Oxygen Generators Fail Aboard Mir

The failure of a crucial pair of oxygen generators on Russia’s Mir space station limited air supply for the two Russians and one American aboard and was worrying, NASA officials said. The failure of the so-called Elektron devices, which generate breathing oxygen from waste water, has forced the crew to use a backup chemical system identical to one that sparked a fire on the station two weeks ago. Russian officials estimated the chemical system would provide enough oxygen for two months, by which time fresh supplies and spare parts for the bulky equipment should be delivered to the station by an unmanned resupply rocket.