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"Men who have worked together to reach the stars are not likely to descend together into the depths of war and desolation." |
U.S. Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson,
addressing the U.N. General Assembly, 1958 |
Welcome to NASA's Shuttle-Mir Web. Between March 1995 and May 1998, the Russian Space Station Mir hosts a series of NASA astronauts as crewmembers. The NASA program supporting this endeavor is commonly known as International Space Station Phase 1. As long as a NASA astronaut lives and works aboard Mir, this web site will provide the latest news and information about Phase 1, its history and objectives, and future phases of the space station program.
Shuttle-Mir participants seek to answer vital questions about the future of human life in space. They work in the safety of a known environment, experiencing real-life issues that might otherwise arise with more serious consequences aboard the International Space Station. Mir is a test site for three main areas of experience and investigation:
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Designing, building, and staffing the International Space Station are big jobs. As participants draw from the experience and resources of many nations to make it all happen, Shuttle-Mir experience teaches them how to work together and learn from one another. |
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Mir offers a unique opportunity for long-duration data gathering. Station designers are using Mir as a test site for space station hardware, materials, and construction methods. Mir crew members are taking advantage of the microgravity environment to conduct scientific investigations into biological and material studies. |
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The Phase 1 program operates under a complicated logistical scheme. In the 35-year history of human space flight, no previous program has required so many transport vehicles, so much interdependent operation between organizations, and so much good timing. Shuttle-Mir experience gives participants an opportunity to gear up for the formidable cooperative effort the International Space Station will require. |
Curator: Kim Dismukes
Responsible NASA Official: Kelly Humphries
Updated: 25 April 1998
