|
|
Contact: Atlantis docks with Mir
January 15, 1997
Web posted at: 3:45 a.m. EST(CNN) -- Astronauts and cosmonauts cheered wildly and embraced early Wednesday after the space shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian space station Mir for a U.S. crew swap 240 miles above Earth.
(1.6M/28 sec. or 4.8M/28 sec. shuttle docking QuickTime movie)
NASA's John Blaha, who has been living on Mir since September, beamed as he hugged each of the six shuttle astronauts, including his replacement, Jerry Linenger.
"Welcome! Welcome!" Blaha said. "Welcome to space station Mir!"
The cosmonauts passed out the traditional Russian welcoming gift: small packages of bread and salt. "Mmmmm," the astronauts said, munching.
Linenger was impressed with both the bread -- he asked for seconds -- and his home for the next 4 1/2 months.
"Home looks great. It looks fantastic," he said. "John looks good. Everybody looks good, happy ... going to be a good life."
Faces were pressed to windows when Atlantis crept up to Mir and docked late Tuesday. The linkup came as the two huge spacecraft soared south of Moscow, both traveling at 17,500 mph.
"We see someone in the window of Mir with their thumb out," said shuttle commander Michael Baker, who guided Atlantis in at a scant inch per second. That someone was Blaha.
Blaha was back at the porthole an hour later, waving and waiting for the hatches to open.
"It's nice to see you guys," he said. "I saw you coming as a shiny star."
As part of the delicate docking maneuver, the two spacecraft hovered some 170 feet apart, awaiting ground clearance for the final approach. Docking velocity was a ponderous one tenth of a foot per second. Everything went smoothly and according to schedule, NASA reported. The docking occurred at 10:54 p.m.
This is the fifth joining of Atlantis and Mir, scheduled to last five days. The hatches between the spaceships were due to swing open about 90 minutes after the docking, to proceed with the main purpose of the rendezvous: the rotation of U.S. astronauts stationed on Mir.
Linenger, 41, will spend more than four months on the Russian space station, joining the ranks of only three other Americans who have lived in space for an extended period of time.
(298 K / 26 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)
A physician with a background in sports medicine, Linenger told CNN his perspective is unique. He will be the most athletic astronaut ever to spend a long time in space. Doctors can't wait to see how he fares.
"As a physician, I think I'm going to be maybe a little more tuned to some of the physiological changes that take place, and hopefully I'll be able to observe that a bit more closely," he said.
Astronauts lose bone and muscle in weightlessness, a problem NASA is trying to overcome, or at least manage, through regular orbital exercise.
View the
Vivo movieInterview with Linenger
Download a player
Vivo's technical FAQ Linenger says the commonness of American space travel still amazes him.
The Mir-bound astronaut's secondary goal for his lengthy mission is to work on realizing one of his earthly pursuits.
"My goal in life is to become a real good geographer ... to the point where I can peek out a window and pick out where I'm flying over Earth."
Linenger is due back on Earth in late May, one month before his wife Kathryn is due to give birth to their second child.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Special section:
CNN Interactive's extended coverageRelated stories:
- Atlantis blasts off for Mir rendezvous - January 12, 1997
- Atlantis slated for pre-dawn liftoff - January 11, 1997
- Atlantis undocks from fourth Mir docking - September 23, 1996
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
Watch these shows on CNN for more sci-tech stories:
CNN Computer Connection | Future Watch | Science & Technology Week
Tell us what you think!
You said it...
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.