[FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, November 4 (Itar-Tass)--The Russian Space Agency (RSA) is going to ask the government in December to consider the possibility of extending the operation of the Mir orbital station, which was intended to be closed in mid- 1999, Mikhail Sinelshchikov, chief of the RSA manned programmes department, told Tass on Wednesday.

Sinelshchikov said the prolongation of the use of the Mir station is a matter of money. Therefore, the government will make a detailed economic analysis. It will sum up the results of the manned programme of the station's operation this year and possibilities for next year.

The operation of the orbital complex costs roughly 250 million dollars a year.

"It is for the Russian government to decide on the destiny of the Mir station, but it would be reasonable to close down the complex when cosmonauts are able to work on board a future international space station," Sinelshchikov said.

The time for the closure of the Mir station was decided on in May of this year, bearing in mind that an international space station will be in orbit by the summer of 1999 and will be manned by a crew. However, the schedule for creating the international space station, changed in early October, envisages that the first cosmonauts will set out on a voyage to the space station not earlier than in January 2000. Thus, there may be a gap of several months in prolonged manned space missions.

[Description of Source: ITAR-TASS -- Main government information agency; its first deputy director is affiliated with Menatep Bank.]

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