Specialists at the Mission Control Centre (MCC) have elevated the minimum-distance orbit of the Russian space station Mir by 14 kilometres, which will enable it to go on operating for approximately three months and ensure a French cosmonaut's flight, planned for the winter and summer 1999.

An official in the press service of the MCC told Itar-Tass on Thursday that the orbit elevating operation was carried out "to prevent the station from descending from orbit earlier than planned and thereby meet international commitments. "

The French cosmonaut's flight aboard Mir station is to be made within a period from February to June 1999. Without the orbit adjustment the Mir could have descended from orbit before the summer of next year.

Flight Deputy Director Viktor Blagov has explained that "1998 saw a very active sun. Therefore an increased density of the atmosphere was observed in high altitudes. Consequently, the station's deceleration was more intensive. "

Last time the Mir station's orbit was adjusted in 1998. However, at that time, both the station's minimum and maximum distances from the Earth's surface were changed. However, the station's maximum distance from the Earth have now changed by only one centimetre and is 373 km.

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