The Mir space station has unquestionably been one of the most significant contributions to the Soviet/Russian space programme. The experience of long-duration human space flight gained from its continued operation was justifiably considered vital to the International Space Station and to future interplanetary exploration. Near the end of its operational life, Mir was much in the news as dangerous fires and other mishaps threatened the life its the astronauts, yet Mir was also a legendary workhorse on the road to long-term space colonization. This book reviews the origins of the Soviet space station programme, in particular the highly successful Salyuts 6 and 7, describes Mir's structure, environment, power supply and manoeuvring systems, and provides a comprehensive account of how it was assembled and how it operated in orbit. This book is essential for anyone who is interested in the history of humans in space or who is looking for lessons to apply to the ISS.
