Description
Seventeenth Atlantis flight. This flight was the fourth to rendezvous and dock with the MIR space station. This was the first exchange of astronauts when John Blaha replaced Shannon Lucid, who had been on the MIR since late March. This was the first Shuttle to carry a double SPACEHAB module. The forward portion of this module was used to conduct experiments while on orbit, while the aft portion was used to house food, clothing, experiments, supplies and spare equipment to be transferred to the MIR. Landed September 26, 1996 at Kennedy Space Center, FL. Mission Duration: 243 hours 18 minutes 26 seconds. Launch Date: September 14, 1996. Launch Vehicle: Atlantis. Crew: Commander – William F. Readdy, Pilot – Terence W. Wilcutt, Mission Specialists – Thomas D. Akers, Jerome Apt, Carl E. Walz. MIR-23, Ascent Only: MS: John Blaha, MIR-22, Descent Only: MS: Shannon Lucid, MIR-22Decent Only: Cdr: Valery Korzum, MIR-22, Descent Only: FE: Alexandrer Kaleri. Iron-on. 4" tall, 4" at its widest point.
