MAXIMOV-MIR http://www.maximov.com/Mir/mir2.html

NASA SHUTTLE-MIR http://shuttle-mir.nasa.gov/

MSFC NASA MIR http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/mol/mir/
mir.html

The Mir stations's primary oxygen-generation unit aboard Mir has malfunctioned and has been offline for over a week. Called the Elektron, the generator uses electrolysis to separate the oxygen out of the onboard waste water and return it to the cabin atmosphere. A second Elektron system also developed problems and had to be shut down.
The crew is now maintaining proper oxygen levels by using a lithium perchlorate system; solid candles that generate oxygen. On February 23, a leak in the LP system sparked a 90-second flash fire.
The crew and Russian flight controllers are planning their repair strategy. The crew is manufacturing parts and waiting for parts to be delivered with a Progress launch in early April.

March 22 marks the first anniversary of the launch of mission STS-76, which brought astronaut Shannon Lucid to the Mir space station and initiated a continuous American presence in space since that date.

May 15, 1997 - STS-84 launch. To rendevous and pick up Jerry Linenger and drop off U.S. astronaut Michael Foale for a four-month stay.

September 18, 1997 STS-86 launch. Wendy Lawrence to replace Michael Foale.

James D. Halsell, Mission Commander
Susan L. Still, Pilot
Janice E. Voss, Payload Commander
Donald A. Thomas, Mission Specialist
Michael L. Gernhardt, Mission Specialist
Roger K. Crouch, Payload Specialist
Gregory T. Linteris, Payload Specialist

NASA Space Shuttle Current Status
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/
status/stsstat/current.htm

The NASA Shuttle Web
http://shuttle.nasa.gov/

Future Shuttle Missions
http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/shuttle/futsts.html

STS News Reference Manual
http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/
sts-newsref/stsref-toc.html

Launch countdown for STS-83 begins at 2:00pm March 31.

The primary payload, the Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1), features 19 materials science investigations. There are 5 government agencies, 12 commercial industries and 32 academic instutions listed as partners in the MSL-1 mission. MSL-1 is considered a "key component of the bridge between present Spacelab and future Space Station operations." (Ref: http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/spacelab/msl/welcome.html)

Mission Specialist Donald A. Thomas, who broke his ankle on January 29, has been cleared to fly as planned. (Ref: KSC Press Release 49-97, March 20)

FLIGHT -- ORBITER -- DATE

STS-84 -- Atlantis -- May 15, 1997

STS-85 -- Discovery -- July 17, 1997

STS-86 -- Atlantis -- September 18, 1997

STS-87 -- Columbia -- October 9, 1997

STS-88 -- Endeavor -- December 4, 1997

STS SPECS:
Crew Capacity: 8 (10 could be carried in an emergency)
Max Acceleration Load < 3Gs.
Orbital Altitude: 100 to 217 nautical miles.
Cargo bay dimensions: 15 feet diameter, 60 feet long.
Basic Mission Length: 7 days in space

ORBITERS:
Enterprise (OV-101): used for Approach and Landing Tests, the Enterprise now is property of the Smithsonian Institution and is at Dulles Airport, Va.
Columbia (OV-102): the first operational orbiter, STS-1 first launched on 12 April 81.
Challenger (OV-099): the second orbiter, flew 10 missions between 1983 and 1986 for a combined total of 69 days in space. On January 28, 1986, Challenger and her crew were lost in a launch accident.
Discovery (OV-103): the third orbiter, Discovery has flown 22 missions since its maiden voyage on August 30, 1984.
Atlantis: (OV-104): Atlantis has flown 18 missions since its first launch on October 3, 1985.
Endeavor: (OV-105): Replacing the Challenger and completing the 4-orbiter space shuttle fleet, Endeavor has flown 11 missions since its first launch on May 5, 1992.

PHASE I - SHUTTLE/MIR - 1994-1997 Remaining Phase I Shuttle Missions:
STS-84 May 1997 Atlantis/Mir
STS-86 Sep 1997 Atlantis/Mir

PHASE II - ASSEMBLY - 1997-1999
15 flights; 7 Russian, 7 U.S., 1 combined.
(Phase II completion = 3 person permanent crew)

PHASE III - ASSEMBLY - 1999-2002
29 flights: 21 U.S., 7 Russian, 1 French

ISS assembly will require 44 flights and take over 4.5 years to complete.

NASA International Space Station http://issa-www.jsc.nasa.gov/index.shtml

Space Station This Week
http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/
Human.Space.Flight/Space.Station/ Space.Station.This.Week/

Space Station Web - MSFC http://snail.msfc.nasa.gov/station/welcome.html

ISS - Office of Space Flight - NASA HQ http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/iss/

Astronauts conduct hardware tests.

Astronauts and Boeing space station employees conduct hatch tests. Hatch tests involve opening and closing a hatch over 3,100 times while engineers inspect for wear and tear around the seals. Astronauts took turns opening and closing the hatch as part of the tests. Further testing on mechanical systems and electronic bonding, and a leak rate test will be conducted.
(From Space Station This Week - March 17, 1997)

Remaining Phase I Shuttle Missions:
STS-84 May 1997 Atlantis/Mir (U.S. astronaut transfer)
STS-86 Sep 1997 Atlantis/Mir (U.S. astronaut pickup)

PHASE II, the assembly phase, begins with a U.S./Russian mission in November 1997.

SPECS:

Total Crew Size = 6
Altitude: 190 to 230 nautical miles
Orbit Inclination: ~ 51.6 degrees
Total pressurized volume: ~ 46,200 cubic feet

International Partners:

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, United States