WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

STS-84 Mission Specialists, from left, C. Michael Foale, Edward Tsang Lu and Elena V. Kondakova practice emergency egress procedures in a slidewire basket at Launch Pad 39A. They and the other four members of the STS-84 crew are participating in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch. STS-84 aboard Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, Foale will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission. STS-84 is targeted for a May 15 liftoff.