Would-Be U.S. Space Tourist Hopes Mir Has Time Left. Let’s say you knew that the Mir had outlived its projected lifetime three-fold already and that the Russians were debating scrapping it even despite the loss of face and the loss of $20-million-a-throw revenues from rich American cosmonaut-wannabe’s like yourself. Would you be hoping those that wanted it to stay in orbit and let you hitch a ride up to it won the debate?