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 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, Norm Thagard. Lucid was succeeded by astronaut John 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 21:34 EST, 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.
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations March 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources STS 76 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 STS 76Atlantis mates with Mir s Docking ModuleNamesSpace Transportation System 76Mission typeShuttle MirOperatorNASACOSPAR ID1996 018ASATCAT no 23831Mission duration9 days 5 hours 16 minutes 48 seconds achieved Distance travelled6 100 000 km 3 800 000 mi Orbits completed145Spacecraft propertiesSpacecraftOV 104Launch mass111 740 kg 246 340 lb Landing mass95 396 kg 210 312 lb Payload mass6 753 kg 14 888 lb CrewCrew size6 up5 downMembersKevin P ChiltonRichard A SearfossRonald M SegaMichael R CliffordLinda M GodwinLaunchingShannon LucidStart of missionLaunch date22 March 1996 08 13 04 UTCRocketSpace Shuttle Atlantis mission 16 Launch siteKennedy Space Center LC 39BContractorRockwell InternationalEnd of missionLanding date31 March 1996 13 28 57 UTCLanding siteEdwards Air Force Base Runway 22Orbital parametersReference systemGeocentric orbitRegimeLow Earth orbitPerigee altitude389 km 242 mi Apogee altitude411 km 255 mi Inclination51 60 Period92 50 minutesDocking with MirDocking portSO starboardDocking date24 March 1996 02 34 05 UTCUndocking date29 March 1996 01 08 03 UTCTime docked4 days 22 hours 33 minutes 58 secondsSTS 76 mission patchBack Clifford Lucid GodwinFront Sega Chilton SearfossSpace Shuttle program STS 75STS 77 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 Contents 1 Crew 1 1 Spacewalks 2 Mission highlights 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksCrew EditPosition Launching Astronaut Landing AstronautCommander Kevin P ChiltonThird and last spaceflightPilot Richard A SearfossSecond spaceflightMission Specialist 1 Ronald M SegaSecond and last spaceflightMission Specialist 2 Michael R CliffordThird and last spaceflightMission Specialist 3 Linda M GodwinThird spaceflightMission Specialist 4 Shannon LucidEO 21Fifth and last spaceflight NoneSpacewalks 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 minutesMission 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 Norm Thagard Lucid was succeeded by astronaut John 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 21 34 EST 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 Andre Deshays After a two week stay Andre 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 Gallery Edit Astronaut Linda M Godwin translates along the longeron of Atlantis cargo bay starboard side during EVA 1 Atlantis lands at the Edwards Air Force Base on 31 March 1996 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 See also Edit Spaceflight portalList of human spaceflights List of human spaceflights to Mir List of Space Shuttle missions Outline of space scienceReferences EditExternal links EditNASA mission summary Archived 6 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine STS 76 Video Highlights Archived 15 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine STS 76 Letters from the Lead FDO Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title STS 76 amp oldid 1119676199, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
