Remained attached to OV-102 References: 4 , 276 .

The launch of STS-83, the first Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) mission, was postponed for a day to replace some insulation around a water coolant line in Columbia's payload bay. Liftoff was further delayed 20 minutes due to anomalous oxygen readings in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-83 was cut short due to a problem with one of the three fuel cells that provide electricity and water to Columbia (flight rules required that all three must be operating). At 14:30 GMT on April 6 the crew were ordered to begin a Minimum Duration Flight (MDF). On April 8 the OMS engines ignited at 17:30 GMT for the deorbit burn, and Columbia landed on Runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center at 18:33 GMT.

With delays in International Space Station construction leaving ample room in the shuttle schedule, NASA made the unique decision to leave the equipment installed in Columbia and refly this mission with the same crew later in 1997 as STS-94. Additional Details: STS-83. References: 4 , 7 , 276 .

Unmanned resupply vessel to Mir. It carried supplies for the Mir station and repair equipment for Mir's oxygen generators, replacement oxygen-generating 'candles' and a pair of new spacesuits. Docked with Mir at the rear Kvant module port on 8 Apr 1997 17:30:03 GMT. The Mir complex raised its orbit by 5 km on 15 Apr 1997 at 12:00 GMT, using Progress M-34's engine. Undocked on 24 Jun 1997 10:22:50 GMT. It was then used to perform a redocking test using newly developed remote-control procedures which were to replace the automatic system that Russia could no longer afford to buy from Ukraine. At 25 Jun 1997 09:18 GMT Mir commander Tsibliev was remotely commanding the approach of Progress to the Kvant module. This involved guiding the Progress via a television monitor. The Progress was difficult to see against the cloudy earth background at the time of the attempted docking. It went off course and collided with a solar array on the Spektr module and then the module itself. A large hole was made in a solar panel, one of the radiators was buckled, a hole was punched into Spektr's hull, and the module began to depressurize. This was not a slow leak - the crew heard a hissing sound and felt their ears pop. They disconnected the power cables leading from Mir to the main station and closed the hatch on the core module transfer section that led to Spektr. The Spektr module became fully depressurized, remaining docked to Mir with its docking hatch open. The loss of electrical connection between Spektr's solar panels and the main station cut the available power supply to the station, crippling its operations until later repairs reconnected the electrical lines. Tsibliev was also the pilot on a previous orbital collision, when he banged Soyuz TM-17 into Mir in Jan 1994. After the return of the crew to earth he was found to be to blame for the incident, although the fines assessed were later dismissed. The Progress M-34 cargo ship was backed to a safe distance from the station and was destroyed in reentry on 2 Jul 1997 06:31:50 GMT. Total free-flight time 9.90 days. Total docked time 76.70 days. References: 4 , 275 , 276 .

Covered Oko constellation planes 8/9 - 217 degree longitude of ascending node. References: 4 , 100 .

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 110.0E References: 4 .

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 78.5E References: 4 .

Military navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 2 of constellation. Signals at 149.91 and 399.76 MHz. References: 4 , 107 .

Minisat-01 carried the EURD extreme ultraviolet spectrograph to study interstellar gas, the LEGRI gamma ray burst detector, and the CPLM microacceleration in liquids experiment. References: 4 .

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 105.7W Launch vehicle put payload into supersynchronous earth orbit with MRS trajectory option. References: 4 , 278 .

Test of new spacesuits. Retrieved and installed external equipment. References: 66 .

The constellation was revised to 12 planes x 24 satellites - $ 9 billion for 288 units. Boeing awarded satellite contract April 30 1997.

Plane 4. Ascending node 262.5 degrees. References: 4 .

Plane 4. Ascending node 262.5 degrees. References: 4 .

Plane 4. Ascending node 262.5 degrees. References: 4 .

Plane 4. Ascending node 262.4 degrees. References: 4 .

Plane 4. Ascending node 262.5 degrees. References: 4 .

GT-24PA

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 125.0E References: 4 .

Covered Oko constellation planes 6/7 - 129 degree longitude of ascending node. References: 4 , 100 .

Long duration film return military reconnaissance satellite. After returning multiple film capsules, the spacecraft was deorbited. This satellite provided Russia with the photo reconnaisance capability after a break of 7 1/2 months. This launch came on the 40th anniversary of the first successful launch of the R-7 rocket, from which the Soyuz-U was derived. It was the 250th launch of the Soyuz-U from Baikonur, the 350th launch from Launch Complex 31, and the 666th launch of a Soyuz-U. References: 4 , 102 , 106 .

Atlantis blasted off on a night launch to Mir, docking with the station on May 17 at 02:33 GMT. Jerry Linenger, who had begun his stay on Mir in mid-January aboard STS-81, would return aboard STS-84. Michael Foale would be left at the station for his stint as the American crew member of Mir. The crew transfered to Mir 466 kg of water, 383 kg of U.S. science equipment, 1,251 kg of Russian equipment and supplies, and 178 kg of miscellaneous material. Returned to Earth aboard Atlantis were 406 kg of U.S. science material, 531 kg of Russian logistics material, 14 kg of ESA material and 171 kg of miscellaneous material. Atlantis undocked from Mir at 01:04 GMT on May 22. After passing up its first landing opportunity due to clouds over the landing site, the Shuttle fired its OMS engines on the deorbit burn at 12:33 GMT on May 24. Atlantis landed at 13:27 GMT at Kennedy Space Center's runway 33. Additional Details: STS-84. References: 4 , 7 , 276 .

GT-164GM

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 0.8W References: 4 .

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 97.0W References: 4 , 274 .

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 54.0W References: 4 .

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 74.1E References: 4 .

First launch in a new series of electro-optical military reconnaisance satellites. References: 4 , 274 .

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 104.6E References: 4 .

Plane 5. Ascending node 294 degrees. References: 4 , 274 .

Plane 5. Ascending node 294.6 degrees. Not in service. References: 4 , 274 .

Plane 5. Ascending node 294.2 degrees. References: 4 , 274 .

Plane 5. Ascending node 294.2 degrees. References: 4 , 274 .

Plane 5. Ascending node 294.2 degrees. Not in service. References: 4 , 274 .

Plane 5. Ascending node 294.2 degrees. References: 4 , 274 .

Plane 5. Ascending node 294.2 degrees. References: 4 , 274 .

GT-165GM

RSLP (MSLS) IFT-1A

Geosynchronous. Stationed over 174.1E References: 4 .

The polar orbiting ADEOS spacecraft performed Earth, atmospheric, and oceanographic remote sensing. Initially put on August 20 1996 into a wrong orbit, it achieved an acceptable orbit in September 1996.