英语新闻与报道—News & Reports 108（在线收听）

 Wk 08 (19 February 1986)

Russia Launches The First Space StationThis Week in HistoryRussia launches the first modules of the MIR space station into orbit around the earth.

In 1986, Russia launched the first of several modules of the MIR space station into orbit around the earth. It was the first permanently inhabited space station and was assembled by connecting several modules, each launched separately from 1986 to 1996. The space station could support as many as six crew-members at any one time. These included not only Russians but astronauts from several other countries, among them the USA and Afghanistan. The MIR space station continued to orbit the earth until March 23, 2001.