Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 1 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

SPACE SHUTTLE 

MISSION 

STS-81 

PRESS KIT 

JANUARY 1997 

Fifth Shuttle-Mir Docking Mission 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 2 

STS-81 INSIGNIA 

STS081-S-001 -- The insignia for STS-81, the fifth Shuttle-Mir docking mission, is shaped to represent the Roman 

numeral V. The space shuttle Atlantis, OV-104, is launching toward a rendezvous with Russia's Mir space station, 

silhouetted in the background. Atlantis and the STS-81 crew will spend several days docked to Mir during which time 

astronaut Jerry M. Linenger (NASA-Mir 4) will replace astronaut John E. Blaha (NASA-Mir 3) as the United States 

crew member onboard Mir. Scientific experiments and logistics will also be transferred between Atlantis and Mir. The 

United States and Russian flags are depicted along with the names of the Shuttle crewmembers. 

The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the 

NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the form of illustrations by the 

various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which we do not anticipate, it will be publicly 

announced. 

PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 3 

NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS 

For Information on the Space Shuttle and STS-81 Mission Operations 

Debbie Rahn 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

International Cooperation 202/358-1639 

 

Ed Campion Mission Operations, Astronauts 713/483-5111 

 Johnson Space Center 

 Houston, TX 

 

Bruce Buckingham 

 Kennedy Space Center, FL 

Launch Processing, KSC Landing Information 407/867-2468 

June Malone External Tank/SRBs/SSMEs 205/544-0034 

 Marshall Space Flight Center 

 Huntsville, AL 

 

Cam Martin DFRC Landing Information 805/258-3448 

 Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 

For Information on STS-81 Science Experiments 

 

Mike Braukus 

NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

 202/358-1979 

Steve Roy 

 Marshall Space Flight Center 

 Huntsville, AL 

 205/544-6535 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 4 

CONTENTS 

MISSION BACKGROUND 

General Release 5 

Media Services Information 6 

Quick-Look Facts 8 

Crew Responsibilities 9 

Developmental Test Objectives, Detailed Supplementary 

 Objectives and Risk Mitigation Experiments 10 

Payload and Vehicle Weights 11 

Mission Summary Timeline 12 

Shuttle Abort Modes 13 

MISSION OVERVIEW 

Mir Rendezvous and Docking 14 

Shuttle/Mir Science 15 

KIDSAT 19 

STS-81 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 20 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 5 

RELEASE: 97-2 

FIFTH SHUTTLE-MIR DOCKING FLIGHT HIGHLIGHTS STS-81 MISSION 

The continuing cooperative effort in space exploration between the United States and Russia will be the focus of NASA's first 

Shuttle mission of 1997 with the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on Mission STS-81. 

This is the fifth of nine planned missions to Mir and the second one involving an exchange of U.S. astronauts. Astronaut John 

Blaha, who has been on Mir since September 19, 1996, will be replaced by astronaut Jerry Linenger. Linenger will spend 

more than four months on Mir. He will return to Earth on Space Shuttle Mission STS-84, scheduled for launch in May 1997. 

Atlantis will again be carrying the SPACEHAB module in the payload bay of the orbiter. The double module configuration 

will house experiments to be performed by Atlantis' crew along with logistics equipment to be transferred to Mir. 

The STS-81 crew will be commanded by Michael A. Baker who will be making his fourth Shuttle flight. The pilot, Brent W. 

Jett, Jr., will be making his second flight. There are four mission specialists assigned to this flight. Peter J. K. "Jeff" Wisoff, 

serving as Mission Specialist-1, is making his third flight. Mission Specialist-2 John M. Grunsfeld is making his second space 

flight. Marsha S. Ivins serving as Mission Specialist-3 is making her fourth space flight. Jerry M. Linenger will be Mission 

Specialist-4 for launch through docking with Mir. Shortly after docking, Linenger and Blaha will conduct their handover with 

Linenger becoming a member of the Mir crew and Blaha becoming Mission Specialist-4 through the end of the flight. 

Atlantis is targeted for an early morning launch on or about January 12, 1997 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch 

Complex 39-B. The current launch time of 4:27 a.m. EST 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 STS-81 mission is scheduled to 

last 10 days, 3 hours, 30 minutes. An on-time launch on January 12 and nominal mission duration would have Atlantis 

landing back at Kennedy Space Center on January 22 at about 8 a.m. EST. 

Atlantis' rendezvous and docking with the Mir actually begin with the precisely timed launch setting the orbiter on a course 

for rendezvous with the orbiting Russian facility. Over the next two to three days, periodic firings of Atlantis' small thruster 

engines will gradually bring the Shuttle within closer proximity to Mir. 

The STS-81 mission is part of the NASA/Mir program which consists of nine Shuttle-Mir dockings and seven long duration 

flights of U.S. astronauts aboard the Russian space station. The U.S. astronauts will launch and land on a Shuttle and serve as

Mir crew members 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 experiment samples and data to Earth. 

The current Mir 22 mission began when cosmonauts Valeri Korzun and Aleksandr Kaleri were launched on August 17, 1996, 

in a Soyuz vehicle and docked with the Mir two days later. John Blaha joined the Mir 22 crew with the September 19, 1996, 

docking of STS-79. Blaha will complete his stay on Mir and return with the STS-81 crew. Linenger will work with the Mir 22 

crew until the arrival of Mir 23 cosmonauts Vasili Tsibliyev, Aleksandr Lazutkin and German researcher Reinhold Ewald in 

early February 1997. After the Mir 22 crew and Ewald return to Earth in a Soyuz, Linenger will complete his tour with the 

Mir 23 crew. Linenger will be replaced by NASA Astronaut Mike Foale when Atlantis again docks with Mir in May. 

The STS-81 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-81 will involve the transfer of 5,975 pounds of logistics to and from the Mir, the largest transfer of items to date. During 

the docked phase, 1,400 pounds of water, 1,137.7 pounds of U.S. science equipment, 2,206.1 pounds of Russian logistics 

along with 268.2 pounds of miscellaneous material will be transferred to Mir. Returning to Earth aboard Atlantis will be 

1,256.6 pounds of U.S. science material, 891.8 pounds of Russian logistics and 214.6 pounds of miscellaneous material. 

STS-81 will be the 18th flight of Atlantis and the 81st mission flown since the start of the Space Shuttle program in April 

1981. 

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE; BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 6 

MEDIA SERVICES INFORMATION 

NASA Television Transmission 

NASA Television is available through the Spacenet-2 satellite system. Spacenet-2 is located on Transponder 5, channel 

9, C- Band, 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 before 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-80 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 or 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 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 7 

The NASA TV schedule is available from the NTV Home Page: 

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/ntv.html 

Status reports, TV schedules and other information are also available from the NASA Headquarters FTP (File Transfer 

Protocol) server, ftp.hq.nasa.gov. Log in as anonymous and go to the directory /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 (KSC): ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/ksc 

- Mission status reports(JSC): ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc 

- Daily TV schedules: ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc/tvsked. 

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. 

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. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 8 

STS-81 QUICK LOOK FACTS 

Launch Date/Site: January 12, 1997/KSC Launch Pad 39-B 

Launch Time: 4:27 a.m. EST 

Launch Window: 7-10 minutes (for a Flight Day 3 rendezvous) 

Orbiter: Atlantis (OV-104), 18th flight 

Orbit Altitude 160 nautical miles, 213 n.m. for docking 

Inclination: 51.6 degrees 

Mission Duration: 10 days, 3 hours, 30 minutes 

Landing Date: January 22, 1997 

Landing Time: 7:57 a.m. EST 

Primary Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center, FL 

Abort Landing Sites: Return to Launch Site - KSC 

 Transoceanic Abort Sites - Zaragoza, Spain 

 Ben Guerir, Morocco 

 Moron, Spain 

 Abort-Once Around - KSC 

 

Crew: Mike Baker, Commander (CDR), 4th flight 

 Brent Jett, Pilot (PLT), 2nd flight 

 Jeff Wisoff, Mission Specialist 1 (MS 1), 3rd flight 

 John Grunsfeld, Mission Specialist 2 (MS 2), 2nd flight 

 Marsha Ivins, Mission Specialist 3 (MS 3), 4th flight 

 Jerry Linenger, Mission Specialist 4 (MS 4-up), 2nd flight 

 John Blaha, Mission Specialist 4, (MS 4-down), 5th flight 

 

Mir 22 Crew: Valery Korzun, Commander, (CDR) 

 Alexander Kaleri, Flight Engineer, (FE) 

 John Blaha, Flight Engineer 2, (FE 2) 

 

EVA Crew (if required): Jeff Wisoff (EV 1), John Grunsfeld (EV 2) 

 

Cargo Bay Payloads: SPACEHAB-Double Module 

 

In-Cabin Payloads: TVIS 

 Biorack 

 KidSat 

 CREAM 

 Orbiter Space Vision System 

 MSX 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 9 

CREW RESPONSIBILITIES 

Payloads Prime Backup 

 

Orbiter Docking System Wisoff Grunsfeld, Jett 

Orbiter Space Vision System Grunsfeld Baker 

EVA (if needed) Wisoff (EV 1) Grunsfeld (EV 2) 

Intravehicular Crewmember Ivins Jett 

Rendezvous Baker Jett, Wisoff 

Logistics and Science Transfers Ivins Jett 

SPACEHAB Science and Systems Wisoff Ivins, Grunsfeld 

Russian Language Baker ----- 

Earth Observations Grunsfeld Ivins 

Risk Mitigation Experiments Wisoff Ivins 

KidSat Ivins Wisoff 

Joint U.S.-Russian Science Blaha, Linenger ----- 

BRIC Baker Jett 

CREAM Wisoff Grunsfeld 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 10 

DEVELOPMENTAL TEST OBJECTIVES/DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY 

OBJECTIVES/RISK MITIGATION EXPERIMENTS 

DTO 255: Wraparound DAP Flight Test Verification 

DTO 256 Alt PRCS Flight Test 

DTO 312: ET TPS Performance 

DTO 700-10: Orbiter Space Vision System Flight Video Taping 

DTO 700-12: GPS/Inertial Navigation System Test 

DTO 700-14: Single String Global Positioning System Test 

DTO 805: Crosswind Landing Performance 

DTO 840: Hand Held Lidar Procedures 

DTO 1118: Photographic and Video Survey of Mir Space Station 

DTO 1125: Measurements of Dose as a Function of Shielding Thickness 

DSO 487: Immunological Assessment of Crewmembers 

RME 1302: Electric Fields High Inclination for the Mir 

RME 1303: Shuttle/Mir Experiment Kit Transportation 

RME 1307: Optical Properties Monitor 

RME 1317: Mir Structural Dynamics Experiment Joint Operations 

RME 1318: Treadmill Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System (TVIS) 

RME 1319: Inventory Management System Test for the SPACEHAB 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 11 

PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS 

Pounds

 

Orbiter (Atlantis) empty and 3 SSMEs 180,713 

Shuttle System at SRB Ignition 4,510,780 

Orbiter Weight at Landing with Cargo 249,936 

Spacehab-Double Module 10,525 

Orbiter Docking System 4,016 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 12 

MISSION SUMMARY TIMELINE 

(Assumes Jan. 12, 1997 launch) 

Flight Day 1 Flight Day 7 

Launch/Ascent Transfer Activities 

OMS-2 Burn Biorack Operations 

Payload Bay Door Opening Mir Water Sample Collection 

Spacehab Activation 

Mir Rendezvous Burn Flight Day 8 

 Transfer Activities 

Flight Day 2 ALIS Installation 

Completion of Spacehab Activation Crew News Conference 

Biorack Operations Farewell Ceremony 

KidSat Activation Hatch Closure 

Centerline Camera Mount 

Rendezvous Tool Checkout Flight Day 9 

Orbiter Docking System Ring Extension Undocking and Flyaround 

Mir Rendezvous Burns Atlantis Separation from Mir 

 Biorack Operations 

Flight Day 3 Transfer Item Stowage 

Mir Rendezvous Burns Off Duty Time 

TVIS Assembly and Operation 

Flight Day 10 

Flight Day 4 Flight Control System Checkout 

Mir Rendezvous Burns Reaction Control System Hot-Fire 

Atlantis/Mir Docking Biorack Operations 

Hatch Opening/Welcoming Ceremony Cabin Stow 

Transfer Activities Spacehab Module Stowage 

Soyuz Seatliner Installation 

Blaha/Linenger Transfer Flight Day 11 

 Spacehab Deactivation 

Flight Day 5 Recumbent Seat Setup 

Biorack Operations Deorbit Preparation Briefing 

Dosimeter Exchange Deorbit Preparation 

Transfer Activities Deorbit Burn 

 KSC Landing 

Flight Day 6 

Transfer Activities 

Greenhouse Harvest and Stowage 

Biorack Operations 

NOTE: Exact times for major events on STS-81 and other Phase 1 Shuttle-Mir docking missions will not be 

determined until after launch because of the rendezvous requirements needed for Atlantis to reach the Mir Space 

Station. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 13 

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-81 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. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 14 

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 (TI) 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 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 assist in braking Atlantis' 

approach. During this approach, the crew will begin using a handheld laser ranging device to supplement distance and closing 

rate measurements made by other shuttle navigational equipment. 

The manual phase of the rendezvous will begin just as Atlantis reaches a point about a half-mile below Mir. Commander 

Mike Baker will fly the shuttle using the aft flight deck controls as Atlantis begins moving up toward Mir. Because of the 

approach from underneath Mir, Baker 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. 

Using the centerline camera fixed in the center of Atlantis' docking mechanism, Baker 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, Baker 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 Atlantis 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 informed of 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 Jeff Wisoff will oversee the operation of the 

Orbiter Docking System from onboard 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 Atlantis away to a distance of about two feet from Mir, where the 

docking devices will be clear of one another, Atlantis' steering jets will be turned back on and fired 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 Pilot Brent Jett will begin a flyaround of the 

station. Atlantis will circle Mir twice before firing its jets again to depart the vicinity of the station. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 15 

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 22 mission began when the crew launched on August 17, 1996, in a Soyuz vehicle and docked with the Mir 

two days later. John Blaha joined the Mir 22 crew with the September 19, 1996, docking of STS-79. The return of STS81 will conclude a mission of experiments in the fields of advanced technology, Earth sciences, fundamental biology, 

human life sciences, microgravity, and space sciences, as well as send up new research experiments in these areas. Data 

gained from the mission will supply insight for the planning and development of the International Space Station, Earthbased 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. These ambitious 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. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 16 

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 research will be conducted on the Mir; however, Shuttle-based experiments are conducted in 

the middeck and modules of 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 is 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 radiation 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 23/NASA 4 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. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 17 

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, baseline saliva and blood sample are 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. 

Diffusion-Controlled Crystallization Apparatus for Microgravity --Protein crystals are used in basic biological 

research, pharmacology and drug development. Earth's gravity affects the purity and structural integrity of crystals. The 

low gravity environment in space allows for the growth of larger, purer crystals of greater structural integrity. 

Therefore, the analyses of some protein crystals grown in space have revealed more about a protein's molecular 

structure than crystals grown on Earth. During STS-81, astronauts will retrieve protein samples that have been growing 

on Mir since the STS-79 docking on September 19 and replace them with new samples. 

In the experiment chamber called the Diffusion-controlled Crystallization Apparatus for Microgravity (DCAM), crew 

members will remove the "growing" samples and replace them with 162 new samples. The DCAM is designed to grow 

protein crystals in a microgravity environment. It uses the liquid/liquid and dialysis methods in which a precipitant 

solution diffuses into a bulk solution. In the DCAM, a "button" covered by a semi-permeable membrane holds a small 

protein sample but allows the precipitant solution to pass into the protein solution to initiate the crystallization process. 

The DCAM is a method to passively control the crystallization process over extended periods of time. The Principal 

Investigator is Dr. Daniel Carter of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. 

Gaseous Nitrogen Dewar -- Frozen protein samples will be transported to the Russian Mir space station in a gaseous 

nitrogen Dewar (GN2 Dewar) on STS-81, and the existing protein crystals on board Mir from the STS-79 mission will 

be returned to Earth for laboratory analysis. The Dewar is a vacuum jacketed container with an absorbent inner liner 

saturated with liquid nitrogen. The protein samples will remain frozen for approximately two weeks, until the liquid 

nitrogen has completely boiled off. This provides ample time to transport and transfer the Dewar to the Mir station. 

After the liquid nitrogen is completely discharged, the samples will thaw to ambient temperature and protein crystals 

will nucleate and start growing over the four-month duration of the mission. The Principal Investigator is Alex 

McPherson of the University of California - Riverside. 

Liquid Metal Diffusion (LMD) using MIM--The LMD experiment will measure the diffusion rate of molten indium 

at approximately 392 F. Diffusion is the process by which individual atoms or molecules move as a result of random 

collisions with neighboring atoms and molecules. Diffusion is difficult to study on Earth because gravity masks the 

effect of the collisions, that is, hot pockets of liquid rise while the more dense, cooler areas sink. Radiation detectors in 

the LMD hardware will measure the diffusive motions of a radioactive tracer in non-radioactive indium. The 

Microgravity Isolation Mount (MIM) will be used to isolate the experiment from vibrations which could disturb the 

liquid indium during the experiment and induce motions which are not diffusive. The MIM will also be used to provide 

measured vibrations for some samples to determine how easily diffusion can be affected by these forces. A total of five 

samples will be processed. The information obtained from diffusion measurements can be used to determine the rate at 

which material travels between two bodies of fluids separated by a stagnant layer which the material must diffuse 

through. This is a common occurrence for some types of crystal growth and alloy processing on Earth. The Principal 

Investigator is Dr. Franz Rosenberger of the University of Alabama - Huntsville. 

Optical Properties Monitor (OPM)-- OPM is the first experiment capable of relaying on-orbit data which will 

measure the effect of the space environment on optical properties, such as those of mirrors used in telescopes, and 

structural elements, such as the coatings used on space hardware. OPM instruments will measure various optical 

properties of the, overall showing to what extent the samples deteriorate over the course of the experiment. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 18 

Once aboard Mir, American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts will mount the monitor to the outside of the space 

station. This marks the first experiment deployed jointly by the U.S. and Russia, setting the stage for how the astronauts 

and cosmonauts will work together on the International Space Station. 

During its scheduled nine months on Mir, the experiment will measure the environment's effect on nearly 100 sample 

materials. The monitor will be the first externally powered experiment in space, using a power-data line to receive 

power from and transmit information to the Mir. The monitor will collect and store measurements to be transferred 

weekly to a Mir computer, then to scientists on Earth. 

Information gathered will be used to improve designs of optical and structural elements of spacecraft, particularly the 

International Space Station. It will also be used to plan maintenance schedules for in-orbit satellites, based on measured 

rates of degradation. 

OPM was developed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and AZ Technology of Huntsville, AL. It is scheduled 

to be retrieved from Mir in February 1998 during the STS-89 mission. The Principal Investigator is Donald Wilkes of 

AZ Technology in Huntsville, AL. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 19 

KIDSAT TO FLY AGAIN ON SPACE SHUTTLE 

The electric still cameras aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis will support the second flight of KidSat, as part of NASA's 

three- year pilot education program designed to bring the frontiers of space exploration to 15 U.S. middle school 

classrooms via the Internet during the STS-81 mission. 

The pilot program is a partnership between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the University of California at 

San Diego (UCSD), and the Johns Hopkins University Institute for the Academic Advancement of Youth (JHUIAAY). 

During the Shuttle flight, the KidSat mission operations center at UCSD will be staffed by undergraduate and high 

school students. The center has capabilities similar to those of Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) 

in Houston. The students receive telemetry from the Shuttle on their computer monitors and can listen to and receive 

instructions from NASA's flight controllers over direct channels to JSC. 

The KidSat mission operations team monitors the Shuttle's progress around the clock and continually provides up-todate information to the middle schools, who are using the Internet to send instructions to photograph specific regions of 

the Earth. Since any change in the Shuttle's orbit can affect students' selections, UCSD constantly updates this 

information so that the middle schools may re-plan their photograph requests if necessary. This is done through a 

sophisticated web site that allows middle school students access to interactive maps of orbit ground tracks and other 

resources to aid in photo selection. 

When the image requests have been verified by KidSat mission operations, they are compiled into a single camera 

control file and forwarded electronically to the KidSat representatives at JSC. They pass this file on to flight controllers 

who uplink it to an IBM Thinkpad connected to the KidSat camera. Software on the Thinkpad, developed by students 

working at JPL, uses these commands to control the camera. These same students trained the astronauts on the use of 

the software and the installation of the KidSat camera in the Shuttle's overhead window. 

After the photographs are taken, they are sent back down to the KidSat Data System at JPL, staffed by high school 

students during the mission, and posted on the world wide web for the middle school students to study and analyze. The 

curriculum used by the middle school students and teachers was developed by the JHU-IAAY and UCSD. Teachers 

participating in the mission learn to use the curriculum during summer training workshops. 

Some of the topics the students were interested in exploring during the first KidSat mission were weather, biomes, the 

relationship between history and geography and the patterns of rivers on the landscape. Additional interests for this 

mission include searching for impact craters and studying the relationships of center pivot irrigation fields to available 

water supply. 

Images and student results will be posted on the KidSat home page. Interested public school districts, teachers, and 

students may view the images and information provided by students during the mission via this World Wide Web site: 

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/kidsat 

The KidSat pilot program is sponsored by NASA's Office of Human Resources and Education, with support from the 

Offices of Space Flight, Mission to Planet Earth, and Space Science. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 20 

STS-81 CREWMEMBERS 

STS081-S-002 -- These seven NASA astronauts are the crew of STS-81. From the left are astronauts John M. 

Grunsfeld, Brent W. Jett, John E. Blaha, Peter J.K. Wisoff, Jerry M. Linenger, Michael A. Baker and Marsha S. Ivins. 

No copyright is asserted for this photograph. If a recognizable person appears in the photo, use for commercial 

purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA or 

by any NASA employee of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that might mislead. 

Accordingly, it is requested that if this photograph is used in advertising and other commercial promotion, layout and 

copy be submitted to NASA prior to release. 

PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 21 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

Michael A. Baker (Captain, USN), will serve as Commander (CDR) for STS-81. He was born October 27, 1953, in 

Memphis, TN, but considers Lemoore, CA, to be his hometown. He graduated from Lemoore Union High School in 

1971 and received a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas in 1975. Baker 

completed flight training and earned his Wings of Gold at Naval Air Station Chase Field, Beeville, TX, in 1977. 

Baker was selected for the astronaut program in June 1985. He is a veteran of three space flights, STS-43 in 1991, STS52 in 1992, and STS-68 in 1994, and has logged over 720 hours in space. From March to October 1995, Baker was the 

Director of Operations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, responsible for the 

coordination and implementation of mission operations activities in the Moscow region for the Shuttle-Mir program. 

Brent Jett (Commander, USN), will serve as Pilot (PLT) for STS-81. He was born October 5, 1958 in Pontiac, MI, but 

considers Ft. Lauderdale, FL, to be his hometown. Jett graduated from Northeast High School in Oakland Park, FL, in 

1976. He received a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981 and a 

master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1989. Jett received his 

commission from the Naval Academy in May 1981 and was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1993. 

He was selected for the astronaut program in March 1992. He is a veteran of STS-72 and has logged 214 hours in 

space. 

Peter J. K. "Jeff" Wisoff (Ph.D.), will serve as Mission Specialist-1 (MS-1) on STS-81. He was born August 16, 1958 

in Norfolk, VA. He graduated from Norfolk Academy in 1976. He received a bachelor of science degree in physics 

(with highest distinction) from the University of Virginia in 1980, a master of science degree and a doctorate in applied 

physics from Stanford University in 1982 and 1986, respectively. 

In his research career before joining NASA, Wisoff focused on the development of new vacuum ultraviolet and high 

intensity laser sources, and also collaborated on research on the applications of lasers to the reconstruction of damaged 

nerves. 

He was selected for the astronaut program in January 1990. Wisoff served as a mission specialist on STS-57 in 1993 

and STS-68 in 1994 and has logged over 509 hours in space. 

John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), will serve as Mission Specialist-2 (MS- 2) on STS-81. He was born October 10, 1958 in 

Chicago, IL. He graduated from Highland Park High School, Highland Park, IL, in 1976. He received a bachelor of 

science degree in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980, and a master of science degree and a 

doctorate in physics from the University of Chicago in 1984 and 1988, respectively. 

Dr. Grunsfeld's research has covered x-ray and gamma-ray astronomy, high energy cosmic ray studies, and the 

development of new detectors and instrumentation. He was selected for the astronaut program in March 1992. He 

served as mission specialist on STS-67/Astro-2 in 1995 and has logged 399 hours in space. 

Marsha S. Ivins will serve as Mission Specialist-3 (MS-3) on STS- 81. She was born April 15, 1951 in Baltimore, 

MD. She graduated from Nether Providence High School, Wallingford, PA, in 1969. She received a bachelor of science 

degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado in 1973. 

Ivins was employed as an engineer and pilot at Johnson Space Center for several years prior to her selection for the 

astronaut program in 1984. A veteran of three space flights, Ivins was mission specialist on STS-32 in 1990, STS-46 in 

1992 and STS-62 in 1994. She has logged over 764 hours in space. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 22 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

Jerry Linenger (Captain, Medical Corps, USN), will serve as Mission Specialist-4 (MS-4) from launch through 

docking on STS-81. After docking and a crew exchange, Linenger will replace John Blaha aboard Mir and officially 

become a member of the Mir crew. During his five-month stay aboard the station, he will conduct material, fluid and 

life science research before being replaced by U.S. astronaut Mike Foale in May 1997. 

Linenger was born January 16, 1955, in Eastpointe, MI. He graduated from East Detroit High School in 1973. He 

received a bachelor of science degree in bioscience from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1977. He holds four advanced 

degrees: a doctorate in medicine from Wayne State University in 1981, a master of science in systems management 

from the University of Southern California in 1988, a master of public health degree in health policy from the 

University of North Carolina in 1989, and a doctor of philosophy degree in epidemiology, also from the University of 

North Carolina, in 1989. 

Linenger was selected for the astronaut program in August 1992. He served as a mission specialist on STS-64 in 

September 1994 and has logged more than 262 hours in space. 

John E. Blaha (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) is the third NASA astronaut to serve as a researcher aboard the Mir Space 

Station. He has been aboard the orbiting facility as a member of the Mir 22 crew since September when Atlantis 

docked to retrieve Shannon Lucid and deliver supplies. 

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. Prior to STS-79, he had 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. 

Additional biographical information on the STS-81 crew members and other NASA astronauts is available on the 

World Wide Web at: 

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 02/2001/Page 23 

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS AS OF JANUARY 1997 

80 TOTAL FLIGHTS OF THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM -- 55 SINCE RETURN TO FLIGHT 

STS-80 

11/19/96 - 12/07/96 

STS-70 

07/13/95 - 07/22/95 

STS-78 

06/20/96 - 07/07/96 

STS-63 

02/03/95 - 02/11/95 

STS-75 

02/22/96 - 03/09/96 

STS-64 

09/09/94 - 09/20/94 

STS-73 

10/20/95 - 11/05/95 

STS-60 

02/03/94 - 02/11/94 

STS-65 

07/08/94 - 07/23/94 

STS-51 

09/12/93 - 09/22/93 

STS-79 

09/16/96 - 09/26/96 

STS-62 

03/04/94 - 03/18/94 

STS-56 

04/08/83 - 04/17/93 

STS-76 

03/22/96 - 03/31/96 

STS-58 

10/18/93 - 11/01/93 

STS-53 

12/02/92 - 12/09/92 

STS-74 

11/12/95 - 11/20/95 

STS-55 

04/26/93 - 05/06/93 

STS-42 

01/22/92 - 01/30/92 

STS-71 

06/27/95 - 07/07/95 

STS-52 

10/22/92 - 11/01/92 

STS-48 

09/12/91 - 09/18/91 

STS-66 

11/03/94 - 11/14/94 

STS-50 

06/25/92 - 07/09/92 

STS-39 

04/28/91 - 05/06/91 

STS-46 

07/31/92 - 08/08/92 

STS-40 

06/05/91 - 06/14/91 

STS-41 

10/06/90 - 10/10/90 

STS-45 

03/24/92 - 04/02/92 

STS-77 

05/19/96 - 05/29/96 

STS-35 

12/02/90 - 12/10/90 

STS-51L 

01/28/86 

STS-31 

04/24/90 - 04/29/90 

STS-44 

11/24/91 - 12/01/91 

STS-72 

01/11/96 - 11/20/96 

STS-32 

01/09/90 - 01/20/90 

STS-61A 

10/30/85 - 11/06/85 

STS-33 

11/22/89 - 11/27/89 

STS-43 

08/02/91 - 08/11/91 

STS-69 

09/07/95 - 09/18/95 

STS-28 

08/08/89 - 08/13/89 

STS-51F 

07/29/85 - 08/06/85 

STS-29 

03/13/89 - 03/18/89 

STS-37 

04/05/91 - 04/11/91 

STS-67 

03/02/95 - 03/18/95 

STS-61C 

01/12/86 - 01/18/86 

STS-51B 

04/29/85 - 05/06/85 

STS-26 

09/29/88 - 10/03/88 

STS-38 

11/15/90 - 11/20/90 

STS-68 

09/30/94 - 10/11/94 

STS-9 

11/28/83 - 12/08/83 

STS-41G 

10/05/84 - 10/13/84 

STS-51-I 

08/27/85 - 09/03/85 

STS-36 

02/28/90 - 03/04/90 

STS-59 

04/09/94 – 04/20/94 

STS-5 

11/11/82 - 11/16/82 

STS-41C 

04/06/84 - 04/13/84 

STS-51G 

06/17/85 - 06/24/85 

STS-34 

10/18/89 - 10/23/89 

STS-61 

12/02/93 - 12/13/93 

STS-4 

06/27/82 - 07/04/82 

STS-41B 

02/03/84 - 02/11/84 

STS-51D 

04/12/85 - 04/19/85 

STS-30 

05/04/89 - 05/08/89 

STS-57 

06/21/93 - 07/01/93 

STS-3 

03/22/82 - 03/30/82 

STS-8 

08/30/83 - 09/05/83 

STS-51C 

01/24/85 - 01/27/85 

STS-27 

12/02/88 - 12/06/88 

STS-54 

01/13/93 - 01/19/93 

STS-2 

11/12/81 - 11/14/81 

STS-7 

06/18/83 - 06/24/83 

STS-51A 

11/08/84 - 11/16/84 

STS-61B 

11/26/85 - 12/03/85 

STS-47 

09/12/92 - 09/20/92 

STS-1 

04/12/81 - 04/14/81 

STS-6 

04/04/83 - 04/09/83 

STS-41D 

08/30/84 - 09/05/84 

STS-51J 

10/03/85 - 10/07/85 

STS-49 

05/07/92 - 05/16/92 

 

OV-102 

Columbia 

(21 flights)

OV-099 

Challenger 

(10 flights)

OV-103 

Discovery 

(21 flights)

OV-104 

Atlantis 

(17 flights)

OV-105 

Endeavour 

(11 flights)