Doctor: Does it hurt when you do this?
Patient: Yes.
Doctor: Well, don't do that.
Mir destroyedIn 2001, the Russian space station, Mir, ended 15 years in orbit by burning up in Earth's atmosphere as the way chosen to end its life. Mir, launched in 1986, had far exceeded its original planned five year lifespan. The Russian government decided in Oct 2000 that its poor condition could no longer justify the expense to maintain its use. A docked Progress tanker had been remotely commanded by mission controllers to fire rockets and lower its orbit and cause re-entry into the atmosphere. The debris that did not burn up during re-entry fell harmlessly into the Pacific Ocean at the planned target zone between New Zealand and Chile. For safety, airlines had rerouted Pacific flights in anticipation of the event, and ships had been warned earlier.«[Frame from a video showing burning fragments of Mir that were visible over Fiji] |
