Mir Likely To Be Deorbited [Updated]

Decibel writes: "It seems that Mir's fungal infection is soon to be the least of its problems. Unless $7-10 million can be raised in the next few days, Mir will be de-orbited some time after its 15-year anniversary in February 2001. MirCorp has been financing the operation of the outpost since the Russian government abandoned it last year, but they've run out of money as well. To make matters worse, unless the russian government (or someone else) comes up with $60 million to make two final missions to Mir, it will be an uncontrolled reentry. Of course, if any of that fungus survives reentry, it could be a moot point anyway. :)" But what about the Destination Mir teevee show?! Surely NBC has 7 or 10 million to toss in the pot, considering they've already paid more than that for rights to the show.

[Updated 3 Oct 2000 21:30 GMT by timothy] funk_phenomenon writes: "To add another story to the Mir fire, James Cameron (the man who directed Terminator 2 and Titanic) is planning to stay on the space station. He has already undergone medical tests at the Russian Institute for Medical and Biological Problems and received a go ahead. Cameron went to see the Titanic and he made a movie; maybe he plans the same?"

Comments

Re:OK, I'll demonstrate my ignorance...

[Mad Hughagi]

The space station has to have it's orientation and position constantly regulated so that it maintains a proper orbit (it's orbit is constantly decaying due to drag, the dynamical gravitational potential it experiences from the moon/earth/sun system, and solar flux (albeit quite smaller than the others)). If there is no fuel left to fire the thrusters required to reposition it, it will slowly drift towards the earth. As it gets nearer, it experiences more and more drag from the atmosphere, which aids it's descent. So in the end it is a matter of not having enough fuel to keep it in place.

Maybe they can get sponsorship from Lysol

[Mynn]

And kill the bacteria with an industrial version? Or a series: Mr. Clean goes to Mir! Mynn the Museless

Destination Mir

[Geccoman]

Maybe this would be an excellent opportunity for Desenex to do some advertising! They could send up a guy to fumigate the place with spray powder and then put a big banner outside. "Desenex saved MIR!"

That would rock

Hmmmm

[mholve]

Maybe this can be the grand finale in the firework show when they burn up the Iridium satellites... :)

What color does fungi and rust burn?

Andromedia Strain?

[CoreDump]

Anyone else remember the book _Andromedia_Strain_ by Michael Crichton? That was one of my favorite books growing up, so I couldn't help but notice some similarities to the current situation.

Let's take a look:

MIR

• An unmanned space station returns uncontrolled to earth.
• The space station is contaminated with a fungus.
• The fungus weakens/destroys rubber and other materials.
• ...

Andromedia Strain

• An unmanned satellite returns uncontrolled to earth.
• The satellite is contaminated with a contagion.
• The contagion weakens/destroys rubber and other materials.
• ...

Makes you wonder just bit... :)

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Destination MIR

[ewhac]

But what about the Destination MIR teevee show?

So, instead of getting there by rocket, they'll get there by submarine. Though perhaps less glorious than space, the environments are equally dangerous. The slightest error will get you killed instantly.

Schwab