51.  Russian space officials said Thursday that it would take two weeks to transport vital repair equipment to the stricken Mir space station .

52.  Russian space officials spent months orchestrating the re-entry to ensure no accidents or fatalities would occur.

53.  Russian space controllers, though, want to squeeze another two years of service out of the aged craft.

54.  Russian space officials said later that the crew members had investigated five of seven possible areas where the point might be located.

55.  Russian space officials say the situation is serious, but does not threaten the lives of the Russian-American crew.

56.  Scientific teams will be based at Ames in Mountain View and a Russian space research facility.

57.  Seeking to drum up business, Koptev insists that Russian space launchings are far less costly than in the West.

58.  Russian space officials believe they can talk the Mir crew through repairs to the module that was punctured in a midspace collision.

59.  Russian space officials expect Yeltsin to sign the decree next week.

60.  Russian space officials have said that because of their financial problems, they have come to rely on American shuttle visits to ferry supplies and equipment to Mir.