Shuttle Lifts Off for Rendezvous With Russian Space Station Mir
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — The space shuttle Atlantis soared into a cool, clear sky Sunday and began chasing the orbiting Russian outpost Mir to pick up an American astronaut.
“Starting off the new year right,” NASA launch director Jim Harrington boasted.
Aboard Mir, astronaut John Blaha and his two Russian crew mates watched a videotaped replay of Atlantis’ punctual predawn liftoff.
Mir was crossing the Galapagos Islands when Atlantis blasted off 2,400 miles away with six astronauts, including Dr. Jerry Linenger, Blaha’s replacement. Within an hour, the shuttle had closed the gap by nearly half.
Atlantis is due at the 240-mile-high space station Tuesday night. It will be the fifth time a shuttle has docked with Mir.
If Atlantis returns to Earth as scheduled Jan. 22, Blaha will have spent 128 days in space. The 54-year-old retired Air Force colonel has been living on Mir since September. That would bring the big-time football fan back in time for the Super Bowl.
Linenger, 41, a physician, will be the fourth and youngest American to live on Mir.
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