




NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

SPACE SHUTTLEMISSION STS-79
SEPTEMBER 1996

4th Shuttle-Mir Docking Mission

For Information on the Space Shuttle

Ed Campion  Policy/Management202/358-1778
  Headquarters, Washington, DC

Rob Navias  Mission Operations, Astronauts713/483-5111
  Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

Bruce Buckingham Launch Processing, KSC Landing  407/867-2468
  Kennedy Space Center, FL

June Malone  External Tank/Shuttle Propulsion    205/544-0034
  Marshall Space Flight Center,Huntsville, AL




Cam Martin   DFRC Landing Information805/258-3448
  Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA

For Information on STS-79 Experiments & Activities


Mike Braukus               Mir Science202/358-1979
  Headquarters, Washington, DC

James Cast                    202/358-1779
  Headquarters, Washington, DC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL BACKGROUND

 1.0 General Release
 2.0 Media Services Information
 3.0 Quick-Look Facts



 4.0 Crew Responsibilities
 5.0 Developmental Test Objectives/Detailed
     Supplementary Objectives/Risk Mitigation Experiments
 6.0 Mission Summary Timeline
 7.0 Payload and Vehicle Weights
 8.0 Shuttle Abort Modes
 9.0 Mir Rendezvous and Docking
10.0 Shuttle/Mir Science

In-Cabin Payloads:
11.0 Commercial Payloads
12.0 IMAX
13.0 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX)

14.0 STS-79 Crew Biographies
     William Readdy, Commander (CDR)
Terry Wilcutt, Pilot (PLT)
     Jay Apt, Mission Specialist 1 (MS 1)
     Tom Akers, Mission Specialist 2 (MS 2)
     Carl Walz, Mission Specialist 3 (MS 3)

     John Blaha, Mission Specialist 4 (MS 4)
     Shannon Lucid, Mission Specialist 4 (MS 4) Docking-Landing

1.0 GENERAL RELEASE :  96-179

ASTRONAUT EXCHANGE HIGHLIGHTS SHUTTLE MISSION STS-79

     A rendezvous and docking with the Russian Mir Space
Station and the exchange of astronauts -- including the
holder of the world record for longest space flight ever by a
U.S. astronaut -- will highlight the flight of Space Shuttle
Atlantis on Mission STS-79.

     This is the fourth of nine planned missions to Mir
between 1995 and 1998 and the first exchange of astronauts.
Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, who has been on Mir since late
March, will be replaced on Mir by astronaut John E. Blaha.
Blaha will spend more than four months on Mir.  He will
return to Earth on Space Shuttle Mission STS-81, scheduled
for launch in January 1997.


STS-79 is the second Shuttle-Mir mission to carry a
SPACEHAB module on board, and the first to carry a double
module. The forward portion of the double module will house
experiments conducted by the crew before, during and after
Atlantis is docked to the Russian space station.  The aft
portion of the double module primarily houses the logistics
equipment to be transferred to the Russian space station.
Logistics include food, clothing, experiment supplies, and
spare equipment for Mir.

     The STS-79 crew will be commanded by William F. Readdy,
who will be making his third Shuttle flight.  The pilot,
Terrence W. Wilcutt, will be making his second.  There are
four mission specialists assigned to this mission.  Jay Apt,
serving as Mission Specialist-1, is making his fourth Shuttle
flight.  Also making his fourth flight and serving as Mission
Specialist-2 is Thomas D. Akers.  Carl E. Walz, flying on his
third flight, is serving as Mission Specialist-3.  Blaha, a
veteran of four missions, will serve as Mission Specialist-4

from launch to docking.  After the on-orbit crew exchange,
Lucid will serve as Mission Specialist-4 through landing.

     Launch of Atlantis is currently targeted for September
14, 1996 at approximately 5:39 a.m. EDT from Kennedy Space
Center's Launch Complex 39-A.  The actual launch time may
vary by a few minutes based on calculations of Mir's precise
location in space at the time of liftoff due to Shuttle
rendezvous phasing requirements.  The available launch
period, or "window" to launch Atlantis, is approximately 10
minutes on September 14.

     The STS-79 mission is scheduled to last 9 days, 5 hours.
An on-time launch on September 14 would set up Atlantis and
the STS-79 crew for a return to Kennedy Space Center on
September 23 at approximately 10:48 a.m. EDT.

     Atlantis' rendezvous and docking with the Mir actually
begins with the precisely timed launch setting the Orbiter on
a course for rendezvous with the Mir station.  Over the next

three days, periodic firings of Atlantis' small thruster
engines will gradually bring the Shuttle to closer proximity
to Mir.

     The STS-79 mission is part of the NASA/Mir program which
is now into the Phase 1B portion, consisting of nine Shuttle-
Mir dockings and seven long-duration flights of U.S.
astronauts aboard the Russian space station between early
1996 and late 1998.  The U.S. astronauts will launch and land
on a shuttle and serve as a Mir crew member while the Mir
cosmonauts use their traditional Soyuz vehicle for launch and
landing.  This series of missions will expand U.S. research
on Mir by providing resupply materials for experiments to be
performed aboard the station as well as returning
experimental samples and data to Earth.

     The current Mir 21 mission began when the cosmonaut crew
launched on February 21, 1996, in a Soyuz vehicle and docked
with the Mir two days later.  Dr. Shannon Lucid joined the
Mir 21 crew with the March 1996, docking of STS-76.  Lucid

will complete her stay on the Mir and return with the STS-79
crew.  On August 19, the Mir 21 crew was joined by the crew
of Mir 22. The Mir 22 crew will remain on Mir after the Mir
21 crew returns to Earth in September.

     The STS-79 mission also will include several experiments
in the fields of advanced technology, Earth sciences,
fundamental biology, human life sciences, microgravity, and
space sciences.  Data also will 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.

     STS-79 will mark the largest transfer of logistics to
and from the Mir space station to date.  During the docked
phase, 4,600 pounds of water, food, and other resupply items
along with research hardware and equipment will be
transferred from Atlantis to the Mir.  Atlantis will return
to Earth with 2,200 pounds of Russian, European Space Agency,
and U.S. science samples and hardware.  STS-79 will mark the

first transfer of powered scientific apparatus to Mir as five
different experiments are powered down on the Shuttle and
rapidly transferred to Mir.

     STS-79 will be the 17th flight of Atlantis and the 79th
mission flown since the start of the Space Shuttle program in
April 1981.

-end-

2.0 Media Services Information

NASA Television Transmission

     NASA Television is available through the Spacenet-2
satellite system.  Spacenet-2 is located on Transponder 5, at
69 degrees West longitude, frequency 3880.0 MHz, audio 6.8
MHz.

    The schedule for television transmissions from the

Orbiter and for mission briefings will be available during
the mission at Kennedy Space Center, FL; Marshall Space
Flight Center, Huntsville, AL; Dryden Flight Research Center,
Edwards, CA; Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; and NASA
Headquarters, Washington, DC.  The television schedule will
be updated to reflect changes dictated by mission operations.

Television schedules also may be obtained by calling
COMSTOR at 713/483-5817.  COMSTOR is a computer data base
service requiring the use of a telephone modem.  A voice
update of the television schedule is provided daily at noon
Eastern time.

Status Reports

     Status reports on countdown and mission progress, on-
orbit activities and landing operations will be produced by
the appropriate NASA newscenter.

Briefings


     A mission press briefing schedule will be issued prior
to launch.  During the mission, status briefings by a flight
director or mission operations representative and when
appropriate, representatives from the payload team, will
occur at least once each day.  The updated NASA television
schedule will indicate when mission briefings are planned.

Internet Information

     Information on STS-79 is available through several
sources on the Internet.  The primary source for mission
information is the NASA Shuttle Web, part of the World Wide
Web.  This site contains information on the crew and their
mission and will be regularly updated with status reports,
photos and video clips throughout the flight.  The NASA
Shuttle Web's address is:

http://shuttle.nasa.gov


If that address is busy or unavailable, Shuttle information
is available through the Office of Space Flight Home Page:

     http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/

General information on NASA and its programs is available
through the NASA Home Page and the NASA Public Affairs Home
Page:

     http://www.nasa.gov

     http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/hqpao/hqpao_home.html

Information on other current NASA activities is available
through the Today@NASA page:

     http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/NewsRoom/today.html

NASA's Spacelink, a resource for educators, also provides
mission information via the Internet.  The system fully

supports the following Internet services:

     World Wide Web  http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
Gopher   spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
Anonymous FTP  spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
     Telnet   spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov

Spacelink's dial-up modem line is 205-895-0028.

Informational materials, such as status reports and TV
schedules, also are available from an anonymous FTP server at
ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao.  Users should log on with the user
name "anonymous" (no quotes), then enter their E-mail address
as the password. Within the /pub/pao directory there will be
a "readme.txt" file explaining the directory structure.

Pre-launch status reports from KSC are found under
ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/ksc, and mission status
reports can be found under ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc.
Daily TV schedules can be found under

ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc/tvsked.

Access by CompuServe

Users with CompuServe accounts can access NASA press
releases by typing "GO NASA" (no quotes) and making a
selection from the categories offered.

3.0 Quick-Look Facts

Launch Date/Site:  September 14, 1996/KSC Launch Pad 39-A
Launch Time:  Approximately 5:39 a.m. EDT
Launch Window:  Approximately 10 minutes
Orbiter:  Atlantis (OV-104), 17th flight
Orbit Altitude/Inclination:  160 nautical miles, 51.6
degrees (appx 207 n.m. for docking)
Mission Duration:  9 days, 5 hours
Landing Date:  September 23, 1996
Landing Time:  Approximately 10:48 a.m. EDT
Primary Landing Site:  Kennedy Space Center, FL

Abort Landing Sites: Return to Launch Site - KSC
Transoceanic Abort Sites - Zaragoza, Spain
 Moron, Spain
Ben Guerir, Morocco
                Abort-Once Around - Kennedy Space Center

Crew: Bill Readdy, Commander (CDR)
Terry Wilcutt, Pilot (PLT)
      Jay Apt, Mission Specialist 1 (MS 1)
Tom Akers, Mission Specialist 2 (MS 2)
      Carl Walz, Mission Specialist 3 (MS 3)
      John Blaha, Mission Specialist 4 (MS 4) Launch-Docking
      Shannon Lucid, Mission Specialist 4 (MS 4) Docking-Landing

Mir 22 Crew:  Valery Korzun, Commander (CDR)
              Alexander Kaleri, Flight Engineer (FE)
              Shannon Lucid, Cosmonaut-Researcher (through docking)

EVA Crew (if required):  Carl Walz (EV 1), Jay Apt (EV 2)


Cargo Bay Payloads:   Orbiter Docking System
 Spacehab Double Module

In-Cabin Payloads:    IMAX
 Risk Mitigation Experiments
SAREX
 Middeck Science Hardware

4.0 Crew Responsibilities

Payloads                                 PrimeBackup

Orbiter Docking System                   Walz         Akers
SpacehabAptWalz
EVA                                      WalzApt
 (EV 1)       (EV 2)
Intravehicular Crewmember            Akers        -----
SAREXAptWalz, Readdy
Rendezvous                               Readdy       Wilcutt
Cargo TransfersAkersWilcutt

DTO's                                    AkersWalz
DSO's                   AkersWalz
Earth ObservationsAptWalz
ARIS (RME 1313)           WalzApt
Biotechnology System (BTS)               Apt          Walz
Real-time Radiation Monitoring Device    WalzApt
Extreme Temperature Translation Furnace  Apt  Walz
Mechanics of Granular MaterialsWalzApt
Refrigerators and FreezersAptWalz
IMAXWalzAkers
Mir Photo SurveyWalz  Apt
Orbiter Space Vision SystemWalz-------
Russian Language      BlahaReaddy


5.0 Developmental Test Objectives/Detailed
Supplementary Objectives/Risk Mitigation Experiments

RME 1301:  Mated Shuttle and Mir Structural Dynamics Test
RME 1302:  Mir Electric Field Characterization Test 1 and 2

RME 1303:  Shuttle/Mir Experiment Kit Transport
RME 1310:  Shuttle/Mir Alignment Stability Experiment
RME 1312:  Intra-Vehicular Radiation Environment Measurement Experiment
RME 1313:  Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS)
RME 1319:  Inventory Management System

DTO 255:   Wraparound DAP Flight Test Verification
DTO 301D:  Ascent Structural Capability  Evaluation
DTO 307D:  Entry Structural Capability
DTO 312:   ET TPS Performance
DTO 700-5: Trajectory Control Sensor
DTO 700-10: Orbiter Space Vision System Flight Video Taping
DTO 700-14: Single String Global Positioning System
DTO 805:  Crosswind Landing Performance
DTO 837:  Vernier RCS Reboost Demonstration
DTO 840:  Hand-Held Lidar Procedures
DTO 1118: Photographic and Video Survey of Mir Space Station

DSO 901:  Documentary Television
DSO 902:  Documentary Motion Picture Photography

DSO 903:  Documentary Still Photography
01: Mated Shuttle and Mir Structural Dynamics Test
02: Mir Electric Field Characterization Test 1 and 2
03: Shuttle/Mir Experiment Kit Transport
0: Shuttle/Mir Aligntability Experiment
RME 1312: Intra-Vehicular Radiation Environment Measurement
             Experiment
RME 1313: Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS)
RME 1319: Inventory Management System


6.0 Mission Summary Timeline

Flight Day One:
Launch/Ascent
OMS-2 Burn
Spacehab Activation
Rendezvous Burn
CPCG Activation


Flight Day 2:
Spacehab Operations
ARIS Setup and Checkout
Rendezvous Tool Checkout
Orbiter Docking System Checkout
Rendezvous Burns
ETTF Activation
SAMS Activation

Flight Day 3:
Atlantis/Mir Docking
Hatch Opening/Welcoming Ceremony/Gift Exchange
Soyuz Seatliner Transfer
Blaha/Lucid Crew Transfer
Logistics Transfer Preparations

Flight Day 4:
Blaha/Lucid Crew Transfer
Logistics Transfers
Spacehab Operations

BTS Sterile Sample
BTS Transfer to Mir
Cold Stowage Science Sample Transfer from Mir
CGBA Transfer to Mir
MEFC Operations

Flight Day 5:
Spacehab Operations
Logistics Transfers
IMAX Operations
ARIS Operations
MGM Operations
Orlan Suit Transfer from Mir
STES Transfer to Mir
ETTF Operations

6
IMAX Operations
Spacehab Operation
Logistics Transfer

ARIS Operations
ETTF Operations

Flight Day 7:
IMAX
Joint Crew News Conference
Final Logistics Transfers
Farewell Ceremony
Hatch Closure
ARIS Deactivation

Flight Day 8:
Atlantis/Mir Undocking
Separation Burn
IMAX
ETTF Operations
MEFC Operations
SAMS

Flight Day 9:

Flight Control System Checkout
Reaction Control System Hot-Fire
Deorbit Preparation Briefing
Vernier Reaction Control System Boost Test for Second HST
Servicing Mission
ARIS Stowage
Spacehab Stowage
Cabin Stow
Recumbent Seat Setup for Lucid
ETTF
SAMS Deactivation

Flight Day 10:
Spacehab Deactivation
Deorbit Prep
Deorbit Burn
KSC Landing

NOTE:  Exact times of events for STS-79 and other Phase 1
missions will not be determined until after launch because of

the rendezvous requirements needed for Atlantis to reach the
Mir Space Station.

7.0 Payload and Vehicle Weights

Vehicle/PayloadPounds

Orbiter (Columbia) empty and 3 SSME's173,249

Shuttle System at SRB Ignition4,510,959

Orbiter Weight at Landing with Cargo249,352

Module      15,555

Orbiter Docking System4,016

SAREX27



8.0 Shuttle Abort Modes

     Space Shuttle launch abort philosophy aims toward safe
and intact recovery of the flight crew, Orbiter and its
payload.  Abort modes for STS-79 include:

Abort-To-Orbit (ATO) -- Partial loss of main engine thrust
late enough to permit reaching a minimal 105-nautical mile
orbit with the orbital maneuvering system engines.

Abort-Once-Around (AOA) -- Earlier main engine shutdown with
the capability to allow one orbit of the Earth before landing
at the Kennedy Space Center, FL.

Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) -- Loss of one or more main
engines midway through powered flight would force a landing
at either Ben Guerir, Morocco; or Moron, Spain.

Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS) -- Early shutdown of one or more
engines, and without enough energy to reach a TAL site, would

result in a pitch around and thrust back toward Kennedy until
within gliding distance of the Shuttle Landing Facility.

9.0 Mir Rendezvous and Docking

     Atlantis' rendezvous and docking with the Russian Space
Station Mir actually begins with the precisely timed launch
of the shuttle on a course for the Mir, and, over the next
two days, periodic small engine firings that will gradually
bring Atlantis to a point eight nautical miles behind Mir on
docking day, the starting point for a final approach to the
station.

Mir Rendezvous -- Flight Day 3

     About two hours before the scheduled docking time on
Flight Day Three of the mission, Atlantis will reach a point
about eight nautical miles behind the Mir Space Station and
conduct a Terminal Phase Initiation burn, beginning the final
phase of the rendezvous. Atlantis will close the final eight

nautical miles to Mir during the next orbit. As Atlantis approaches,
the shuttle's rendezvous radar system will begin tracking Mir
and providing range and closing rate information to Atlantis.
Atlantis' crew also will begin air-to-air communications with
the Mir crew using a VHF radio.

     As Atlantis reaches close proximity to Mir, the
Trajectory Control Sensor, a laser ranging device mounted in
the payload bay, will supplement the shuttle's onboard
navigation information by supplying additional data on the
range and closing rate. As Atlantis closes in on the Mir, the
shuttle will have the opportunity for four small successive
engine firings to fine-tune its approach using its onboard
navigation information. Identical to the three prior Mir
dockings, Atlantis will aim for a point directly below Mir,
along the Earth radius vector (R-Bar), an imaginary line
drawn between the Mir center of gravity and the center of
Earth. Approaching along the R-Bar, from directly underneath
the Mir, allows natural forces to brake Atlantis' approach
more so than would occur along a standard shuttle approach

from directly in front of Mir. During this approach, the crew
will begin using a handheld laser ranging device to
supplement distancmeasurements made by
shuttle navigational equipment.

     The manual phase of  the rendezvous will begin just as
Atlantis reaches a point about a half-mile below Mir.
Commander Bill Readdy will fly the shuttle using the aft
flight deck controls as Atlantis begins moving up toward Mir.
Because of the approach from underneath Mir, Readdy will have
to perform very few braking firings. However, if  such
firings are required, the shuttle's jets will be used in a
mode called "Low-Z," a technique that uses slightly offset
jets on Atlantis' nose and tail to slow the spacecraft rather
than firing jets pointed directly at Mir. This technique
avoids contamination of the space station and its solar
arrays by exhaust from the shuttle steering jets.

     Readdy will center Atlantis' docking mechanism with the
Docking Module mechanism on Mir, continually refining this

alignment as he approaches within 300 feet of the station. At
a distance of about 30 feet from docking, Readdy will stop
Atlantis and stationkeep momentarily to adjust the docking
mechanism alignment, if necessary. At that time, a final go
or no-go decision to proceed with the docking will be made by
flight control teams in both Houston and Moscow. When
proceeds with docking, the shuttle crew will use
ship-to-ship communications with Mir to inform the Mir crew
of the shuttle's status and to keep them updated on major
events, including confirmation of contact, capture and the
conclusion of damping. Damping, the halt of any relative
motion between the two spacecraft after docking, is performed
by shock absorber-type springs within the docking device.
Mission Specialist Carl Walz will oversee the operation of
the Orbiter Docking System aboard Atlantis.

   Undocking, Separation and Mir Fly-Around

Once Atlantis is ready to undock from Mir, the initial
separation will be performed by springs that will gently push

the shuttle away from the docking module. Both the Mir and
Atlantis will be in a mode called "free drift"during the
undocking, a mode that has the steering jets of each
spacecraft shut off to avoid any inadvertent firings.

     Once the docking mechanism's springs have pushed
away to a distance of about two feet from Mir, where
the docking devices will be clear of one another, Readdy will
turn Atlantis' steering jets back on. Immediately, he will
fire the shuttle's jets in the Low-Z mode to begin slowly
moving away from Mir.

     Atlantis will continue away from Mir to a distance of
about 600 feet, where Readdy and Pilot Terry Wilcutt will
begin a flyaround of the station. will circle Mir
twice before firing its jets again to depart.  During this
flyaround the crew will perform documentary photography of
the Mir space station, including the newly arrived "Priroda"
science module, using still and video cameras as well as the
IMAX large format movie camera.


  Logistics Transfers

     STS-79 will mark the first flight with a double Spacehab
module, increasing the amount of logistics the shuttle can
carry to the Mir space station. In addition to the U.S.
astronaut exchange, the STS-79 crew will transfer over 4,600
pounds of food, water, clothing, personal hygiene supplies,
replacement Mir hardware components, and U.S. science
experiments and supplies to the Mir, including five powered
experiments (experiments requiring electrical power on the
shuttle and immediately on Mir.)

     The Atlantis crew will simultaneously receive over 2,100
pounds of Russian hardware, empty food and water containers,
ESA return science items, and U.S. science hardware, data and
specimens from Shannon Lucid's science gathering activities
during her stay on Mir.

     This is the largest shuttle transfer of logistics to and

from the Mir to date.

10.0 Shuttle/Mir Science

     The NASA/Mir program is now into the Phase 1B portion,
which consists of nine Shuttle-Mir dockings and seven long-
duration flights of U.S. astronauts aboard the Russian space
station between early 1996 and late 1998.  The U.S.
astronauts will launch and land on a shuttle and serve as a
Mir crewmember for flight durations ranging from 127 to 158
days, while the Mir cosmonauts stay approximately 180 days
and use their traditional Soyuz vehicle for launch and
landing.  This series of missions will expand U.S. research
on Mir by providing resupply materials for experiments to be
performed aboard Mir as well as returning experimental
samples and data to Earth.

     The Mir 21 mission began when the crew launched on
February 21, 1996, in a Soyuz vehicle and docked with the Mir
two days later.  Dr. Shannon Lucid joined the Mir 21 crew

witharch 24, 1996, docking of STS-76.  The return of
STS-79 will conclude a mission of experiments in the fields
of advanced technology, Earth sciences, fundamental biology,
human life sciences, microgravity, and space sciences.  Data
also will supply insight for the planning and development of
the ISS, Earth-based sciences of human and biological
processes, and the advancement of commercial technology.

  Science Overview

     As scientists learn more about the effects of the space
environment, they continue to develop questions from the
fields of human life sciences, behavioral sciences,
fundamental biology, biotechnology, material sciences, and
spacecraft structural and environmental dynamics.  Valuable
scientific information regarding these subjects will be
returned from the Shuttle Mir Science Program disciplines of
advanced technology, Earth sciences, fundamental biology,
human life sciences, International Space Station,
microgravity and space sciences.  These investigations will

provide valuable information about space flight and long term
exposure to the microgravity environment.  This knowledge
will assist researchers in developing future space stations
science programs, procedures for those facilities, and
advance the knowledge base of these areas to the benefit of
all people on Earth.

     The commercial initiated research and technology from
the advanced technology discipline will evaluate new
technologies and techniques using the Mir space station as a
test bed.  An increased understanding of the characteristics
of superconductors, protein crystal growth, and the
development of biological and chemical systems through fluid
processing in reduced gravity can lead to an enhanced
technological base for implementation on the International
Space Station and commercial processing here on Earth.

     Earth sciences research in ocean biochemistry, land
surface hydrology, meteorology, and atmospheric physics and
chemistry also will be performed.  Observation and

documentation of transient natural and human-induced changes
will be accomplished with the use of passive microwave
radiometers, a visible region spectrometer, a side-looking
radar, and hand-held photography.  Earth orbit will allow for
documentation of atmospheric conditions, ecological and
unpredictable events, and seasonal changes over long time
periods.

     Fundamental biology research continues developmental
investigations that study the effects of the space
environment on the biological systems of plants.  Prolonged
exposure to microgravity provides an ideal opportunity to
determine the role gravity has on cell regulation and how
this affects development and growth.  Investigations under
this discipline will also characterize the internal radiation
environment of the Mir space station.

Human life sciences research consists of investigations
that focus on the crewmember's adaptation to weightlessness
in terms of skeletal muscle and bone changes, psychological

interactions, immune system function, and metabolism.  In
addition, environmental factors such as water quality, air
quality, surface assessment for microbes, and crew
microbiology will be assessed.  The ambitious set of
investigations will continue the characterization of the
integrated human responses to a prolonged presence in space.

The International Space Station risk mitigation
discipline consists of several technology demonstrations
associated with human factors and maintenance of crew health
and safety aboard the space station.  In order to improve the
design and operation of the International Space Station,
information is gathered to fully evaluate the Mir interior
and exterior environments.  This discipline includes
investigations of radio interference, crew force impacts to
structures, particle impact on the station, docked
configuration stability, water microbiological monitoring and
inventory management.

     Microgravity research will advance scientific

understanding through research in biotechnology, fluid
physics, combustion science, and materials science.  The
ambient acceleration and vibration environment of Mir will be
characterized to support future research programs.

     Space science research continues with the externally
mounted Mir Sample Return Experiment (MSRE) and Particle
Impact Experiment (PIE) payloads.  These experiments continue
to collect interstellar and interplanetary space particles to
further our understanding of the origin and evolution of
planetary systems and life on Earth.

     Most of the Mir 22/NASA 3 research will be conducted on
the Mir; however, shuttle-based experiments are conducted in
the middeck and Spacehab modules of STS-79 and STS-81.

    Fundamental Biology

The microgravity environment on a long duration mission
provides an ideal opportunity to determine the role gravity

plays in molecular mechanisms at a cellular level and in
regulatory and sensory mechanisms, and how this affects
development and fundamental biological growth.  Fundamental
biology is also responsible for characterizing the radiation
of the Mir environment and determining how it may impact
station-based science.

    Environmental Radiation Measurements

      Exposure of crew, equipment, and experiments to the
ambient space radiation environment in low Earth orbit poses
one of the most significant problems to long term space
habitation.  As part of the collaborative NASA/Mir Science
program, a series of measurements are being compiled of the
ionizing radiation levels aboard Mir.  During the mission,
radiation will be measured in six separate locations
throughout the Mir using a variety of passive radiation
detectors.  This experiment will continue on later missions,
where measurements will be used to map the ionizing radiat
environment of Mir.  These measurements will yield detailed

information on spacecraft shielding in the 51.6-degree-orbit
of the Mir.  Comparisons will be made with predictions from
space environment and radiation transport models.

    Greenhouse-Integrated Plant Experiments

     The microgravity environment of the Mir space station
provides researchers an outstanding opportunity to study the
effects of gravity on plants, specifically dwarf wheat.  The
greenhouse experiment determines the effects of space flight
on plant growth, reproduction, metabolism, and production.
By studying the chemical, biochemical, and structural changes
in plant tissues, researchers hope to understand how
processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration,
stomatal conductance, and water use are affected by the space
station environment.  This study is an important area of
research, due to the fact that plants could eventually be a
major contributor to life support systems for space flight.
Plants produce oxygen and food, while eliminating carbon
dioxide and excess humidity from the environment.  These

functions are vital for sustaining life in a closed
environment such as the Mir or the International Space
Station.

 Wheat is planted and grown in the "Svet," a
Russian/Slovakian developed plant growth facility, where
photosynthesis, transpiration, and the physiological state of
the plants are monitored.  The plants are observed daily, and
photographs and video images are taken.  Samples are also
collected at certain developmental stages, fixed or dried,
and returned to Earth for analysis.

    Human Life Sciences

     The task of safely keeping men and women in space for
long durations, whether they are doing research in Earth
orbit or exploring other planets in our solar system,
requires continued improvement in our understanding of the
effects of space flight factors on the ways humans live and
work.  The Human Life Sciences (HLS) project has a set of

investigations planned for the Mir 22/NASA 3 mission to
determine how the body adapts to weightlessness and other
space flight factors, including the psychological and
microbiological aspects of a confined environment and how
they readapt to Earth's gravitational forces.  The results of
these investigations will guide the development of ways to
minimize any negative effects so that crewmembers can remain
healthy and efficient during long flights, as well as after
their return to Earth.


    Assessment of Humoral Immune Function During Long
Duration Space Flight

Experiments concerned with the effects of space flight
on the human immune system are important to protect the
health of long duration crews.  The human immune system
involves both humoral (blood-borne) and cell-mediated
responses to foreign substances known as antigens.  Humoral
responses include the production of antibodies, which can be

measured in samples of saliva and serum (blood component).
The cell-mediated response, which involves specialized white
blood cells, appears to be suppressed during long duration
space missions.  Preflight, a baseline saliva and blood
sample is collected.  While on Mir, the crew is administered
a subcutaneous antigen injection.  In flight and postflight,
follow-up blood and saliva samples are collected to measure
the white blood cell activation response to the antigen.

11.0 Commercial Payloads

 Two commercial payloads will be transferred to Mir on
STS-79 and will be retrieved by STS-81 some four months
later:


  POWERED TRANSFER ITEMS

    Biotechnology System (BTS)


     The Bioreactor rotating wall vessel developed at the
Space Cell Biology and Biotechnology Center at NASA's Johnson
Space Center is the first of a series of long-duration cell
culture experiments.  BTS will study the three-dimensional
growth of cartilage cells during its 147-day mission.

     Cartilage is the material that makes up the joints in
human body. The bioreactor enables the growth of mature
cartilage from a small number of starting cells. This level
of maturity is rarely achieved by other culture methods.

Dr. Lisa Freed of MIT is using BTS to study cartilage so
that cartilage cells may be engineered for replacement and
transplantation.

STS-79 astronauts will activate BTS and sample the
culture to ensure it is viable and sterile before
transferring it to Mir. Aboard Mir, John Blaha will take
weekly samples of the culture, and return the entire
experiment on STS-81.


    Material in Devices as Superconductors (MIDAS)

     The MIDAS experiment developed at NASA's Langley
Research Center, Hampton, VA, will fly into orbit on STS-79
and be transferred over to the Russian Mir Space Station for
approximately four months.  While on the Mir, MIDAS will
measure the electrical properties of high temperature
superconductor (HTS) materials during extended space flight
and compile the results in a database for commercial use.
HTS materials may be used in a variety of device applications
to reduce power requirements and thermal losses.  In addition
to the development of a database, the MIDAS experiment will
demonstrate the development of a manufacturing process using
integrated superconductor and conventional microelectronics.
There have been no previous flights which characterize HTS
material in spaceflight at cryogenic temperatures. Sample
boards are provided by the Eaton Company (USA), the Moscow
Institute of Electronic Equipment (Russia), and the Langley
Research Center.


Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA)

CGBA hardware has been used extensively on short
duration Shuttle missions to house a great variety of
biotechnology  experiments of interest to commercial product
development.  There are many biotechnology processes which
require much longer periods of time than a Shuttle mission
can provide.  For this reason, the commercial affiliates of
BioServe Space Technologies, a NASA Commercial Space Center,
are eager to take advantage of the long duration mission
which the Shuttle/MIR program provides.

     Among the experiments carried by the CGBA to Mir will be
small, self -contained aquatic ecosystems -- complete with
both plants and animals --  developed by Paragon Space
Sciences of Tucson, AZ.  A leading American pharmaceutical
company will conduct experiments to determine the secondary
metabolite production in plant tissue.  In addition, a
leading biotechnology concern is taking advantage of this

long duration mission to conduct crystallization experiments
involving proteins and oligonucleotides.

In addition, three experiments will make a round-trip
voyage aboard Atlantis itself:

     Extreme Temperature Translation Furnace (ETTF)

     The ETTF, which will be integrated into the SPACEHAB
module, is a new furnace design allowing space-based
processing up to 1,600 degrees Centigrade and above.  ETTF
was developed by McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Huntsville and
the Consortium for Materials Development in Space at the
University of Alabama-Huntsville (UAH), a NASA Commercial
Space Center.

     ETTF is designed to investigate how flaws form in cast
and sintered metals. Studying the basic thermodynamics and
behavior of pores and metal grains will allow metallurgists
to make stronger machine tools on Earth.


     The furnace is integrated into a SPACEHAB single rack to
demonstrate the facility's on-orbit capabilities.  Major ETTF
elements include the furnace assembly, a flight computer for
experimental processing, a power and switching assembly for
the furnace and an experiment power switching unit for
control of the water cooling system.  A 3-DMA gravitational
measurement and recording system is embedded in the ETTF
design to allow the experimenter to correlate G-loads with
scientific results.  The ETTF will process four ampoules
containing sintered metal compositions as well as iron.
Furnace melts will be made at 1,000 degrees Centigrade,
1150C, 1375-1400C and 1540 to 1600C.  Teledyne Advanced
Materials Systems is a partner for the sintered samples.

Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) Experiments

     STS-79 will include the 31st Shuttle flight of a Protein
Crystal Growth payload managed by the Center for
Macromolecular Crystallography, a NASA Commercial Center for

the Development of Space based at the University of Alabama
at Birmingham.  The complement of CPCG experiments aboard
this mission is comprised of 128 individual samples involving
twelve different proteins.  The samples will be processed at
22 degrees Centigrade using the newly developed Commercial
Vapor Diffusion Apparatus  (CVDA).  The goal of these
experiments is to produce large, well-ordered protein
crystals in the microgravity environment from very small
volumes of protein solutions.  These crystals will be used
for x-ray diffraction studies to determine the three-
dimensional structures of the individual proteins singly, and
as they are bonded to other key molecules.

     The CVDA hardware consists of 32 "banks" of sample
holders, each containing four separate experiment chambers.
This hardware is an adaptation of the most common laboratory
method (vapor diffusion) for growing protein crystals.  Each
chamber contains a double-barreled syringe which is loaded
with protein and precipitant,  prior to launch.  The bottom
of the chamber is fitted with a cylinder of polymer wicking

material which holds a more concentrated reservoir solution.

     After orbit is attained, a crew member activates the
experiments by using a gauged mechanism to extrude the
solution from the syringe barrels to form a protein droplet
on each syringe tip.  The droplet becomes more concentrated
as water diffuses from it, through the vapor phase, to the
more concentrated reservoir solution captured in the wicking
material.  As equilibrium is approached, protein crystals
grow slowly in the protein droplet.

     The samples on this mission flown for commercial
development purposes include a protein responsible for
causing some types of asthma and other allergic reactions.
Another is an enzyme that is important for the activation of
the "complement system."  This system of enzymes protects
humans by killing microorganisms and infected
cells.

    Mechanics of Granular Materials


     This experiment seeks to develop a quantitative
scientific understanding of the behavior of cohesionless
granular materials in dry and saturated states at very low
confining pressures and effective stresses.  Cohesionless
granular materials are unlike other engineering materials
since their strength and stiffness properties derive entirely
from friction and dilatancy. Dilatency is the change of
volume associated with the application of shear stresses. The
strength and stiffness of these materials are usually several
orders of magnitude lower than cementious composites.
Granular material properties depend on confinement.
Investigators expect to see higher axial loads for a given
axial displacement in microgravity. This data could help
scientists to understand the behavior of the Earth's surface
during earthquakes and landslides.

     The MGM experiment was developed by Sandia National
Laboratories, in cooperation with the University of Colorado
and the Marshall Space Flight Center.



    Risk Mitigation Experiments

     Several experiments are planned during STS-79 to obtain
data that will reduce the development risk for the
International Space Station.

RME 1302: Mir Electric Field Characterization

     The radio frequency interference (RFI) environment seen
by the Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) is
of increasing concern due to new ground-based transmitters
for communications and radar applications.  In addition, the
52 degree inclination of the ISS orbit will expose ISS and
the Shuttle to larger radio-frequency radiation levels due to
longer travel over populated areas.  This experiment seeks to
collect data on the internal and external RFI in the 40 Mhz
to 18 Ghz frequency band.  Part one of this experiment will
be conducted in the Shuttle cabin only.  Part two will be

conducted in the Priroda module of the Mir station.  Data
will assist designers in the selection of frequency bands for
radio-frequency components of ISS and its supporting systems.

RME 1312:  Real-time Radiation Monitoring Device (RRMD)

     RRMD measures the elemental composition and energy
spectra of cosmic radiation in real-time.  It also provides
information on the effect of radiation on biological samples.
The detector unit contains a Linear Energy Transfer
Spectrometer.

     Biological samples in the dosimeters are dry E-Coli and
plasmid DNA. Biological samples in the biospecimen box are E-
Coli and D. radiodurans mixed with a liquid nutrient. The
investigators are interested in the ability of bacteria to
repair any radiation-damaged DNA.

     RRMD was developed by NASDA and Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries, Ltd. of Japan.


RME 1313:  Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS)

     The Active Rack Isolation System is designed to isolate
certain classes of science experiments from major mechanical
disturbances that might be found on the International Space
Station. Active isolation augments passive isolation, adding
apparent mass and damping, thus canceling accelerations.
Specifically, ARIS is expected to isolate payloads from low
frequency vibrations.

The objective of the ARIS flight experiment is to expose
the system to accelerations due to the Space Shuttle and also
due to the Shuttle/Mir orbital complex, which will provide a
low frequency vibration environment similar to that
anticipated for the International Space Station.  ARIS
isolation performance cannot be proven by ground testing,
hence the flight test on STS-79 was proposed to characterize
ARIS performance, measuring its isolation capabilities from
.003 to 300 Hertz.


     The ARIS rack is being developed by the Boeing Defense
and Space Group in Seattle, Washington. The ARIS hardware is
integrated into an ISS International Standard Payload Rack
(ISPR).  The ISPR was then integrated into the Spacehab,
placed in a double rack enclosure on the starboard side of
Spacehab.  ARIS weighs approximately 700 pounds, which
includes 350 pounds of Russian logistics as ballast.  During
the flight, periods without jet firings as well as specific
jet firing occasions will be required to evaluate ARIS
performance.

RME 1319:  Inventory Management System (IMS)

     This experiment seeks to determine the utility of using
a bar code reader to keep track of items transferred from
Shuttle to Mir and from Mir to Shuttle.  Bar code tags will
be attached to selected transfer items. Results of this
experiment will help in determining the type of IMS required
for the International Space Station. The IMS experiment was

developed at the Johnson Space Center.

12.0 IMAX

     During the STS-79 mission, the crew will use an onboard
IMAX camera to document activities on Atlantis and Mir.
After the mission, selected still images from the film will
be made available to the public via the Internet.  Sections
of the film will be transferred to videotape and will be
broadcast on NASA-TV for subsequent use by the media.

NASA is using the IMAX film medium to document its space
activities and better illustrate them for the public.  This
system, developed by the Imax Corp., Toronto, Canada, uses
specially designed motion picture cameras and projectors to
record and display high-definition, large screen pictures.

     NASA has flown IMAX camera systems on many Shuttle
missions.  Footage from STS-79, as well as the recent STS-63,
STS-71, and STS-74 missions will be incorporated in a large-

format feature film about NASA's cooperation with Russia.

     The IMAX system consists of a space-qualified 65mm
camera, lenses, rolls of film, lights and other equipment
necessary for filming.  The IMAX and supporting equipment
are stowed in the middeck of the orbiter.  An audio tape
recorder with microphones will be used in the crew compartment
to record audio sounds and crew comments during camera operations.

13.0 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX)

Ham radio operators and students will attempt to make
radio contacts with the orbiting Shuttle as part of the
Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment, SAREX, during STS-79.
Amateur radio has been flying aboard Space Shuttles since
1983.

Amateur radio operators from around the world will point
their antennas at Atlantis, hoping to find the astronauts on
the air.  Some of these amateurs have volunteered to assist

student groups who have prepared questions to ask the
astronauts during specially-scheduled contact times.

     To make their radio contacts, the astronauts will use a
radio on board the Shuttle, on frequencies used by ham radio
operators.  For the students who participate in SAREX, the
contact is the culmination of months of hard work. Many of
the students have studied space science and communications,
and have trained to use ham radio equipment and Shuttle-
tracking computer software.

To operate amateur radio from the Space Shuttle, one or
more of the astronauts must have an amateur radio license.
Mission Specialist Jay Apt's amateur radio call sign is
N5QWL.  Apt has flown on three previous Shuttle missions and
has operated amateur radio during each flight.

John Blaha also will serve as a Mission Specialist, and
his ham radio call sign is KC5TZQ.  Astronaut Carl Walz is
KC5TIE; he participated in SAREX from Columbia during STS-65

in July 1994, before earning his amateur radio license.

     During SAREX missions, the astronauts will typically
make the following types of amateur radio contacts:

     Scheduled radio contacts with schools;
     Random radio contacts with the amateur radio community;
     Personal contacts with the astronauts' families.

     SAREX is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League
(ARRL), The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) and
NASA.  SAREX is supported by the Federal Communications
Commission.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS

Since this flight is a Shuttle-Mir docking mission
SAREX and Mir amateur radio stations sometimes share the same
downlink frequency (145.55 MHz), the SAREX Working Group has

decided to use the following frequencies during this mission.

The crew will use separate receive and transmit frequencies.
PLEASE do not transmit on the Shuttle's DOWNLINK frequency.
The DOWNLINK is your receiving frequency.  The UPLINK is your
transmitting frequency.

FM Voice Downlink: 145.84 MHz
FM Voice Uplink: 144.45, 144.47 MHz

     The crew will not favor either uplink frequency, so
your ability to communicate with SAREX will be the "luck of
the draw."  Transmit only when the Shuttle is within range of
your station, and when the Shuttle's station is on-the-air.

CALL SIGNS:
FM voice call signs N5QWL, KC5TIE, and KC5TZQ

     Members of the Goddard Amateur Radio Club (Greenbelt,
MD) re-transmit live, Shuttle air-to-ground audio over the

amateur frequencies from their club station, WA3NAN.  To
listen-in, tune to amateur radio high frequency (HF) bands at
3.86, 7.185, 14.295, 21.395, and 28.65 megahertz (MHz) and in
the Maryland/DC area on a very high frequency (VHF) band at
147.45 MHz.

14.0 STS-79 Crew Biographies

William F. Readdy (Captain, U.S. Naval Reserve) will serve
as Commander (CDR) for STS-79.  Readdy was born January 24,
1952, in Quonset Point, RI, but considers McLean, VA, to be
his hometown. He graduated from McLean High School in 1970
and received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical
engineering (with honors) from the U.S. Naval Academy in
1974.  He graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in
the class of 1979.

Readdy was selected as an astronaut by NASA in the 1987
group.  A veteran pilot astronaut with two space flights,
STS-42 in 1992 and STS-51 in 1993, he has logged over 429

hours in space.

Terrence W. Wilcutt (Lieutenant Colonel, USMC) will serve
as the Pilot (PLT) for STS-79.  Wilcutt was born October 31,
1949, in Russellville, KY. He graduated from Southern High
School, Louisville, KY, in 1967 and received a bachelor of
arts degree in math from Western Kentucky University in 1974.
He graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1986.

     Wilcutt was selected by NASA in January 1990 and became
an astronaut in July 1991.  Wilcutt was the pilot on Mission
STS-68 in 1994 and has logged 269 hours and 46 minutes in
space.

Jay Apt (Ph.D.) will serve as Mission Specialist-1 (MS-1) o
STS-79.  Apt was born April 28, 1949, in Springfield, MA, but
considers Pittsburgh, PA, to be his hometown.  He graduated
from Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh, PA, in 1967.  Apt
received a bachelor of arts degree in physics (magna cum
laude), from Harvard College in 1971 and a doctorate in

physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in
1976.

     Apt was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in
June 1985, and qualified as an astronaut in July 1986.  Apt
has served as a mission specialist on three flights -- STS-37
in 1991, STS-47 in 1992 and STS-59 in 1994.  With the
completion of his third flight, Apt has logged a total of 604
hours in space, including 10 hours and 49 minutes on two
space walks.


Tom Akers (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF) will serve as Mission
Specialist-2 (MS-2) on STS-79.  Akers was born May 20, 1951,
in St. Louis, MO, but was raised and educated in his hometown
of Eminence, MO.  He graduated from Eminence High School in
1969.  Akers received a bachelor and master of science
degrees in applied mathematics from the University of
Missouri-Rolla in 1973 and 1975, respectively.  He graduated
from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in Class 82B.


     Akers was selected for the astronaut program in 1987.  A
veteran of three space flights, STS-41 in 1990, STS-49 in
1992, and STS-61 in 1993, Akers has accumulated over 571
hours of space flight.

Carl E. Walz (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF) will serve as
Mission Specialist-3 (MS-3) on STS-79.  Walz was born on
September 6, 1955, in Cleveland, OH.  He graduated from
Charles F. Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH in 1973.  He
received a bachelor of science degree in physics from Kent
State University, OH, in 1977, and a master of science in
solid state physics from John Carroll University, OH, in 1979.
He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in Class 83A.

    Walz was selected to be an astronaut in 1990.  He is a
veteran of two spaceflights, STS-51 in September 1993 and
STS-65 in July 1994.  Walz has accumulated 590 hours in
space.


John E. Blaha (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) will serve as Mission
Specialist-4 (MS-4, ascent) from  launch through docking with
the Mir Space Station.  After docking, a crew exchange will
occur and Blaha will officially become a member of the Mir 22
crew.  As a station crew member, Blaha will conduct material
science, fluid science, and life science research for five
months with the Mir 22 and Mir 23 Cosmonaut crews.  In
January 1997 Blaha will return to Earth on STS-81.

     Blaha was born August 26, 1942, in San Antonio, TX.  He
graduated from Granby High School in Norfolk, VA, in 1960.
Blaha received a bachelor of science in engineering science
from the United States Air Force Academy in 1965 and a master
of science in astronomical engineering from Purdue University
in 1966.  He graduated in 1971 from the U.S. Air Force
Aerospace Research Pilot School.

     Blaha was selected as an astronaut in May 1980.  He has
logged 33 days in space on four space missions.  He served as
commander on two flights - STS-58 in 1993 and STS-43 in 1991

and as Pilot on two flights - STS-33 and STS-29, both in
1989.

Shannon W. Lucid (Ph.D.) (MS-4, descent)  is the second
NASA astronaut to serve as a researcher aboard the Mir
station.  She has been aboard the orbiting facility since
Atlantis undocked during Mission STS-76 in March.  On
September 7, 1996, Lucid will reach her 169th day in space,
thus surpassing Elena Kondakova for the record of most time
in space by any woman on a single flight.  After the crew
exchange with Blaha is completed, Lucid will serve as Mission
Specialist-4 for the remainder of the STS-79 flight.

     Lucid was born January 14, 1943, in Shanghai, China, but
considers Bethany, OK, to be her hometown.  She graduated
from Bethany High School, in 1960.  Lucid received a bachelor
of science degree in chemistry from the University of
Oklahoma in 1963 and a master of science and doctor of
philosophy degrees in biochemistry from the University of
Oklahoma in 1970 and 1973, respectively.


     Lucid was selected by NASA in January 1978 and became an
astronaut in August 1979.  She served as a mission specialist
on four Space Shuttle missions --  STS 51-G in 1985, STS-34
in 1989, STS-43 in 1991 and STS-58 in 1993.  She has logged
over 838 hours in space.


For complete biographical information on NASA astronauts, see
the NASA Internet astronaut biography home page at address:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/










