Did science suffer?

Fire breaks out, damaging an oxygen-making machine

NASA insists that the dangers have been exaggerated. "The risks, when you put them in total context, are very low, and no greater on the Mir than they on any space vehicle at any moment in time," said NASA spokesman Rob Navias.

"If you look at how harsh the space environment is, and how big that complex is, the number of significant problems they've had over the course of 12 years have been microscopic compared to the amount of time spent on orbit," Navias said. "They have had an amazing track record of reliability and durability, as they have with all the hardware they ever built, the Russians. They build hardware to last."

Navias also takes issue with Sensenbrenner's claim that the problems aboard Mir got in the way of the planned scientific work. The repairs only seriously interfered with one of the seven astronauts to visit Mir, and slightly hindered another, he said.

'The number of significant problems they've had over the course of 12 years have been microscopic compared to the amount of time spent on orbit.' -- NASA spokesman Rob Navias

"Overall we have accomplished almost all of the scientific objectives set out. In fact, on the last increment just completed by David Wolf, he had a trouble-free four months in orbit," Navias said.

Even the repair work itself was important for the future, Navias said. "When (Mir crew members) do encounter a problem, they stay on board and they fix it. And that's what we're going to be doing with the international space station, a very critical lesson."

Part 5: Buck Rogers, or just big bucks?

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