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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2011}}
{{no footnotes|date=May 2008}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = STS-76
| image = STS-76 docking with MIR.jpg
| image_caption = ''Atlantis'' mates with ''Kristall''{{'s}} APAS-89 docking port
| insignia = Sts-76-patch.png


{{More citations needed|date=January 2024}}
| spacecraft = {{OV|104}}
| mission_type = [[Shuttle-Mir program|Shuttle-Mir]]
| operator = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID = 1996-018A
| SATCAT = 23831
| orbits_completed = 145
| distance_travelled = {{Convert|3800000|mi|km|order=flip}} <small>estimated</small>
| mission_duration = 9&nbsp;days, 5&nbsp;hours, 16&nbsp;minutes, 48&nbsp;seconds
| launch_mass = {{convert|111740|kg}}
| landing_mass = {{convert|95396|kg}}
| payload_mass = {{convert|6753|kg}}


{{Short description|1996 American crewed spaceflight to Mir}}
| launch_site = [[Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy]] [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39|LC-39B]]
{{Use American English|date=December 2021}}
| launch_date = {{start-date|22 March 1996, 08:13:04|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}

{{Infobox spaceflight
| landing_date = {{end-date|31 March 1996, 13:28:57|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
| landing_site = [[Edwards Air Force Base|Edwards]] Runway&nbsp;22
| name = STS-76
| names_list = Space Transportation System-76

| crew_size = 6 up<br/>5 down
| image = STS-76 docking with MIR.jpg
| image_caption = ''Atlantis'' mates with ''Mir''{{'s}} Docking Module
| crew_members = [[Kevin P. Chilton]]<br/>[[Richard A. Searfoss]]<br/>[[Ronald M. Sega]]<br/>[[Michael R. Clifford]]<br/>[[Linda M. Godwin]]
| crew_launching = [[Shannon Lucid]]
| mission_type = [[Shuttle–Mir program|Shuttle–Mir]]
| crew_photo = STS-76 crew.jpg
| operator = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID = 1996-018A
| crew_photo_caption = Left to right - Front: Sega, Chilton, Searfoss; Back: Clifford, Lucid, Godwin.
| SATCAT = 23831

| mission_duration = 9 days, 5 hours, 15 minutes, 53 seconds (achieved)
| docking =
| distance_travelled = {{cvt|6100000|km}}
{{Infobox spaceflight/Dock
| orbits_completed = 145
|docking_target = [[Mir]]
| spacecraft = [[Space Shuttle Atlantis|OV-104]]
|docking_type = dock
| launch_mass = {{cvt|111740|kg}}
|docking_port = [[Mir Docking Module|SO]]&nbsp;starboard
| landing_mass = {{cvt|95396|kg}}
|docking_date = 24 March 1996, 02:34:05 UTC
| payload_mass = {{cvt|6753|kg}}
|undocking_date = 29 March 1996, 01:08:03 UTC
| launch_date = 22 March 1996, 08:13:03.999 UTC<ref name="ssmr-sts76" />{{rp|page=2}}
|time_docked = 4&nbsp;days, 22&nbsp;hours, 33&nbsp;minutes, 58&nbsp;seconds
| launch_site = [[Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy]], [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B|LC-39B]]
| launch_contractor = [[Rockwell International]]
| crew_size = 6 up<br/>5 down
| crew_members = {{Unbulleted list|[[Kevin P. Chilton]]|[[Richard A. Searfoss]]|[[Ronald M. Sega]]|[[Michael R. Clifford]]|[[Linda M. Godwin]]}}
| crew_launching = {{Unbulleted list|[[Shannon Lucid]]}}
| landing_date = 31 March 1996, 13:28:56.8 UTC<ref name="ssmr-sts76" />{{rp|page=8}}
| landing_site = [[Edwards Air Force Base|Edwards]], Runway{{nbsp}}22
| docking = {{Infobox spaceflight/Dock
| docking_target = [[Mir]]
| docking_type = dock
| docking_port = [[Mir Docking Module|SO]] starboard
| docking_date = 24 March 1996, 02:50:09.9 UTC<ref name="ssmr-sts76" />{{rp|page=4}}
| undocking_date = 29 March 1996, 01:08:03.4 UTC<ref name="ssmr-sts76" />{{rp|page=5}}
| time_docked = 4 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes, 54 seconds
}}
}}
| orbit_reference = [[Geocentric orbit]]
| orbit_regime = [[Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis = {{cvt|389|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis = {{cvt|411|km}}
| orbit_inclination = 51.60°
| orbit_period = 92.50 minutes
| apsis = gee
| insignia = Sts-76-patch.png
| insignia_caption = STS-76 mission patch
| crew_photo = STS-76 crew.jpg
| crew_photo_caption = Back: Clifford, Lucid, Godwin<br/>Front: Sega, Chilton, Searfoss
| programme = [[Space Shuttle program]]
| previous_mission = [[STS-75]]
| next_mission = [[STS-77]]
}}


'''STS-76''' was [[NASA]]'s 76th [[Space Shuttle]] mission, and the 16th mission for [[Space Shuttle Atlantis|''Atlantis'']]. STS-76 launched on 22 March 1996 at 08:13:04 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] from [[Kennedy Space Center]], [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B|launch pad 39B]]. STS-76 lasted over 9 days, traveled about {{cvt|6100000|km}} while orbiting Earth an estimated 145 times, and landing at 13:28:57 UTC on 31 March 1996 at [[Edwards Air Force Base]], runway 22.
| apsis = gee
| orbit_epoch =
| orbit_reference = [[geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime = [[Low Earth orbit|Low Earth]]
| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|389|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|411|km}}
| orbit_period = 92.5 min
| orbit_inclination = 51.6 degrees

| programme = [[Space Shuttle program]]
| previous_mission = [[STS-75]]
| next_mission = [[STS-77]]
}}
'''STS-76''' was [[NASA]]'s 76th [[Space Shuttle]] mission, and the 16th mission for [[Space Shuttle Atlantis|''Atlantis'']]. STS-76 launched on 22 March 1996 at 3:13&nbsp;am [[Eastern Time Zone|EST (UTC −5)]] from [[Kennedy Space Center]] [[Launch Complex 39|launch pad 39B]]. STS-76 lasted over 9 days, traveled about {{Convert|3800000|mi|sp=us}} while orbiting Earth an estimated 145 times, and landing at 5:28&nbsp;am [[Pacific Time Zone|PST (UTC −8)]] on 31 March 1996 at [[Edwards Air Force Base]] runway 22.


The flight was the third Shuttle mission to dock with the [[Russia]]n [[Space Station Mir]], as part of the [[Shuttle-Mir Program]], carrying astronaut [[Shannon Lucid]] to the orbital laboratory to replace NASA astronaut [[Norm Thagard]]. STS-76 also carried a [[SPACEHAB]] single module along with Lucid, and on flight day 6 [[Linda Godwin]] and [[Michael R. Clifford]] performed the first U.S. [[spacewalk]] around two docked spacecraft.
The flight was the third Shuttle mission to dock with the [[Russia]]n [[Space Station Mir]], as part of the [[Shuttle–Mir program]], carrying astronaut [[Shannon Lucid]] to the orbital laboratory to replace NASA astronaut [[Norman Thagard]]. STS-76 also carried a [[SPACEHAB]] single module along with Lucid, and on flight day 6, [[Linda M. Godwin]] and [[Michael R. Clifford]] performed the first U.S. [[spacewalk]] around two docked spacecraft since the last [[Skylab]] mission in 1974.


==Crew==
== Crew ==
{{Spaceflight crew
{{Spaceflight crew
|terminology = Astronaut
|terminology = Astronaut

|position1 = Commander
|position1 = Commander
|crew1_up = [[Kevin P. Chilton]]
|crew1_up = [[Kevin P. Chilton]]
|flights1_up = Third and last
|flights1_up = Third and last

|position2 = Pilot
|position2 = Pilot
|crew2_up = [[Richard A. Searfoss]]
|crew2_up = [[Richard A. Searfoss]]
Line 71: Line 72:
|crew3_up = [[Ronald M. Sega]]
|crew3_up = [[Ronald M. Sega]]
|flights3_up = Second and last
|flights3_up = Second and last

|position4 = Mission Specialist 2
|position4 = Mission Specialist 2<br>Flight Engineer
|crew4_up = [[Michael R. Clifford]]
|crew4_up = [[Michael R. Clifford]]
|flights4_up = Third and last
|flights4_up = Third and last

|position5 = Mission Specialist 3
|position5 = Mission Specialist 3
|crew5_up = [[Linda M. Godwin]]
|crew5_up = [[Linda M. Godwin]]
|flights5_up = Third
|flights5_up = Third

|position6 = Mission Specialist 4
|position6 = Mission Specialist 4
|crew6_up = [[Shannon Lucid]]
|crew6_up = [[Shannon Lucid]]
Line 84: Line 88:
}}
}}


===Spacewalks===
=== Spacewalks ===
*''''' Godwin and Clifford ''''' – EVA 1
* ''''' Godwin and Clifford ''''' – EVA 1
*'''EVA 1 Start''': 27 March 1996 – 06:34 UTC
* '''EVA 1 Start''': 27 March 1996 – 06:34 UTC
*'''EVA 1 End''': 27 March 1996 – 12:36 UTC
* '''EVA 1 End''': 27 March 1996 – 12:36 UTC
*'''Duration''': 6 hours, 02 minutes
* '''Duration''': 6 hours, 02 minutes


=== Crew seat assignments ===
==Mission highlights==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Third linkup between U.S. Space Shuttle and Russian Space Station [[Mir]] highlighted by the transfer of veteran astronaut [[Shannon Lucid]] to Mir to become the first American woman to live on the station. Her approximately four-and-a-half month stay also eclipsed long-duration U.S. spaceflight record set by the first American to live on Mir, [[Norm Thagard]]. Lucid was succeeded by astronaut [[John Blaha]] during [[STS-79]] in August, giving her distinction of membership in four different flight crews—two U.S. and two Russian—and her stay on Mir kicked off the continuous U.S. presence in space for the next two years.
! Seat<ref>{{cite web|title=STS-76|url=http://spacefacts.de/mission/english/sts-76.htm|publisher=Spacefacts|access-date=April 25, 2024}}</ref>
! Launch
! Landing
|rowspan=8| [[File:Space Shuttle seating plan.svg|150px]]<br />Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck.<br />Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck.
|-
! 1
|colspan=2| Chilton
|-
! 2
|colspan=2| Searfoss
|-
! 3
|Sega
|Godwin
|-
! 4
|colspan=2| Clifford
|-
! 5
|Godwin
|Sega
|-
! 6
|Lucid
|}


Payload bay configuration included Orbiter Docking System in forward area and [[SPACEHAB]] single module toward the aft. STS-76 marked first flight of SPACEHAB pressurized module to support Shuttle-Mir dockings; single module primarily served as stowage area for large supply of equipment slated for transfer to space station, but also carried [[European Space Agency]]'s Biorack experiment rack for on-orbit research.
[[Image:Sts076 Linda Godwin Spacewalk.jpg|right|thumb|Astronaut Linda Godwin translates along the longeron of ''Atlantis''' cargo bay starboard side during EVA1.]]
[[Image:STS-76 Atlantis Landing.jpg|right|thumb|''Atlantis'' lands at the Edwards Air Force Base on 31 March 1996.]]
[[Image:Shuttle_Atlantis_at_Davis_Monthan_AFB.jpg|right|thumb|Shuttle ''Atlantis'' arriving at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson AZ during the return trip from Edwards AFB to Kennedy Space Center April 1996.]]


== Mission highlights ==
''Atlantis'' hooked up with Mir on flight day three, following same R-bar approach employed on [[STS-74]]. Actual connection between Orbiter Docking System and Docking Module attached to Kristall module docking port occurred at 9:34&nbsp;pm EST, 24 March. Hatches opened a little less than two hours later. Awaiting ''Atlantis''' arrival were Mir 21 Commander [[Yuri Onufrienko]] and Flight Engineer [[Yuri Usachev]], who were launched to Mir on 21 February. In July, they were joined by Mir 22 Commander [[Valeri Korzun]], Flight Engineer [[Alexander Kaleri]] and [[CNES]] astronaut [[Claudie Haigneré|Claudie Andre-Deshays]]. After two-week stay, Andre-Deshays would return to Earth with Onufrienko and Usachev while Korzun and Kaleri remained on board with Lucid.
[[File:STS76 Atlantis Launch.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|left|Launch of STS-76]]


The mission was the third linkup between a U.S. Space Shuttle and Russian space station [[Mir]], and brought veteran astronaut [[Shannon Lucid]] to Mir to become the first American woman to live on the station. Her approximately four-and-a-half-month stay also eclipsed the long-duration U.S. spaceflight record set by the first American to live on Mir, [[Norman Thagard]]. Lucid was succeeded by astronaut [[John E. Blaha]] during [[STS-79]] in August 1996, giving her the distinction of membership in four different flight crews — two U.S. and two Russian—and her stay on Mir kicked off the continuous U.S. presence in space for the next two years.
During five days of docked operations, about 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms) of water and two tons of scientific equipment, logistical material and resupply items transferred to Mir; experiment samples and miscellaneous equipment brought over to orbiter. In Biorack, 11 separate scientific investigations were conducted. Study topics included effect of microgravity and cosmic radiation on plants, tissues, cells, bacteria and insects and effects of microgravity on bone loss. Also transferred to station were [[Mir Glovebox Stowage]] (MGBX) equipment to replenish glovebox already on station; [[Queen's University Experiment in Liquid Diffusion]] (QUELD) flown in orbiter middeck locker; and [[High Temperature Liquid Phase Sintering]] (LPS) experiment.


Payload bay configuration included the Orbiter Docking System in the forward area and a [[SPACEHAB]] single module toward the aft. STS-76 marked the first flight of a SPACEHAB pressurized module to support Shuttle-Mir dockings. The single module primarily served as a stowage area for a large supply of equipment for transfer to space station, but also carried the [[European Space Agency]]'s Biorack experiment rack for on-orbit research.
On flight day six, Godwin and Clifford conducted what some claim to be the first U.S. extravehicular activity (EVA) around two mated spacecraft. However, this appears to ignore the Apollo 9 EVA, and EVAs during Skylab. During six-hour, two-minute, 28-second EVA, they attached four [[Mir Environmental Effects Payload]] (MEEP) experiments to station's Docking Module. Experiments designed to characterize environment around Mir over an 18-month period. Godwin and Clifford wore [[Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue]] (SAFER) propulsive devices first flight-tested during [[STS-64]].


''Atlantis'' hooked up with Mir on flight day three, following same R-bar approach employed on [[STS-74]]. Actual connection between Orbiter Docking System and the Kristall module's docking port occurred at 02:50 UTC<ref name="ssmr-sts76">{{cite tech report |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/enwiki/api/citations/19970001425/downloads/19970001425.pdf |title=STS-76 Space Shuttle MIssion Report |publisher=[[NASA]] |date=May 1996 |accessdate=December 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628085442/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/enwiki/api/citations/19970001425/downloads/19970001425.pdf |archive-date=June 28, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|page=4}} on 24 March 1996. Hatches opened a little less than two hours later. Awaiting ''Atlantis'' arrival were Mir 21 Commander [[Yury Onufriyenko]] and Flight Engineer [[Yuri Usachov]], who were launched to Mir on 21 February 1996. In July, they were joined by Mir 22 Commander [[Valery Korzun]], Flight Engineer [[Aleksandr Kaleri]] and [[CNES]] astronaut [[Claudie Haigneré|Claudie André-Deshays]]. After a two-week stay, André-Deshays would return to Earth with Onufriyenko and Usachov while Korzun and Kaleri remained on board with Lucid.
Other payloads: [[Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment]] (SAREX); [[KidSat]], a project that gives middle school students opportunity to participate in space exploration; and [[Trapped Ions in Space]] (TRIS), a Naval Research Laboratory experiment flown in Get Away Special canister in cargo bay.


During five days of docked operations, about {{cvt|680|kg}} of water and two tons of scientific equipment, logistical material and resupply items were transferred to Mir. Experiment samples and miscellaneous equipment brought over to orbiter. In Biorack, 11 separate scientific investigations were conducted. Study topics included the effect of microgravity and cosmic radiation on plants, tissues, cells, bacteria and insects, and the effects of microgravity on bone loss. Also transferred to the station were the Mir Glovebox Stowage (MGBX) equipment to replenish the glovebox already on station, the Queen's University Experiment in Liquid Diffusion (QUELD) flown in the orbiter's middeck locker, and the High Temperature Liquid Phase Sintering (LPS) experiment.
==See also==

On flight day six, Godwin and Clifford conducted what some claim to be the first U.S. [[extravehicular activity]] (EVA) around two mated spacecraft. However, this appears to ignore the [[Apollo 9]] EVA, and EVAs during [[Skylab]]. During six-hour, two-minute, 28-second EVA, they attached four [[Mir Environmental Effects Payload]] (MEEP) experiments to the station's docking module - designed to characterize the environment around Mir over an 18-month period. Godwin and Clifford wore [[Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue]] (SAFER) propulsive devices - first flight-tested during [[STS-64]].

Other payloads included [[Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment]] (SAREX), [[Sally Ride EarthKAM|KidSat]], a project that gives middle school students opportunity to participate in space exploration, and Trapped Ions in Space (TRIS), a [[United States Naval Research Laboratory|Naval Research Laboratory]] experiment flown in a [[Getaway Special]] canister in the payload bay.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Sts076 Linda Godwin Spacewalk.jpg|Astronaut [[Linda M. Godwin]] translates along the longeron of ''Atlantis''' cargo bay starboard side during EVA 1.
Image:STS-76 Atlantis Landing.jpg|''Atlantis'' lands at the Edwards Air Force Base on 31 March 1996.
Image:Shuttle_Atlantis_at_Davis_Monthan_AFB.jpg|Shuttle ''Atlantis'' arriving at [[Davis–Monthan Air Force Base]], [[Tucson, Arizona]] during the return trip from [[Edwards Air Force Base]] to [[Kennedy Space Center]] in April 1996.
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
* [[List of human spaceflights]]
* [[List of human spaceflights]]
Line 113: Line 152:
* [[Outline of space science]]
* [[Outline of space science]]


==External links==
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-76/mission-sts-76.html NASA mission summary]

* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle76.htm STS-76 Video Highlights]
== External links ==
* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-76/mission-sts-76.html NASA mission summary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806102139/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-76/mission-sts-76.html |date=6 August 2013 }}
* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle76.htm STS-76 Video Highlights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715085651/http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle76.htm |date=15 July 2014 }}
* [http://www.balettie.com/sts-76/ STS-76 - Letters from the Lead FDO]
* [http://www.balettie.com/sts-76/ STS-76 - Letters from the Lead FDO]
{{Include-NASA}}


{{Shuttle-Mir}}
{{Shuttle-Mir}}
{{Space Shuttle Atlantis}}
{{Space Shuttle Atlantis}}
{{Manned Mir flight}}
{{Crewed Mir flights}}
{{All U.S. Space Shuttle Missions}}
{{All U.S. Space Shuttle Missions}}
{{Orbital launches in 1996}}
{{Orbital launches in 1996}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}


[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1996]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1996]]

Latest revision as of 15:56, 7 September 2024

STS-76
Atlantis mates with Mir's Docking Module
NamesSpace Transportation System-76
Mission typeShuttle–Mir
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1996-018A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.23831
Mission duration9 days, 5 hours, 15 minutes, 53 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled6,100,000 km (3,800,000 mi)
Orbits completed145
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftOV-104
Launch mass111,740 kg (246,340 lb)
Landing mass95,396 kg (210,312 lb)
Payload mass6,753 kg (14,888 lb)
Crew
Crew size6 up
5 down
Members
Launching
Start of mission
Launch date22 March 1996, 08:13:03.999 UTC[1]: 2 
Launch siteKennedy, LC-39B
ContractorRockwell International
End of mission
Landing date31 March 1996, 13:28:56.8 UTC[1]: 8 
Landing siteEdwards, Runway 22
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude389 km (242 mi)
Apogee altitude411 km (255 mi)
Inclination51.60°
Period92.50 minutes
Docking with Mir
Docking portSO starboard
Docking date24 March 1996, 02:50:09.9 UTC[1]: 4 
Undocking date29 March 1996, 01:08:03.4 UTC[1]: 5 
Time docked4 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes, 54 seconds

STS-76 mission patch

Back: Clifford, Lucid, Godwin
Front: Sega, Chilton, Searfoss
← STS-75
STS-77 →

STS-76 was NASA's 76th Space Shuttle mission, and the 16th mission for Atlantis. STS-76 launched on 22 March 1996 at 08:13:04 UTC from Kennedy Space Center, launch pad 39B. STS-76 lasted over 9 days, traveled about 6,100,000 km (3,800,000 mi) while orbiting Earth an estimated 145 times, and landing at 13:28:57 UTC on 31 March 1996 at Edwards Air Force Base, runway 22.

The flight was the third Shuttle mission to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir, as part of the Shuttle–Mir program, carrying astronaut Shannon Lucid to the orbital laboratory to replace NASA astronaut Norman Thagard. STS-76 also carried a SPACEHAB single module along with Lucid, and on flight day 6, Linda M. Godwin and Michael R. Clifford performed the first U.S. spacewalk around two docked spacecraft since the last Skylab mission in 1974.

Crew

[edit]
Position Launching Astronaut Landing Astronaut
Commander Kevin P. Chilton
Third and last spaceflight
Pilot Richard A. Searfoss
Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Ronald M. Sega
Second and last spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2
Flight Engineer 		Michael R. Clifford
Third and last spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3 Linda M. Godwin
Third spaceflight
Mission Specialist 4 Shannon Lucid
EO-21
Fifth and last spaceflight 		None

Spacewalks

[edit]
  • Godwin and Clifford – EVA 1
  • EVA 1 Start: 27 March 1996 – 06:34 UTC
  • EVA 1 End: 27 March 1996 – 12:36 UTC
  • Duration: 6 hours, 02 minutes

Crew seat assignments

[edit]
Seat[2] Launch Landing
Seats 1–4 are on the flight deck.
Seats 5–7 are on the mid-deck.
1 Chilton
2 Searfoss
3 Sega Godwin
4 Clifford
5 Godwin Sega
6 Lucid


Mission highlights

[edit]
Launch of STS-76

The mission was the third linkup between a U.S. Space Shuttle and Russian space station Mir, and brought veteran astronaut Shannon Lucid to Mir to become the first American woman to live on the station. Her approximately four-and-a-half-month stay also eclipsed the long-duration U.S. spaceflight record set by the first American to live on Mir, Norman Thagard. Lucid was succeeded by astronaut John E. Blaha during STS-79 in August 1996, giving her the distinction of membership in four different flight crews — two U.S. and two Russian—and her stay on Mir kicked off the continuous U.S. presence in space for the next two years.

Payload bay configuration included the Orbiter Docking System in the forward area and a SPACEHAB single module toward the aft. STS-76 marked the first flight of a SPACEHAB pressurized module to support Shuttle-Mir dockings. The single module primarily served as a stowage area for a large supply of equipment for transfer to space station, but also carried the European Space Agency's Biorack experiment rack for on-orbit research.

Atlantis hooked up with Mir on flight day three, following same R-bar approach employed on STS-74. Actual connection between Orbiter Docking System and the Kristall module's docking port occurred at 02:50 UTC[1]: 4  on 24 March 1996. Hatches opened a little less than two hours later. Awaiting Atlantis arrival were Mir 21 Commander Yury Onufriyenko and Flight Engineer Yuri Usachov, who were launched to Mir on 21 February 1996. In July, they were joined by Mir 22 Commander Valery Korzun, Flight Engineer Aleksandr Kaleri and CNES astronaut Claudie André-Deshays. After a two-week stay, André-Deshays would return to Earth with Onufriyenko and Usachov while Korzun and Kaleri remained on board with Lucid.

During five days of docked operations, about 680 kg (1,500 lb) of water and two tons of scientific equipment, logistical material and resupply items were transferred to Mir. Experiment samples and miscellaneous equipment brought over to orbiter. In Biorack, 11 separate scientific investigations were conducted. Study topics included the effect of microgravity and cosmic radiation on plants, tissues, cells, bacteria and insects, and the effects of microgravity on bone loss. Also transferred to the station were the Mir Glovebox Stowage (MGBX) equipment to replenish the glovebox already on station, the Queen's University Experiment in Liquid Diffusion (QUELD) flown in the orbiter's middeck locker, and the High Temperature Liquid Phase Sintering (LPS) experiment.

On flight day six, Godwin and Clifford conducted what some claim to be the first U.S. extravehicular activity (EVA) around two mated spacecraft. However, this appears to ignore the Apollo 9 EVA, and EVAs during Skylab. During six-hour, two-minute, 28-second EVA, they attached four Mir Environmental Effects Payload (MEEP) experiments to the station's docking module - designed to characterize the environment around Mir over an 18-month period. Godwin and Clifford wore Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER) propulsive devices - first flight-tested during STS-64.

Other payloads included Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX), KidSat, a project that gives middle school students opportunity to participate in space exploration, and Trapped Ions in Space (TRIS), a Naval Research Laboratory experiment flown in a Getaway Special canister in the payload bay.

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e STS-76 Space Shuttle MIssion Report (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. May 1996. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  2. ^ "STS-76". Spacefacts. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
[edit]
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