After hearing and discussing Rocket-Space Corporation Energy General Designer U.P.Semevov's report on the fulfilling the flight program of the orbital complex Mir and proposals on its further exploitation, the Council draws attention to:

1. At present Russia has a unique piloted space complex Mir. It is outstanding technical construction of the twentieth century, continuously working in orbit for 14 years and remaining in complete fitness to work and is ready for the further exploitation, maintaining our country's status of a great space power. 136 cosmonauts and astronauts from 11 countries (Austria, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, UK, Germany, Kazakhstan, Syria, Slovakia, USA, France and Japan) and 2 astronauts from the European Space Agency worked at the station. They carried out versatile investigations with using complexes of the multifunctional equipment from eight countries of the world.

Comprehensive program of scientific researches and applied experiments on a such key leads as a space medicine and biology, astrophysics, geophysics, space material science and technology, biotechnology, space physics and astronomy was carried out.

Unique results of a world priority were obtained: - medical equipment for the space flights, which allows carrying out the interplanetary flights nowadays, was developed. The results of the investigations and facilities were brought in the practical medicine and are used by MES; - results of the astrophysics investigations are included in the all world catalogues; - samples of the semiconductor materials with characteristics unachievable on the Earth were received, it can lead the instrument-making to new level; - biopreparations, crystals and stamms, which were grown in the space conditions, give the opportunity to produce new effective medicines and other bioproduction.

For the first time in the history of the cosmonautics a wide consolidation of the different leads of the investigations with using multifunctional equipment from Russia, USA, Germany, France, Austria, Netherlands, Czechia and European Space Agency is realized at the station Mir.

1. Korolev Rocket-Space Corporation Energy together with the space industry leading enterprises in the difficult economic conditions of Russia has managed to fulfill the piloted program on the complex for the last four years, mainly by attraction of the non-budgetary means and credits of the commercial banks. Totally about 1 billion dollars of non-budgetary means were invested in the development of the space industry. And the state debts for the fulfilled work were constantly increasing and came to more than 800 million rubles by January 1, 1999.

2. According to the Russian Government Resolution No. 76 of January 21, 1999 a large amount of work to find and attract Russian and foreign investments to provide the further exploitation of the orbital station Mir was carried out. However all attempts to attract means failed and at present there are no means not only to continue the piloted program on the orbital station Mir, but to carry out its guided de-orbit in the planned area of the ocean.

3. Measures to provide the necessary level of safety in the station Mir during its transferring into a pilotless mode, ruling out the possibility of its non-planned de-orbit till February-March of 2000, examined and realized.

After detailed analyzing the problems with the piloted station Mir, forming a realistic estimate of the situation which is critical for about 200 enterprises of the rocket-space industry, understanding the exceptional importance of the piloted cosmonautics (specifically complex Mir's one) for the preservation of Russian scientific and technical potential and many thousands of working places for the highly skilled industry specialists, realizing the State importance of the problems under consideration and taking care for the prestige and future of Russia, the Chief Designers Council for Russian piloted programs decides:

1. To finish the piloted flight on the station Mir on August 23, 1999 providing its further flight in the pilotless mode, ruling out the possibility of its non-planned de-orbit till February-March of 2000, taking into consideration the possibility of its returning into exploitation in the piloted mode during this period.
2. To take measures to provide the safe working and guiding by the station Mir in the pilotless mode. To carry out delivery of the necessary means to set up the analog loop on the basis of the block for managing the mooring and attitude control (BMMA), reserve block of the command radio circuit Kvant, storage batteries and others. To launch the cargo ship Progress M-42 in the first decade of July of 1999 to carry out the delivery.
3. To address to the Russian Federation President, Government and RF Federal Assembly explaning the current situation and giving the reasons for the measures proposed by the Chief Designers Council in order to all branches of power can find and take the final decision on the future of the orbital complex Mir.
4. Consider it reasonable to continue a search of the non-budgetary means for financing and find the possibility of allocating the state-budgetary funds to provide the further exploitation of the orbital complex Mir in the piloted mode and to carry out its guided de-orbit into the planned area of the ocean after its active work; taking into consideration the process of deployment of the Russian segment in the International Space Station.
5. This decision is to be published in the mass media.

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