Crew & Mission

(STS071-S-002 - March 05, 1995) --- Crew members for the STS-71 mission and the related Mir missions assemble for a crew portrait at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). In front are, left to right, Vladimir N. Dezhurov, Robert L. Gibson and Anatoliy Y. Solovyev, mission commanders for Mir-18, STS-71 and Mir-19, respectively. On the back row are, left to right, Norman E. Thagard, Gennadiy M. Strekalov, Gregory J. Harbaugh, Ellen S. Baker, Charles J. Precourt, Bonnie J. Dunbar and Nikolai M. Budarin. In a precedent-setting flight, Thagard later this month will be launched as a guest researcher along with Dezhurov, commander, and Strekalov, flight engineer, to Russia's Mir Space Station for a three month mission, designated as Mir 18. Then in late spring, as the assignment of STS-71, the Space Shuttle Atlantis will rendezvous with the Russian Mir Space Station to pick up the Mir 18 crew and transfer cosmonauts Solovyev and Budarin to the station for the Mir 19 mission.

The Artwork

(STS071-S-001 - June 12, 1995) --- The STS-71 crew patch design depicts the orbiter Atlantis in the process of the first international docking mission of the Space Shuttle Atlantis with the Russian Space Station Mir. The names of the 10 astronauts and cosmonauts who will fly aboard the orbiter as shown along the outer border of the patch. The rising sun symbolizes the dawn of a new era of cooperation between the two countries. The vehicles Atlantis and Mir are shown in separate circles converging at the center of the emblem symbolizing the merger of the space programs of the two space faring nations. The flags of the United States and Russia emphasize the equal partnership of the mission. The joint program symbol at the lower center of the patch acknowledges the extensive contributions made by the Mission Control Centers (MCC) of both countries. The crew insignia was designed by aviation and space artist, Bob McCall, who also designed the crew patch for the Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) in 1975, the first international space docking mission.

First Artwork Concepts

Shown above are drawings made by artist Robert McCall for the mission patch for STS-71.

Spot the Patch !!!

(STS071(E)007 - June 29, 1995) --- Onboard Russia's Mir Space Station, astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, mission specialist, attaches a decal of the logo for the STS-71 mission.

Something Different