STS-81
Atlantis launches on STS-81
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| Mission type | Shuttle-Mir |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1997-001A |
| SATCAT no. | 24711 |
| Mission duration | 10 days, 4 hours, 56 minutes, 30 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 6,100,000 kilometres (3,800,000 mi) |
| Orbits completed | 160 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Atlantis |
| Payload mass | 2,250 kilograms (4,960 lb) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 6 |
| Members |
Michael A. Baker Brent W. Jett, Jr. Peter J.K. Wisoff John M. Grunsfeld Marsha S. Ivins |
| Launching | Jerry M. Linenger |
| Landing | John E. Blaha |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 12 January 1997, 09:27:23 UTC |
| Launch site | Kennedy LC-39B |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | 22 January 1997, 14:23:51 UTC |
| Landing site | Kennedy SLF Runway 33 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee | 380 kilometres (240 mi) |
| Apogee | 392 kilometres (244 mi) |
| Inclination | 51.6 degrees |
| Period | 92.2 min |
| Docking with Mir | |
| Docking port | SO starboard |
| Docking date | 15 January 1997, 03:54:49 UTC |
| Undocking date | 20 January 1997, 02:15:44 UTC |
| Time docked | 4 days, 22 hours, 20 minutes 55 seconds |
|
 Left to right - Front: Jett, Baker; Back: Grunsfeld, Blaha, Wisoff, Linenger, Ivins |
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STS-81 was a January 1997 Space Shuttle Atlantis mission to the Mir space station.
STS-81 was the fifth of nine planned missions to Mir and the second one involving an exchange of U.S. astronauts. Astronaut John Blaha, who had been on Mir since 19 September 1996, was replaced by astronaut Jerry Linenger. Linenger spent more than four months on Mir. He returned to Earth on Space Shuttle Mission STS-84.
Atlantis carried the SPACEHAB double module providing additional middeck locker space for secondary experiments. During the five days of docked operations with Mir, the crews transferred water and supplies from one spacecraft to the other. A spacewalk by Linenger and one of his Russian cosmonaut crewmates occurred after the departure of Atlantis.
The STS-81 mission included several experiments in the fields of advanced technology, Earth sciences, fundamental biology, human life sciences, microgravity, and space sciences. It was hoped that data would supply insight for the planning and development of the International Space Station, Earth-based sciences of human and biological processes, and the advancement of commercial technology.
On January 18, while Atlantis was docked to Mir, Grunsfeld placed a telephone call to the NPR show Car Talk, hosted by two of Grunsfeld's fellow MIT alumni, Tom and Ray Magliozzi.
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