Mir Space Station launched 1986

Mir space station, as seen from Space Shuttle Endeavour during the STS-89 mission February 1998 

Mir insignia patch

Mir space station, launched February 19, 1986, was the next step in the Soviet space program following the Salyut project.  It was the first modular space station and it was assembled in orbit over the following ten years until 1996.  It became the first continuously inhabited long-term research station at 3,644 days, until the International Space Station surpassed its record in October 2010.

Over the course of its existence, it was visited by astronauts from France, UK, Austria, Germany and Slovakia.  The U.S. and the Russians cooperated in the Mir-Space Shuttle program in the 1990s.  Shannon Lucid recorded the longest stay for a woman on Mir.

During its lifetime, Mir hosted 28 expeditions and saw 80 EVAs.

It was decommissioned and re-entered Earth’s atmosphere March 21, 2001.