Posted: Fri, Mar 2, 2001, 6:43 PM ET (2343 GMT)
The US government will provide data to help Russia when it deorbits the Mir space station later this month, the State Department announced Friday. The US will provide Rosaviakosmos with tracking and trajectory data as well as scientific data on atmospheric conditions and solar activity, according to a statement released by the State Department. NASA will exchange such data with Rosaviakosmos through existing lines of communication, the statement noted. Russia will continue to accept sole responsibility for safely deorbiting the station, which is currently scheduled to come down over the south Pacific Ocean in mid-March. Russia has also asked the European Space Agency for similar data.

Related Links:

•  State Department statement
•  SPACE.com article