The Rotational Dynamics of Mir
by Dr. Michael Foale, NASA Astronaut

"The Russian space station Mir is a solid body with unequal principal moments of inertia. Free body rotations initially begun about the middle principle axis, in general develop into rotations about the other pair of axes, in the course of free motion. This motion is problematic for a station that has lost attitude control, and that must maintain its solar arrays directed toward the sun to maintain electrical power."

Navigating on Mir: A Keynote Address

On Friday, June 19, 1998, at the Worldwide Mathematica Conference in Chicago, NASA Astronaut Michael Foale delivered a keynote address on his experiences living and working four four months aboard the Russian space station Mir.  The following is a transcript of his address.

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