To: SAO Public Affairs Caroline - here's the latest space news: Space Report No. 1, Jan 30, 1989 The Mir space station raised its orbit last week to counteract the effects of drag caused by high density in the upper atmosphere. Every 11 years as solar activity increases, the Earth's outer atmosphere becomes denser and low orbit satellites burn up. Three cosmonauts are working aboard the Mir station, which is the first permanently occupied space laborartory. Next week marks two years of continuous human presence in space. Space Shuttle Discovery was moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building last week for mating to its booster rockets. It will be moved to the launch pad next week and is likely to fly at the beginning of March. This STS-29 mission is to launch a tracking and data relay satellite which is needed to relay data from the Space Telescope (due next year). The Soviet space probe Phobos-2 entered orbit around Mars on Jan 29. It is the first Soviet Mars probe for 15 years. It will approach the Martian moon Phobos in March or April. A European Ariane rocket successfully launched an Intelsat communications satellite last week. The satellite provides transatlantic telephone and television service and is owned by an international consortium.