The American space shuttle Discovery has docked successfully with the Russian space station Mir, despite problems with the station's main computer and the shuttle's communications system.

Ninety minutes after the docking, the crew of Mir opened their hatch to welcome the American astronauts on board.

They are due to take home one of their compatriots, Andrew Thomas, who was spent the last four months at the Mir station.

The docking is the last an American shuttle will make with the twelve-year-old Mir, which is due to be taken out of service next year.

The station has been beset by major problems since it collided with an unmanned cargo vessel last year.