CAPE CANAVERAL, AUG 8: Space shuttle Discovery and a crew of six rocketed into orbit on Thursday to drop off a satellite that will spend the next week studying earth's ozone layer.The astronauts immediately began preparing for the release of the satellite, the main job of the 11-day science mission that also features tests of a new robotic arm and observations of the Hale-Bopp comet.Ground controllers had trouble sending commands to the satellite and so delayed its release. Power to the craft was turned off and then back on, which fixed the data-relay problem but put the astronauts a half-hour behind.The satellite is supposed to spend nine days flying free of Discovery, measuring atmospheric gases and temperatures. During that time, National Aeronautic Space Agency (NASA) and the German Space Agency will launch 66 small rockets and weather balloons as well as a research plane to examine the same piece of sky.Scientists say the findings will help them better understand ozone depletion.Replacement team docks with Mir A replacement crew arrived at the Mir space station on Thursday, and docked to it, bringing the promise of relief to beleaguered cosmonauts and repairs to their battered craft.Although the arriving cosmonauts have stressed that they intend to continue the station's scientific research, their most important role will be as repairmen entrusted with bringing the limping station back to full power.The delay in the oxygen generation repair added another chore to their list. Russian officials stressed that the new complication does not leave the crew in a dangerous situation, since there is enough air to last at least two-and-a- half months.
