23 March 2001 - FLASH! [12:55AM EST] CNN REPORTS DEBRIS SIGHTED OVER FIJI! Telemetry shows that the re-entry is complete. Nice shot! Russian Mission Control placed the Station right on target, and no reports of damage on the ground have come in. The well-controlled splashdown occurred shortly before 1AM in the South Pacific Ocean (compare with the random crash of the U.S. SkyLab in 1979). You can take off your hard-hats now!

22 March 2001 - The Mir Space Station is being de-orbited tonight. Launched by the Soviet Union, Mir flew 2.2 billion miles over 86,000 orbits, and exceeded its design life by over 10 years. Russian and American space endurance records were set on the Station. Here are some quick links to Mir stories...

Florida Today:

Final burns sending Mir to Earth

Mir's fall firmly set for Friday

Mir set for fiery plunge

Storied station, crews set many records

Strapped for cash, Russians made unique venue pay off

U.S. learned a lot from time spent on Russia's Mir

Historical highlights of Mir's notable events

Space.com:

Mir sighting expedition journal

BBC News:

Mir heads for final orbit

Mir's story- From Cold War to collaboration

Testing times on Mir

CNN/AP:

Special: Mir Falls To Earth

The end is Mir ...

Rocket burns slow Mir for death dive

Fox News/AP:

Moscow Begins Final Death Burn for Famed Russian Space Station Mir

Russian Control Room Workers Suppress Emotions During Final Hours of Mir

UPI:

Mir ditching operation begins

Discovery Channel:

Unofficial Space -- Rest in Peace, Mir

Australian Broadcasting Corp.:

Mir begins final descent

ABC News:

Mir's Last Day

CBS News:

Mir Positioned For The Great Fall

Washington Post:

Mir, the Clunker That Just Didn't Quit

Target Earth

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