Launch from Cape Canaveral (
KSC);
landing on Edwards
AFB. A small leak of hydraulic fluid from the
hydraulic system was discovered, but no Minimum Duration Flight was
necessary.
Following a two day solo flight the Atlantis docked with the
MIR space station on March 24, 1996. Shannon
Lucid became member of the
21st resident crew
onboard the MIR (as research cosmonaut).
During the common flight of
STS-76 and MIR Linda
Godwin and Michael
Clifford performed an
EVA
on March 27, 1996 (6h 2m) to attach the MIR Environmental Effects Payload (
MEEP), including 4 different experiments, onto
handrails located on the MIR Docking Module.
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 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.
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.
Due to bad weather at the
KSC the
mission was extended one day and then diverted to the Edwards
AFB
