Mir Checked for Leaks as Space Shuttle Leaves Station for Home

Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew pulled away from Mir for the flight home Friday, leaving behind an American astronaut as well as a new computer that should make his four-month stay safer and more productive.

Mir’s newest astronaut, David Wolf, watched quietly as Atlantis backed away in darkness 250 miles above Russia. Aboard the shuttle was Michael Foale, headed home after an often-stressful 4 1/2 months aboard the troubled Russian space station.

The crew members wished each other good luck in Russian.

Atlantis’ crew lingered in space for a short time to try to find the holes in Mir that were caused by a collision in June with an unmanned cargo ship.

With Atlantis hovering 240 feet away, Mir’s crew twice injected a burst of air into the sealed-off Spektr lab module that was punctured during the collision. The shuttle astronauts aimed zoom lenses at the module in hopes of locating any particles that might be forced out the holes.

Moments after the first blast of air, an Atlantis astronaut as well as a Mir cosmonaut saw particles floating from the base of the solar panel damaged in the accident. Only one piece of debris was spotted after the second blast.

Flight directors had doubted that the crew in orbit would see anything unusual. The film and video still need to be analyzed on the ground.

Atlantis is due back on Earth on Sunday night. Foale has said repeatedly that he is looking forward to seeing his wife and two young children. He has been away since May.

Wolf, meanwhile, is not due back until a space shuttle returns in January with his replacement, if NASA decides to send one.

NASA waited until Sept. 24, one day before liftoff, before approving Wolf’s mission. Members of Congress had urged that his trip be scrapped because of the escalating number of problems aboard Mir, but NASA pronounced the station safe enough.

Atlantis left Mir after six days of linked flight, during which more than 10,000 pounds of gear was transferred back and forth, including a new computer for the space station.