Mir frees parking space for dumping craft

Russian ground controllers have undocked an empty cargo ship from the Mir space station to free a parking space for another ship to help dump the aging station.

The move is part of Russia's preparation to discard the 15-year-old Mir by sending it burning into the atmosphere next month.

Russian space engineers first must secure delivery of the fuel necessary to force the station out of orbit and aim it into a target area in the Pacific Ocean east of Australia.

The incoming Progress cargo ship is laden with two tons of fuel and is scheduled to dock with Mir's Kvant module.

Controllers have made the docking port available by decoupling an empty cargo ship which had been attached since October.

Mission Control spokeswoman Nadezhda Zavyalova says the empty cargo ship will be discarded into the atmosphere.

The far more dramatic and technically challenging destruction of the 140-ton station is tentatively set for March 6.

The decision to dump Mir was made by the government last fall against the protests of many cosmonauts, space officials and politicians who deplored the loss of the last remaining symbol of Soviet space glory.

The government lacks the funds to keep Mir in orbit, and private investors have failed to raise enough money to continue its operation.