### Clue: Senior officer takes Russian vehicle up to orbit space station (7)
### Answer: ADMIRAL 
 ### Explanation: Definition: Senior officer
  **Reversal of**(up, in a down clue) LADA(a Russian brand of car,vehicle) **containing**(to orbit,circle round) MIR(from the Russian for peace, the Russian-launched manned space station from 1986-2001).  Nice surface. 
Answer: Senior officer in the navy, equivalent to a general in the army.