Mir plunges out of orbit

The Russian space station Mir broke up in the atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on March 23, 2001, ending its reign as the heaviest artificial object to orbit Earth. The successful retirement of the aging outpost brought relief to Pacific Rim and island nations, which had warned residents to seek shelter should the 135-ton orbiter stray from its intended course, an uninhabited expanse between New Zealand and Chile.