Launch from Cape Canaveral (
KSC);
landing on Cape Canaveral (
KSC).
STS-81 marked the fifth MIR mission.
Following a two day solo flight the Atlantis docked with the MIR space station
on January 15, 1997. The crews performed five days of common flight (January
15, - January 20, 1997). Jerry
Linenger replaced John
Blaha
as member of the
22nd MIR
resident crew.
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 Jerry
Linenger and one by his Russian cosmonaut crewmates occurred
after the departure of Atlantis.
STS-81 was involved in the transfer of
2,710 kilograms (6,000 lb) of logistics to and from the MIR, the largest
transfer of items to date. During the docked phase, 635 kilograms (1,400 lb) of
water, 516.1 kilograms (1,138 lb) of U.S. science equipment, 1,000.7 kilograms
(2,206 lb) of Russian logistics along with 121.7 kilograms (268 lb) of
miscellaneous material was transferred to MIR. Returned to Earth aboard
Atlantis was 570.0 kilograms (1,257 lb) of U.S. science material, 404.5
kilograms (892 lb) of Russian logistics and 97.3 kilograms (215 lb) of
miscellaneous material.
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.
Following the undocking the
Atlantis made a flyaround of the MIR space station.
