Re: starship-design: Mir being brought down?

[STAR1SHIP@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/17/00 4:24:20 PM Pacific Standard Time, KellySt@aol.com 
writes:


> In a message dated 11/17/00 3:53:39 PM, stk@sunherald.infi.net writes:
>
> >Hello All:
> >
> >I heard that Mir is supposed to be 'brought down' (burned up in
> >atmosphere) in or around February. The last I heard, the Russians were
> >planning to renovate it and use it for a few more years. ??? Anyone know
> >what caused them to change their minds? Or have I heard wrong?
> >
> >--Kyle R. Mcallister
>
>
> You heard right.  Best guess they didn't want to say they might bring it 
> down, for fear it would scare away investors.  But they didn't get any 
> anyway, so they can't afford to renovate and maintain it.
>
> Kelly

Duh!
Pardon my igorance, but it would seem a simple solution to join MIR with our 
station and when an old space shuttle is on it's last flight send two joining 
a empty shuttle and returning the crew on the second. Volume of space station 
is increased about 4 fold and maybe room for me. Cost per pound to earth 
orbit is a limiting factor so it would seem what goes up does not have to 
come down.
Tom