Atlantis soars toward Mir

But glitch threatens to shorten mission

September 16, 1996
Web posted at: 9:50 a.m. EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (CNN) -- A spectacular pre-dawn launch lit up the skies over Florida's east coast Monday, but after the space shuttle Atlantis reached orbit, NASA announced that an equipment failure may cut the orbiter's mission short.

(17 sec./ 739K QuickTime movie of the launch.)

Atlantis took off through thin clouds on time Monday -- but six weeks late due to mechanical and weather delays -- on its way to the Russian space station Mir to retrieve U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid. Lucid has been aboard Mir for more than six months, setting a U.S. space endurance record.

Mission managers announced a little more than an hour into the shuttle's flight that an auxiliary power unit appeared to shut down earlier than it should have during Monday's launch. The unit, one of three that allow the crew to steer the vehicle during launch and landing, is not used during orbit.

Engineers are evaluating the problem and the capabilities of the remaining two auxiliary power units to determine whether the mission will need to be shortened, NASA said.

If engineers determine the unit has failed, NASA rules require that the crew fly a "minimum duration mission," usually about four days. NASA briefly considered changing the shuttle's docking plans to accommodate a shortened mission if necessary, but has told the astronauts they will join Mir on schedule.

NASA program manager Loren Shriver said engineers would evaluate all available information before making a decision about the mission status.

Atlantis is scheduled to arrive at the space station late Wednesday night to unload supplies and retrieve Lucid, who was supposed to have been replaced in August by astronaut John Blaha. Blaha is to spend four months aboard the station.

Lucid: Weightless for six months

If the shuttle fulfills its full 10-day mission, astronaut Lucid will have completed 188 days in space -- 48 days more than anticipated. The 53-year-old biochemist said she is anxious to return home, but unsure how her body will react after six months of weightlessness.

"I don't know," she told CNN's John Holliman. "I guess that's one of the things I want to find out."

Lucid (19 sec./ 212K AIFF or WAV sound)

In addition to swapping U.S. astronauts, Atlantis is hauling some 4,600 pounds (2,070 kg) of supplies and equipment for Mir, and will take back 2,200 pounds (990 kg) of scientific samples and broken equipment.

NASA also discovered a problem with drinking water created on board the shuttle after launch Monday. Monitors inside the shuttle's fuel cells showed a higher-than-normal pH level in the water, a by-product of electricity production. The crew will perform a manual test of the water's acidity level to determine if the water, which was to be delivered to Mir, is potable.

Tight launch window

Atlantis' mission to Mir had been delayed by problems with the rocket boosters -- they had to be replaced -- and two hurricanes off the Florida coast.

But when the orbiter soared into space at 4:54 a.m., it was within a required five-minute launch window. Shuttle missions usually have a two-and-a-half hour window, but Mir missions must run on a tighter schedule to minimize the shuttle's "catch-up" time in space. The space station was orbiting above Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula when the orbiter took off and passed over Kennedy Space Center about 10 minutes later.

Mir was out of radio contact at launch time, but shuttle commander Bill Readdy told mission managers they could "pass along to the Mir that Atlantis is on her way" as the shuttle reached orbit eight and a half minutes after launch.

Correspondent John Holliman, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Astronaut Lucid to come home 'younger,' more patient - Sept. 12, 1996
• Shuttle glitch delays ride home for astronaut - Aug. 10, 1996

Related sites:

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• CNN's: Space Exploration Gallery
• NASA Shuttle/Mir: Shannon Lucid
• Space Station Mir Info Page
• NASA Shuttle STS-79 Mission Page

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