Apr 12 1989
From The Space Library
The Soviet Union announced that it would suspend occupation of the Mir Space Station for at least three months following the return to Earth of its current crew in late April. The reason given by the Soviets for the abandonment of the station, which had been continuously occupied since February 1987, was a delay in the manufacture of additional pressurized modules to be attached to the facility. Western experts were interpreting the temporary shut-down of the station as a possible cost-cutting measure and another setback to the Soviet space program following the loss of its twin Mars probes during the last several months. Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine was also reporting that degradation of the station's solar power arrays was causing an electrical shortage. (NY Times, Apr 13/89; W Post, Apr 13/89, 15/89; LA Times, Apr 12/89; UPI, Apr 14/89; W Times, Apr 14/89; P Inq, Apr 19/89)
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