(25 Sep 1997) English/Nat
The U-S space agency NASA has given the go-ahead for the shuttle Atlantis to dock with Mir.
NASA says it shares the concern over safety aboard the ageing Mir space station.
But the U-S space agency says it is giving the green light for David Wolf as the next U-S astronaut to visit Mir, after a review of Mir's problem-plagued recent past.
Space shuttle Atlantis sits atop its launch pad on Thursday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ready for a night time launch.
And astronaut David Wolf will be along for the ride.
NASA went down to the wire on its decision to send the 41-year old Wolf, an engineer-doctor set for a four-month stay aboard Mir.
NASA chief Daniel Goldin made that decision official Thursday morning, after last-minute safety reviews.
Despite mounting safety concerns about the ageing Mir, Goldin said Wolf and the U-S role in helping keep Mir afloat would continue.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
''Tonight, the shuttle Atlantis will launch, sending David Wolf to replace Michael Foale and continue American presence on board Mir."
SUPER CAPTION: Daniel Goldin, NASA Administrator
NASA's move to send Wolf was based on what Goldin called a "careful" review of the risks of sending another U-S astronaut to Mir.
And it's a move that Wolf encouraged.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I have also spoken to David Wolf. I asked him if he is confident in NASA's safety review and if he thought we should go ahead. He answered with a resounding yes."
SUPER CAPTION: Daniel Goldin, NASA Administrator
The Atlantis crew of seven are to link up with Mir to deliver much-needed supplies, including a replacement computer for the one that regularly crashes aboard Mir.
They'll also be there to retrieve U-S astronaut Michael Foale.
NASA chief Goldin said the decision on Wolf was backed by Foale, despite his own perilous stay on Mir.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"In a status report from Michael Foale he urged our continued participation aboard Mir space station and that David Wolf replaces him on Mir.''
SUPER CAPTION: Daniel Goldin, NASA Administrator
Mir has faced numerous problems in its eleven-plus years in Earth's orbit including a string of recent mishaps; most notably a terrifying fire and collision that almost forced the crew to abandon ship.
But a NASA team, helped along by an independent safety panel, say the Russians have worked hard to fix the problems, minimizing the risks.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The basic systems are in decent shape to go. Now just like a ship at sea for a long period of time or a subway or an airplane, you are going to have systems problems and anomalies and when you have that you go work on them. And that's exactly what's been done."
SUPER CAPTION: Thomas Stafford, NASA Mir safety analyst
But critics of a U-S presence on the crippled Mir say the danger of recurring problems continues to pose a threat to those on board.
Some U-S lawmakers charged with monitoring NASA say the risks, and the growing costs, far outweigh the benefits of helping the Russians keep Mir in orbit.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The question is whether we as taxpayers want to spend 472 (m) million (dollars U-S) to the Russians to put astronauts' lives at increased risk, basically to give an extra pair of hands to help fix a Russian piece of equipment that is falling apart. I answer that question `No.' "
SUPER CAPTION: James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Republican, Wisconsin
Any more mishaps on the Mir space station will test the patience of many in the U-S, including NASA.
But for now though it's all systems go.
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