STS-76

STS-76
Atlantis mates with Mir's Docking Module
NamesSpace Transportation System-76
Mission typeShuttle–Mir
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1996-018A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.23831
Mission duration9 days, 5 hours, 15 minutes, 53 seconds (achieved)
Distance travelled6,100,000 km (3,800,000 mi)
Orbits completed145
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftOV-104
Launch mass111,740 kg (246,340 lb)
Landing mass95,396 kg (210,312 lb)
Payload mass6,753 kg (14,888 lb)
Crew
Crew size6 up
5 down
Members
Launching
Start of mission
Launch date22 March 1996, 08:13:03.999 UTC[1]: 2 
Launch siteKennedy, LC-39B
ContractorRockwell International
End of mission
Landing date31 March 1996, 13:28:56.8 UTC[1]: 8 
Landing siteEdwards, Runway 22
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude389 km (242 mi)
Apogee altitude411 km (255 mi)
Inclination51.60°
Period92.50 minutes
Docking with Mir
Docking portSO starboard
Docking date24 March 1996, 02:50:09.9 UTC[1]: 4 
Undocking date29 March 1996, 01:08:03.4 UTC[1]: 5 
Time docked4 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes, 54 seconds

STS-76 mission patch

Back: Clifford, Lucid, Godwin
Front: Sega, Chilton, Searfoss
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STS-77 →

STS-76 was NASA's 76th Space Shuttle mission, and the 16th mission for Atlantis. STS-76 launched on 22 March 1996 at 08:13:04 UTC from Kennedy Space Center, launch pad 39B. STS-76 lasted over 9 days, traveled about 6,100,000 km (3,800,000 mi) while orbiting Earth an estimated 145 times, and landing at 13:28:57 UTC on 31 March 1996 at Edwards Air Force Base, runway 22.

The flight was the third Shuttle mission to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir, as part of the Shuttle–Mir program, carrying astronaut Shannon Lucid to the orbital laboratory to replace NASA astronaut Norman Thagard. STS-76 also carried a SPACEHAB single module along with Lucid, and on flight day 6, Linda M. Godwin and Michael R. Clifford performed the first U.S. spacewalk around two docked spacecraft since the last Skylab mission in 1974.

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