91.  Weighing the risks against the potential benefits, NASA is betting on Mir and the rundown Russian space program to endure for at least another couple of years.

92.  While NASA says it is considering the change proposed by Russia at face value, some experts on the Russian space program question the motives behind the request.

93.  With the demise of the Soviet Union, which made the space race a priority for decades, the Russian space program has suffered from massive funding cuts.

94.  A delay of the launch of the Progress cargo ship may wreak havoc on the Mir, Interfax quoted Russian space officials as saying.

95.  A government resolution ordering the money released also called on Russian space officials to renegotiate the project timetable with NASA.

96.  A group of Western and Russian space buffs, who chartered two planes to chase the Mir and record its final moments, missed the show.

97.  A Russian rocket blasted into space Saturday night, heading for Mars in a mission that could give the struggling Russian space program a new lease on life.

98.  A Russian rocket blasted off Tuesday, carrying into a space a U.S. television satellite, the Russian space forces said.

99.  A Russian space ferry headed for the Mir orbiting station Wednesday loaded with gear for the March joint U.S.-Russian mission.

100.  A Russian space freighter carrying equipment for a joint U.S.-Russian mission next month docked Friday with the Mir orbiting station, a news agencies reported.