Rob Navias
Johnson Space Center, Houston
Phone: 281/483-5111
Release: J00-47
The Harris County Coroner’s post mortem exam regarding the death of
Russian national Evgeny Mironov last Wednesday has listed accidental
drowning as the cause of death. There was no evidence that alcohol or
drug usage was in any way connected with Mr. Mironov’s death nor was
there any evidence of foul play or injury connected with this accident.
Mironov, a single 37 year-old male, was a computer systems specialist.
He had reported to JSC for a 50-day assignment on Monday, July 24, just
two days before the accident. He was an employee of the TsNIIMASH
company, which provides ground segment support for flight control
operations at TsUP, the Russian Mission Control Center, located in
Korolev, just outside of Moscow.
According to Russian officials, Mironov was known as a high-level
systems specialist, a mild mannered person, always ready to come to his
colleague’s help.
Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos) officials in Houston
are coordinating with their counterparts in Moscow. Mironov’s next of
kin, his father, mother, and brother, have been notified. Management at
the TsNIIMASH company has also been made aware of the accident. Mironov
will be flown back to Moscow during this week.
“This is a very sad and tragic accident,” said Randy Stone, Director of
Mission Operations at JSC. “For many years now, American and Russian
space employees have worked hard to make the vision of the International
Space Station an orbiting reality. The close knit working relationship
between Americans and Russians that has grown over the last several
years has created a feeling of family, so the whole space flight
community feels this loss. I know I speak for everyone here at JSC in
extending our prayers and sympathies to the Mironov family.”
