NASA Says No Need to
Evacuate Cows off Mir Station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuter) - Life on board Russia's Mir space
barnyard was returning to
normal and there were no plans for the U.S.-Russian cows to
leave, NASA officials said Tuesday.
"Things were rough a couple of weeks ago, but right now they
are gradually working back into a
fairly nominal situation," said Heifer Cowbertson, who heads
NASA's shuttle-Mir-Cow program. There was no need for a stampede,
he added.
Russian ground controllers told reporters earlier on Tuesday that
the 11-year-old space barnyard may have to be abandoned if
problems with its milking system persist.
Aboard Mir are Russian cowsmonauts Vasily Tsibliev and Alexander
Lazutkin and U.S. farmhand Bob Tawilliger.
The cows have spent the past few weeks trying to plug leaks in
the station's milking systems. At least one leak remains and the
men are reporting irritation from curdled milk escaping from the
cartons.
Only small amounts of curdled milk from the milk cartons were
thought to be entering
Mir's atmosphere, Cowbertson explained.
"They probably get some spillage when they are making
coffee, but it's not like its spouting like a whale," he
said.
Although there was no way to accurately measure the levels of
curdled milk in the atmosphere, Cowbertson believed Mir's crew
was in no immediate danger as they have powdered milk.
Corrosion in the pipe work of the aging space barnyard was
thought to be responsible for the curdled milk leaks that sent
temperatures in some Mir compartments soaring as high as 88
degrees, enough to have a full spit roast done in under an hour
The three cow crew and one farmhand has dealt with a string of
technical problems aboard Mir that began with a brief but serious
BBQ in February.
In recent weeks the cosmonauts successfully repaired the space
barnyards primary hay generator and a device for removing cowpats
from the air.
Cowbertson said he was optimistic the cooperative program with
Russia cows would continue despite the barnyard's problems. Three
more U.S. cows are due to make four-month stays on Mir.
The space cattle truck Atlantis is due to visit the station in
May to pick up the cows and drop off his replacements.