A rough year for Mir

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to stay very busy around here."
U.S. astronaut David Wolf, aboard Mir

In simple terms, the problems that Russian space station Mir faced in 1997 are familiar to many on Earth -- broken air conditioners, frequent computer crashes and a fender-bender.

But there are no routine problems 240 miles above the Earth, in the vacuum of space.

In February, fire destroyed one of two oxygen generators. A month later, the second oxygen generator malfunctioned, leaving only a two-month supply of air.

Then in April, repairs to Mir's cooling system caused the carbon dioxide scrubber to overheat, forcing the crew to shut it down and use a backup system.

Humidity control systems also failed, leaving the crew languishing in tropical conditions while they made repairs.

The most serious problem began June 25, when an unmanned cargo ship collided with Mir's Spektr module, cracking its hull and forcing the crew to cut power cables as they slammed the hatch shut.

Restoring power took months, including walks in space and into Spektr, which was not much more hospitable. Repeated crashes of Mir's computers were also a constant concern, and power losses sent Mir tumbling in space.

At year's end, the station had been restored to nearly full power, raising hopes that the crew would be able to resume the scientific experiments that brought them to Mir in the first place.

Through all of the crises, officials stressed that the lives of the crew were never in danger -- a Soyuz module remained docked to the station, ready to serve as a lifeboat back to Earth.

And while the station's safety was debated, NASA sent astronauts to Mir three times in 1997. John Blaha, who began the year aboard the station, was replaced by Jerry Linenger, followed by Michael Foale and David Wolfe.

Though concerns over the aging station persist -- launched in 1986, the original module was intended to last only five years -- space officials plan to keep Mir in operation until the end of the decade, when the new international space station is expected to be in place.