Russian space officials formally blamed the Mir's former crew for a nearly disastrous space collision in June and said Tuesday that the two cosmonauts likely would be fined.
In a harshly critical report, a space commission concluded "beyond any doubt" that Mir's former commander Vasily Tsibliyev and flight engineer Alexander Lazutkin were responsible for the June 25 accident, when a cargo ship slammed into the Mir during a practice docking, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.Valery Ryumin, Russian coordinator of the Mir-NASA program, said the finding was reached after a thorough examination of flight data.
"Personally we felt pity for the boys, but the facts remain," Ryumin said. "Most likely we will have to fine them, cutting the payments due under the contract."
The report comes as Tsibliyev and Lazutkin are still recovering after their grueling six-month stint on the space station, which was plagued by a series of breakdowns. They returned to Earth Aug. 14 and are supposed to wrap up their post-flight rehabilitation Friday.
The Russian media has long blamed the crew for the collision, citing anonymous sources saying that Tsibliyev failed to take into account extra weight that was on the cargo ship.
Tsibliyev and Lazutkin had apparently anticipated the decision. Upon their return to Earth, they blamed the collision on the Mir's worn-out equipment.
"It's easy to find a scapegoat," Tsibliyev told reporters within hours of landing. "But tomorrow a similar problem may happen with another cargo ship."
Ryumin would not specify what error the crew made. Nor did he elaborate on what amount of fines might be levied.
The Mir's current crew was busy Tuesday preparing for a spacewalk this weekend in which they will try to patch up the damaged station.
Mir's Russian commander Anatoly Solovyov and NASA astronaut Michael Foale planned to spend about five hours in their space-suits to simulate conditions for their spacewalk tentatively set for Saturday, said Mission Control spokeswoman Irina Manshilina.
NASA has not yet given formal authorization for Foale to take part in the spacewalk, which is expected to last close to six hours.
Foale has made only one space-walk and never before in a Russian spacesuit.