The Russian Space Station MIR was assembled in orbit from pieces launched from the Asian spaceport of Baikonur in Kazakstan, east of the Aral Sea, February 20, 1986. "MIR" is a Russian word meaning "peace" or "world."

After 15 years in orbit, which included a variety of science experiments, several visits from American astronauts -- via docked Space Shuttles, a collision with a supply ship that crippled the Station, an onboard fire that nearly destroyed MIR, and a means for paving the way for future missions like the International Space Station, the aging 140 ton MIR was powered down and sent on a fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere to crash into the South Pacific Ocean, March 23, 2001.

MIR's original mission was only to last five years.

NASA's satellite tracking website displayed a good-bye salute to the venerable MIR Space Station on its last day in orbit.