A Chronology of mission events in orbit and on the ground. Mir existed for fifteen years growing from the original 20 tonne core module to a massive 130+ tonnes.
| Date |
Time (UTC) |
Event |
| 1987 Jan 16 |
06:06 |
Progress 27 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 183 x 249 kilometre orbit |
| 1987 Jan 18 |
07:26 |
Progress 27 docks at the aft port of Mir - orbit is 315 x 343 kilometres |
| 1987 Jan 25 |
|
Using Progress 27 manoeuvring engine, Mir orbit is raised to 328 x 363 kilometres to allow Soyuz TM-2 to follow the optimum trajectory |
| 1987 Feb 5 |
21:38 |
Soyuz TM-2 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into approx 190 x 220 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination with cosmonauts Yuri Romanenko and Alexandr Laveikin aboard |
| 1987 Feb 7 |
23:27 |
Soyuz TM-2 docks with Mir forward-facing port - orbit is 328 x 362 kilometres |
| 1987 Feb 23 |
11:29 |
Progress 27 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 Feb 25 |
15:16 |
Progress 27 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry and burns up as a result of frictional heating over the Pacific Ocean some 40 minutes later |
| 1987 Mar 3 |
11:14 |
Progress 28 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 185 x 254 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
| 1987 Mar 5 |
12:42 |
Progress 28 docks at the aft port of Mir - orbit is 344 x 369 kilometres |
| 1987 Mar 21 |
|
Progress 28 begins re-fuelling Mir |
| 1987 Mar 26 |
05:06 |
Progress 28 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 Mar 28 |
03:01 |
Progress 28 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry and burns up as a result of frictional heating over the Pacific Ocean some 40 minutes later |
| 1987 Mar 31 |
00:06 |
Kvant atrophysics module, with an attached orbital tug, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Proton rocket into 171 x 300 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
| 1987 Apr 5 |
00:00 |
Approximate time - Kvant attempts to dock with Mir but a malfunction aboard Kvant means that the docking has to be called off and Kvant passes by Mir at a distance of 10 metres |
| 1987 Apr 9 |
00:35 |
Kvant docks with Mir rear port but the docking latches fail to hold because an obstruction prevents the two craft from being pulled together - orbit is 344 x 363 kilometres |
| 1987 Apr 11 |
19:41 |
Romanenko and Laveikin start a space walk to investigate the Mir-Kvant docking interface - they move 13 meters down the whole length of Mir and remove a cloth bag containing used hand towels (which had 'escaped' while Progress 28 was being loaded with rubbish) from the docking unit |
| 1987 Apr 11 |
23:21 |
Romanenko and Laveikin complete their space walk after 3 hr 40 min |
| 1987 Apr 12 |
20:18 |
While Romanenko and Laveikin watch, Kvant and Mir complete their docking |
| 1987 Apr 12 |
20:18 |
Kvant orbital tug separates and moves away, clearing a new docking port for future use by spacecraft visiting Mir - controllers had intended to de-orbit the module so it would be destroyed but insufficient fuel remains because of the additional manoeuvres needed for the second docking attempt |
| 1987 Apr 21 |
15:14 |
Progress 29 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 188 x 238 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
| 1987 Apr 23 |
17:04 |
Progress 29 docks at the Mir complex Kvant docking port - orbit is 343 x 363 kilometres |
| 1987 May 6 |
|
mission planners announce that a space walk from Mir, planned for the next few days, has been postponed |
| 1987 May 11 |
03:10 |
Progress 29 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 May 11 |
07:51 |
Progress 29 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry and burns up as a result of frictional heating over the Pacific Ocean some 40 minutes later |
| 1987 May 18 |
04:02 |
Progress 30 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 186 x 246 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
| 1987 May 21 |
05:50 |
Progress 30 docks at the Mir complex Kvant docking port - orbit is 343 x 366 kilometres |
| 1987 Jun 12 |
16:55 |
Romanenko and Laveikin begin a space walk to install a third solar panel on the outside of Mir |
| 1987 Jun 12 |
18:48 |
Romanenko and Laveikin complete space walk after 1 hr 53 min |
| 1987 Jun 16 |
15:30 |
Approximate time - Romanenko and Laveikin begin a space walk to complete work on installation of Mir third solar panel |
| 1987 Jun 16 |
18:45 |
Approximate time - Romanenko and Laveikin complete space walk after 3 hr 15 min |
| 1987 Jul 8 |
|
Mir orbit is 341 x 364 kilometres, having been maintained close to that height since the middle of 1987 April by constant firings of Mir own thrusters, and those of visiting spacecraft |
| 1987 Jul 9 |
|
After a firing of Progress 30 manoeuvring engine, Mir orbit has been lowered to 312 x 360 kilometres in preparation for the rendezvous with Soyuz TM-3 |
| 1987 Jul 19 |
00:19 |
Progress 30 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 Jul 19 |
05:00 |
Approximate time - Progress 30 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry and burns up as a result of frictional heating over the Pacific Ocean after some 40 minutes |
| 1987 Jul 22 |
01:59 |
Soyuz TM-3 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 197 x 217 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination with cosmonauts Aleksandr Viktorenko, Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Mohammad Al Faris (of Syria) aboard - three out of Mir crew of five are called Aleksandr! |
| 1987 Jul 24 |
03:31 |
Soyuz TM-3 docks with the Mir complex Kvant port - orbit is 311 x 359 kilometres |
| 1987 Jul 29 |
20:34 |
Soyuz TM-2 undocks from Mir with Viktorenko, Laveikin and Faris aboard - Laveikin is returning to Earth because of concerns over his health - there are problems reported with his heart rhythm |
| 1987 Jul 30 |
01:04 |
Soyuz TM-2 lands - 140 kilometres north-east of Arkalyk |
| 1987 Jul 30 |
23:28 |
Soyuz TM-3 undocks from Mir with Romanenko and Aleksandrov aboard |
| 1987 Jul 30 |
23:47 |
After Mir has completed a 180 degree rotation, Soyuz TM-3 docks with the forward port |
| 1987 Aug 3 |
20:44 |
Progress 31 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 187 x 250 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
| 1987 Aug 5 |
22:27 |
Progress 31 docks at the Mir complex Kvant docking port - orbit is 309 x 360 kilometres |
| 1987 Sep 21 |
23:57 |
Progress 31 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 Sep 23 |
00:22 |
Progress 31 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry and burns up as a result of frictional heating over the Pacific Ocean some 40 minutes later |
| 1987 Sep 23 |
23:43 |
Progress 32 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 186 x 250 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
| 1987 Sep 26 |
01:08 |
Progress 32 docks at the Mir complex Kvant docking port - orbit is 397 x 355 kilometres |
| 1987 Nov 10 |
04:09 |
Progress 32 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 Nov 10 |
05:47 |
After an approach to Mir using a new version of the automatic docking software, Progress 32 re-docks with the Mir complex Kvant port |
| 1987 Nov 17 |
19:24 |
Progress 32 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 Nov 18 |
00:10 |
Progress 32 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry and burns up as a result of frictional heating over the Pacific Ocean some 40 minutes later |
| 1987 Nov 21 |
23:47 |
Progress 33 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 187 x 249 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination |
| 1987 Nov 23 |
01:39 |
Progress 33 docks at the Mir complex Kvant docking port - orbit is 326 x 343 kilometres |
| 1987 Dec 19 |
08:15 |
Progress 33 undocks from Mir |
| 1987 Dec 19 |
12:56 |
Progress 33 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry and burns up as a result of frictional heating over the Pacific Ocean after some 40 minutes |
| 1987 Dec 21 |
11:18 |
Soyuz TM-4 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz rocket into 168 x 243 kilometre orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination with cosmonauts Vladimir Titov, Musakhi Manarov and Anatoli Levchenko aboard |
| 1987 Dec 23 |
23:50 |
Soyuz TM-4 docks with the Mir complex Kvant port - orbit is 333 x 359 kilometres |
| 1987 Dec 29 |
05:58 |
Soyuz TM-3 undocks from Mir with Romanenko, Aleksandrov and Levchenko aboard |
| 1987 Dec 29 |
08:21 |
Soyuz TM-3 fires its manoeuvring engine to initiate re-entry |
| 1987 Dec 29 |
09:16 |
Soyuz TM-3 lands - 60 kilometres north-east of Arkalyk |
| 1987 Dec 30 |
09:09 |
Soyuz TM-4 undocks from Mir with Titov and Manarov aboard |
| 1987 Dec 30 |
09:28 |
After Mir has completed a 180 degree rotation, Soyuz TM-4 docks with the forward port |
