Space Shuttle Atlantis
In March 1994, Dezhurov began flight training as commander of the prime crew of the Mir-18 mission. The crew was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 14, 1995 aboard the Soyuz TM-21 spacecraft. Following a two-day solo flight, the Soyuz spacecraft docked with the Mir on March 16. Dezhurov served as the Mir E-18 commander. There were several technical problems during this mission. The crew also performed life science experiments. Following a 115-day flight, the mission concluded with landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on July 7, 1995.