A Chronology of mission events in orbit and on the ground. Mir existed for fifteen years growing from the original 20 tonne core module to a massive 130+ tonnes.
Date (UTC) |
Time (UTC) |
Event |
1999 Feb 4 |
09:59 |
Progress M-40 undocks from Mir |
1999 Feb 4 |
10:34 |
The 'Znamya 2.5' space mirror sheduled to deploy from Progress M-40 (it is an experiment in illuminating large areas of Earth in reflected sunlight) but the deployment fails |
1999 Feb 5 |
10:16 |
Progress M-40 fires its retro-rocket to initiate re-entryresult of frictional heating |
1999 Feb 5 |
11:09 |
Progress M-40 enters the upper atmosphere and burns up as a result of frictional heating |
1999 Feb 8 |
11:20 |
Soyuz TM-28 undocks from Mir with Padalka and Avdeyev aboard |
1999 Feb 8 |
11:39 |
After Mir has executed a 180 degree rotation, Soyuz TM-28 re-docks with the rear port of Kvant - orbit is 347 x 367 kilometres |
1999 Feb 20 |
04:18 |
Soyuz TM-29 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 188 x 225 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination with cosmonauts Viktor Afanasyev, Sergei Avdeyev and Ivan Bella (Slovakia) aboard |
1999 Feb 22 |
05:36 |
Soyuz TM-29 docks with Mir's forward-facing port - orbit is 346 x 364 kilometres |
1999 Feb 27 |
22:55 |
Soyuz TM-28 undocks from Mir with Padalka and Bella aboard |
1999 Feb 28 |
00:34 |
Soyuz TM-29 lands |
1999 Feb 28 |
01:22 |
Soyuz TM-28 makes its retro-fire |
1999 Feb 28 |
02:14 |
Soyuz TM-28 lands |
1999 Apr 2 |
11:28 |
Progress M-41 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 188 x 231 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination - it's cargo includes the 'Sputnik 99' amateur radio satellite to be launched by hand during a Mir crew EVA |
1999 Apr 2 |
12:46 |
Progress M-41 docks automatically with the rear port of Kvant - orbit is 339 x 355 kilometres |
1999 Jul 16 |
16:37 |
Progress M-42 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 177 x 21 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
1999 Jul 17 |
11:24 |
Progress M-41 undocks from Mir |
1999 Jul 17 |
13:00 |
Approximate time - Progress M-41 fires its retro-rocket to initiate re-entry, and after about 50 minutes it enters the upper atmosphere and burns up as a result of frictional heating |
1999 Jul 18 |
17:53 |
Progress M-42 docks automatically with the rear port of Kvant - orbit is 339 x 355 kilometres |
1999 Aug 27 |
21:17 |
Soyuz TM-29 undocks from Mir with Afanasyev, Avdeyev and Jean-Pierre Haigneré aboard - for the first time in almost ten years, since the arrival of Soyuz TM-8 1989 Sep 7, Mir has no attendant crew |
1999 Aug 27 |
23:43 |
Soyuz TM-29 makes its retro-fire |
