WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

STS-91 Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt (at microphone) talks to the media at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility upon the crew's arrival aboard T-38 jets from Ellington Field, Texas, as part of final preparations for launch. The other crew members are, from left to right, Pilot Dominic Gorie and Mission Specialists Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; Wendy B. Lawrence; Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency; and Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 on Space Shuttle Discovery with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir.