Velocity required for Earth orbit is about 17,500 MPH.  Escape velocity is
around 25k MPH. So yes, it takes a lot of horsepower... ie, *lots* of gas
(ok, LOX + Hydrogen) and *big* engines (in good condition :)  to burn it.
Mir has (or had) neither.

Speaking of Earth orbit, anyone know if a PIC's been in space yet?

- Mike

At 04:57 PM 3/23/2001 +1200, Jinx wrote:
>I've heard the question asked several times but never an answer
>
>Why is so much trouble being taken to crash Mir when it seems
>possible to send it out of orbit away from Earth ? Is it just a
>question of fuel ? There've been many cargo trips to Mir, just
>wondered why they didn't do it that way
>
>Thought I'd better ask now as there's only an hour before the old
>rustbucket's due over NZ and well, you never know. Although the
>planned braking bursts are said to be going OK and on schedule
>so no one's kacked their dacks yet about an unexpected visit
>
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