...Inspector and pinpoint the problem, but the odds of success were considered low, said Vera Medvedkova, spokeswoman at Russia's Mission Control just outside Moscow. The Inspector never managed to orient itself properly after its release this morning...

MOSCOW (AP) - This time, the scare didn't come from Mir's own aging equipment or a crew member's error. A U.S. satellite zipped by the space station, coming within 500 yards of Mir and forcing its three occupants into an escape capsule because they feared a collision, Russian officials said Tuesday. In a reversal of roles, American space officials played down the Monday night incident and said the defunct satellite was twice that distance from Mir. "It wasn't anything major. ...This happens every month," said John Lawrence, a spokesman for the U.S. space agency.

...the repair equipment being sent up on a cargo ship that blasts off Saturday, said Vera Medvedkova, spokeswoman at Russia's Mission Control. She said the delay did not reflect any new problems with the Mir. The walk into the airless module...