WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

STS-89 Mission Specialist Bonnie Dunbar, Ph.D., at left, discusses the mission with Mission Specialist Salizhan Sharipov of the Russian Space Agency under the orbiter Endeavour after it landed on Runway 15 at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility Jan. 31. The 89th Space Shuttle mission was the 42nd (and 13th consecutive) landing of the orbiter at KSC, and STS-89 was the eighth of nine planned dockings of the orbiter with the Russian Space Station Mir. STS-89 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., succeeded NASA astronaut and Mir 24 crew member David Wolf, M.D., who was on the Russian space station since late September 1997. Dr. Wolf returned to Earth on Endeavour with the remainder of the STS-89 crew, including Commander Terrence Wilcutt; Pilot Joe Edwards Jr.; and Mission Specialists James Reilly, Ph.D.; Michael Anderson; Dr. Dunbar; and Sharipov. Dr. Thomas is scheduled to remain on Mir until the STS-91 Shuttle mission returns in June 1998. In addition to the docking and crew exchange, STS-89 included the transfer of science, logistical equipment and supplies between the two orbiting spacecrafts.