STS-79

Infobox Space mission
mission_name = STS-79
insignia = STS-79 patch.svg
shuttle = Atlantis
launch_pad = 39-A
launch = September 16, 1996, 4:54:49.048 am
landing = September 26, 1996, 8:13:20 am EDT, KSC, Runway 15
duration = 10 days, 3 hours, 19 minutes, 28 seconds
altitude = 196 to 245 statute miles (315 to 394 km)
inclination = 51.6 degrees
orbits = 160
distance = 3.9 million miles (6.3 million km)
crew_photo = STS-79_crew.jpg
crew_caption =
previous = STS-78
next = STS-80

STS-79 was a Space Shuttle "Atlantis" mission to the Mir space station. It was the first shuttle mission to dock with Mir once it was fully assembled.

Crew

*William F. Readdy (3), Commander
*Terrence W. Wilcutt (2), Pilot
*Thomas D. Akers (4), Mission Specialist 2
*Jay Apt (4), Mission Specialist 1
*Carl E. Walz (3), Mission Specialist 3

Launched and stayed on Mir

*John E. Blaha (5), Mission Specialist 4

Landed and returned from Mir

*Shannon W. Lucid (5), Mission Specialist 4

Mission parameters

*Mass:
**"Spacehab-Double Module" 4,774 kg
**"Orbiter Docking System" 1,821 kg
*Perigee: 368 km
*Apogee: 386 km
*Inclination: 51.7°
*Period: 92.1 min

4th Mir docking mission

*Docked: September 19, 1996, 03:13:18 UTC
*Undocked: September 24, 1996, 01:31:34 UTC
*Time Docked: 4 days, 22 h, 18 min, 16 s

Mission highlights

STS-79 was the first shuttle mission to the fully completed Mir space station in its final configuration, following the arrival of the Priroda module. It was highlighted by return to Earth of U.S. astronaut Lucid after 188 days in space, first U.S. crew exchange aboard Russian Space Station Mir, and fourth Shuttle-Mir docking. Lucid's long-duration spaceflight set new U.S. record as well as world record for a woman. She embarked to Mir March 22 with STS-76 mission. Succeeding her on Mir for an approximately four-month stay was Blaha, who returned in January 1997 with STS-81 crew; U.S. astronaut Jerry Linenger replaced him.

STS-79 also marked second flight of SPACEHAB module in support of Shuttle-Mir activities and first flight of SPACEHAB Double Module configuration. The forward portion of the double module housed experiments conducted by the crew before, during and after "Atlantis" is docked to the Russian space station. The aft portion of the double module housed the logistics equipment to be transferred to the Russian space station. Logistics include food, clothing, experiment supplies, and spare equipment for Mir.

Shuttle-Mir linkup occurred at 11:13 p.m. EDT, Sept. 18, following R-bar approach. Hatches opened at 1:40 a.m., Sept. 19, and Blaha and Lucid exchanged places at 7 a.m. EDT. Awaiting Blaha on Mir were Valery Korzun, Mir 22 commander, and Alexander Kaleri, flight engineer.

During five days of mated operations, two crews transferred more than 4,000 pounds (1,814 kg) of supplies to Mir, including logistics, food and water generated by orbiter fuel cells. Three experiments also were transferred: Biotechnology System (BTS) for study of cartilage development; Material in Devices as Superconductors (MIDAS) to measure electrical properties of high-temperature superconductor materials; and Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), containing several smaller experiments, including self-contained aquatic systems.

About 2,000 pounds (907 kg) of experiment samples and equipment transferred from Mir to "Atlantis"; total logistical transfer to and from station of more than 6,000 pounds (2,722 kg) was most extensive to date. During her approximately six-month stay on Mir, Lucid conducted research in following fields: advanced technology, Earth sciences, fundamental biology, human life sciences, microgravity research and space sciences. Specific experiments included: Environmental Radiation Measurements to ascertain ionizing radiation levels aboard Mir; Greenhouse-Integrated Plant Experiments, to study effect of microgravity on plants, specifically dwarf wheat; and Assessment of Humoral Immune Function During Long-Duration Space Flight, to gather data on effect of long-term spaceflight on the human immune system and involving collection of blood serum and saliva samples. Some research conducted in newest and final Mir module, Priroda, which arrived at station during Lucid’s stay.

Three experiments remained on "Atlantis": Extreme Temperature Translation Furnace (ETTF), a new furnace design allowing space-based processing up to 871 degrees Celsius (1,600 degrees Fahrenheit) and above; Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) complement of 128 individual samples involving 12 different proteins; and Mechanics of Granular Materials, designed to further understanding of behavior of cohesionless granular materials, which could in turn lead to better understanding of how Earth’s surface responds during earthquakes and landslides.

As with all Shuttle-Mir flights, risk-mitigation experiments were conducted to help reduce development risk for the International Space Station. Flying for first time was the Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS), an experiment rack designed to cushion payloads from vibration and other disturbances.

Conducted near end of flight was test using orbiter’s small vernier jets to lower "Atlantis"’ orbit. Similar maneuver may be employed at end of second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, STS-82, to re-boost Hubble to a higher orbit while still in orbiter payload bay.

ee also

*Space science
*Space shuttle
*List of space shuttle missions
*List of human spaceflights chronologically

External links

* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-79/mission-sts-79.html NASA mission summary]
* [http://www.nss.org/resources/library/shuttlevideos/shuttle79.htm STS-79 Video Highlights]