Created: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2023-03-04
Product/Service - Mini Station 1
- Classification
- Space Stations & Habitats
- Category
- Commercial Space Station
Space Entertainment
Commercial Astronaut Services
- Fields
- Space Tourism
- Status
- Dormant
- First launch
- 2001
Mission accomplishments include:
- first commercial lease agreement for orbiting manned space station (December, 1999, signed officially in February of 2000)
- first privately funded manned expedition to a space station (launch April 4, 2000, return 16 June, 2000)
- first privately funded cargo resupply mission in space (April 27, 2000)
- first privately funded spacewalk (May 12, 2000)
- first contract for space tourist (Dennis Tito, June 19, 2000)
Subsequently, additional financing was not forthcoming from the original investors. The political pressure against the project from NASA was both private and public, and the decision was made to end the project, and bring down the space station.
On the 23rd of March, 2001, the Mir was de-orbited.
MirCorp eventually was selected to work with *NSync pop star Lance Bass in his unsuccessful effort to fly into space, as well as former NASA Associate Administrator Laura Garver’s efforts.
MirCorp was closed in 2003.
In 2000, MirCorp plans an historic Initial Public Offering (IPO) on leading exchanges worldwide to raise $117 million in financing for long-term commercial operations with Russia's Mir space station.
Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria, a director and major investor in MirCorp, said the company has significant asset value, and is unique in offering true commercial access to space.
"MirCorp has been valued at between $1.3 and $1.5 billion by KPMG, which recognized the worth of Mir as the only orbital platform of its kind in service today," Dr. Kathuria said.
MirCorp is developing its manned flight schedule for 2001 and beyond, with several missions now being organized. They include the launch of Dennis Tito, MirCorp's first Citizen Explorer, as well as the flight of a winner from the "Destination Mir" reality series from NBC and "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett.
Dennis Tito has completed the second two-week training cycle at Russia's Star City cosmonaut base near Moscow, and his historic Citizen Explorer mission is scheduled for 2001.
The NBC "Destination Mir" series in which a diverse cast of at least a dozen American civilians will train for the mission at Star City will end with one person selected for the flight to Mir. "Destination Mir" will run during the 2001-02 season.
In 2001, MirCorp was also planning a new, private commercial on the orbital facility – the Mini Station 1. Built on Russian Space Station technology, the Mini Station will serve as a core module for a new platform in Space. In its initial configuration, it will be able to accommodate visitors for stays of up to 20 days and will tout an operational lifetime of 15 years.
Sources
Most sources should be linked in the texts and headings as revealed by mouse-over, but here are they listed for visibility.