down space-station Mir
  • Russia to provide details on destruction of Mir
  • Russian cosmonauts train for Mir destruction mishap
  • Russia plans successor for doomed Mir
  • Mir's creators to build its own new station
  • Russian PM signs decree for Mir's destruction
  • Russia sets January 18 date for Mir's final appointment in space

    Related Links
     SpaceDaily
     Search SpaceDaily
     Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

    SPACE TRAVEL
    Space Tourist Dreams of the Final Frontier
     by Henry Meyer
     Moscow (AFP) Feb, 9, 2001
     Sixty-year-old US millionaire Dennis Tito should be looking forward to a well-earned retirement. Instead he will be blasting off to space in less than three months on a journey into the unknown.


    Thanks for being here;
     We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

    With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

    Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

    If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
    SpaceDaily Contributor
    $5 Billed Once

    credit card or paypal
         		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
    $5 Billed Monthly

    paypal only














    • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.