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The Planetary Report • March/April 2001
Farewell, Mir
On the Cover: When Mir launched in February 1986, it was a showcase of Russian technology. But after 15 years of hard work, the aged space station has ended its run. <br> <br> This view of Mir over Earth’s blue skies was imaged during a fly-around by the space shuttle Atlantis following the joint docking activities between the two crews.
Features
4 Farewell to a Cold Warrior: Mir Station Obituary: Roald Sagdeev was there at the birth of Mir and shares his memories of the long-lived space station.
8 A Bold New Voyage: The Planetary Society Prepares to Fly a Solar Sail: Louis Friedman tells the story of how we plan to launch the first solar sail, and what it will mean for the future of space exploration (and how you helped make it happen).
15 The 2001 Shoemaker NEO Grant Awardees: A World of Observing Experience: Daniel Durda announces the winners of this grant program.
18 Odd Planet Out: What's Up With Pluto Exploration? Jennifer Vaughn details the Society's campaign to save a NASA mission to Pluto.
Departments
3 Members' Dialogue Robert Zubrin responds to members' comments; shaping young minds
20 Q&A What is the lifetime of a long-period comet? Can we map large asteroids from Earth? What was up with the sky on Mars during Pathfinder? Can we send a frozen chicken to Mars?
22 Society News Red Rover Goes to Mars Student Scientists make history; Red Rover, Red Rover back online; groundbreaking on a new Optical SETI observatory
The Planetary Report • March/April 2001
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