Mir Hardware Heritage

The heritage of the major Mir complex hardware elements is described. These elements include Soyuz-TM and Progress-M ; the Kvant, Kvant 2, and Kristall modules ; and the Mir base block. Configuration changes and major mission events of Salyut 6, Salyut 7, and Mir multiport space stations are described in detail for the period 1977-1994. A comparative chronology of U.S. and Soviet/Russian manned spaceflight is also given for that period. The 68 illustrations include comparative scale drawings of U.S. and Russian spacecraft as well as sequential drawings depicting missions and mission events.

The purpose of this document is to describe concisely what is known in the West about the heritage of the major hardware elements associated with the Mir space station complex. These are: The Mir base block, launched in 1986 The modules added to the base block in 1987, 1989, and 1990 The Soyuz-TM crew transports and Progress-M supply ships, which first appeared in 1986 and 1989, respectively. This work is divided into four parts. Part 1, "Soyuz," examines the Soyuz spacecraft and its derivatives, including those used in the abandoned manned lunar landing program. Part 2, "Almaz, Salyut, and Mir," looks at the Almaz and Long-Duration Orbital Station (Russians acronym DOS) space stations. The major portion of Part 2 is devoted to the three DOS multiport stations, Salyut 6, Salyut 7, and Mir. Part 3, covering the "Space Station Modules," describes their surprisingly convoluted heritage, with particular attention given to the Mir modules Kvant, Kvant 2, and Kristall. Part 4 is a chronology comparing U.S. and Soviet/Russian manned spaceflight developments in context. It begins with the first manned spaceflight, but attempts completeness only from 1970 to its conclusion (November 1994).

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