Mir has been in space for 15 years

The Progress M1-5 "burial ship" docked at 0833 Moscow time (0533 GMT), slightly behind schedule, officials said.

Ground controllers intend to fire the thruster rockets of the cargo craft - which has two tonnes of fuel on board - to nudge Mir out of its orbit next month.

Most of the 15-year-old station is expected to burn up as it re-enters the atmosphere.

Russian space officials have tried to allay continuing fears that Mir might crash on land, saying plans are still on course for it to fall in an area of the Pacific Ocean some 6,000km by 1,000km, well to the east of Australia and New Zealand.

The Progress's successful docking was a relief after recent glitches with Mir's systems, including problems with the navigation system which had forced space officials to delay the launch of the cargo craft last week.

Breaking point

The decision to bring down Mir follows several accidents in recent years, including a serious fire and a near-fatal collision with a cargo ship in 1997.

It is important to avoid not only technological problems but also negative environmental and other consequences

Vladimir Putin

Russia has also found that its commitment to the new International Space Station (ISS) has stretched its funding to breaking point, making it unable to finance both space projects.

Moscow is desperately keen for the scuttling mission to pass off without mishap.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of the national security council on space issues: "It is important to avoid not only technological problems but also negative environmental and other consequences."

New markets

Moscow is now focusing its limited financial resources for space exploration on the $60bn International Space Station (ISS), a 16-nation venture which will build on Mir's legacy.

"I believe that Russia's future lies in international co-operation in space," Mr Putin said.

"There will not only be economic benefit and scientific advances, but also progress in putting Russian innovations on to world markets.

"There has been a sharp reduction in the benefits derived from space systems in terms of national security. We have to raise the role of space technology in the real economy, especially in science and production.

"Unfortunately there is nothing to be proud of in either the civil or military (space) sectors."