American to Help Russians Fix Mir

U.S. astronaut Michael Foale will likely assist crew members on the Russian space station to install a new oxygen generator--a repair crucial to the mission and possibly the crew’s lives. Russian space officials never before asked a NASA astronaut to be a comrade and do nuts-and-bolts chores. But Mir has become increasingly dilapidated. The space shuttle Atlantis is expected to launch Thursday from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to carry Foale and the equipment. Both of Mir’s primary oxygen-generating units broke in March. The crew eventually fixed one, but installing the replacement as a backup is considered crucial. While the Russians admit Mir has had an unusual amount of trouble lately, they insist it’s safe and could last another few years.