page_title: Space station
section_title: Mir (1986–2001)
hierarchical_section_title: Space station / History / Mir (1986–2001)
caption_attribution_description: English: View of the complete Mir Space Station after docking against a dark background (015-9,030), over a portion of the Earth (020-2,026-9), and over Australia (023-5). Identifier: STS074-716-021
context_page_description: A space station, also known as an orbital station or an orbital space station, is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. Stations must have docking ports to allow other spacecraft to dock to transfer crew and supplies.
  The purpose of maintaining an orbital outpost varies depending on the program. Space stations have most often been launched for scientific purposes, but military launches have also occurred. As of 2020, one fully operational and permanently inhabited space station is in low Earth orbit: the International Space Station, which is used to study the effects of long-term space flight on the human body as well as to provide a location to conduct a greater number and longer length of scientific studies than is possible on other space vehicles. China, India, Russia, and the U.S., as well as Bigelow Aerospace and Axiom Space, are all planning other stations for the coming decades.
context_section_description: Unlike previous stations, the Soviet space station Mir had a modular design; a core unit was launched, and additional modules, generally with a specific role, were later added to that.  This method allows for greater flexibility in operation, as well as removing the need for a single immensely powerful launch vehicle. Modular stations are also designed from the outset to have their supplies provided by logistical support craft, which allows for a longer lifetime at the cost of requiring regular support launches.
  Modules are still being developed based on the design and capabilities of Mir.
caption: Earth and the Mir station
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