Mir

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mir

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Mir?130,000 kilograms (286,000 pounds)
2. How big is Mir?Up to 6 crew members at a time
3. What is the core module launch date?February 19, 1986
4. What is the final de-orbit date?March 23, 2001
5. What was Mir and why was it called a "space house"?Mir was a giant modular space station that floated in orbit, where astronauts lived and worked for many years. Its name means "Peace" in Russian.
6. How did Mir stay habitable for so long?Mir was built in stages, adding new modules like labs and living quarters, which let people live there for 15 years. Astronauts did daily exercise and used special sleeping bags, food, and hygiene tools to cope with no gravity.

Microgravity: A condition of extremely low gravity, often experienced in orbital spaceflight.
Modular Construction: A method of building large structures by assembling pre-fabricated, interconnected units.
De-orbit Burn: The firing of thrusters to slow a spacecraft's velocity, causing it to descend from orbit.
Physiological Effects: Changes that occur in the body's functions due to environmental conditions or stimuli.