CONTINUATION OF U.S./RUSSIA SPACE COOPERATION HIGHLIGHTS
THIRD SHUTTLE MISSION OF 1996

The first spacewalk by U.S. astronauts while the shuttle
is attached to the Russian Space Station Mir and the first
American woman to serve as a Mir station researcher will
highlight NASA's third shuttle mission of 1996.

The flight, designated mission STS-76, is the third of
nine planned Space Shuttle-Mir link ups between 1995 and
1998, including rendezvous, docking and crew transfers, which
will pave the way toward assembly of the International Space
Station beginning in November 1997.

The STS-76 crew is commanded by Kevin P. Chilton, making
his third Shuttle flight. The pilot for the mission, Richard
A. Searfoss, is making his second flight. There are four
mission specialists assigned to the flight. Ronald M. Sega,
serving as the Payload Commander and Mission Specialist-1 is
making his second flight. Mission Specialist-2 is Richard
Clifford who is making his third flight. Linda Godwin,
serving as Mission Specialist-3, is also making her third
flight. Mission Specialist-4, Shannon Lucid, is flying in
space for the fifth time. Lucid will remain aboard the Mir
station after Atlantis undocks, becoming the first American
woman to serve as a Mir crew member. She will remain aboard
the orbiting station until Atlantis again docks to Mir in
early August.

Launch of Atlantis is currently targeted for no earli