Cosmonauts replace Mir8217;s failed computer

CAPE CANAVERAL FLORIDA, June 1: Cosmonauts aboard the Russian space station Mir replaced a failed computer with a new one to steady the orbiting outpost for the shuttle discovery8217;s arrival.

NASA officials were hopeful Mir would be operating normally again before the shuttle8217;s scheduled lift-off tomorrow. Discovery cannot dock with Mir unless the station8217;s automatic steering system is working. The American astronaut aboard Mir, Andrew Thomas, was a little antsy about the slight chance that his ride home might be delayed, said Frank Culbertson, Nasa8217;s shuttle-Mir director.

quot;You expect somebody to come pick you up and then they call and say, well, they8217;re having second thoughts,quot; he said. quot;That8217;s what a person in that situation would probably think. But we8217;re going to go get him.quot;