Astronaut Shannon Lucid is seen egressing from a training version of a soyez spacecraft, during a water survival training session in Russia. In March of 1996, Lucid accompanied the STS-76 crew to the Russian space station, Mir, where she stayed for a little over four months before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew.

STS058-25-004 (29 Oct. 1993) --- On the forward flight deck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, astronauts John E. Blaha and Shannon W. Lucid show their glee at a milestone achieved a while earlier. The mission commander had earlier announced that Lucid's just achieved 752nd hour in space marked a space shuttle record for time spent on a mission.

STS79-E-5371 (24 September 1996) --- Approaching the end of a stay in space exceeding six months, astronaut Shannon W. Lucid floats through the tunnel that connects Spacehab to the Space Shuttle Atlantis' cabin.

NM21-399-001 (March 1996) --- Aboard the Base Block Module on Russia’s Mir Space Station, astronaut and cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid works out on a treadmill device. With almost six months of a constant microgravity environment ahead of her, Lucid plans regular workouts on the device. Lucid was recently dropped off by NASA’s STS-76 crew of astronauts in the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

S78-35287 (13 Jan. 1978) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, mission specialist.

51G-04-010 (17-24 June 1985) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid monitors cargo bay activities with one of the satellite payloads aboard.

STS79-E-5277 (23 September 1996) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, former cosmonaut guest researcher, checks on wheat plants aboard Russia's Mir Space Station, during Flight Day 8. Lucid, along with the rest of the STS-79 crew except for John E. Blaha, current cosmonaut guest researcher, is leaving Mir today.

NM22-427-012 (16-26 Sept. 1996) --- During off-duty time on the Spektr Module aboard the Earth-orbiting Mir Space Station, astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, cosmonaut guest researcher, retrieves a book from her personal library. Lucid, dropped off in March by the STS-76 crew members, was nearing the end of 188 consecutive days in space before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew. She worked with a total of five cosmonauts at various times during that stay.

STS79-E-5370 (24 September 1996)--- During off-duty time in the Spacehab Module, astronaut Shannon W. Lucid uses the microgravity of space to fabricate her own kind of easy chair as the days of her lengthy Russian Mir Space Station stay as a cosmonaut guest researcher come to a close. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) during Flight Day 9.

These six NASA astronauts launched into space aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on March 22, 1996 for the STS-76 mission. Pictured on the front row, left to right, are astronauts Ronald M. Sega, mission specialist; Kevin P. Chilton, mission commander; and Richard A. Searfoss, pilot. On the back row, left to right, are mission specialists Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, Shannon W. Lucid, and Linda M. Godwin. The third U.S. Shuttle-Mir docking, STS-76 began a new period of international cooperation in space exploration with the first Shuttle transport of a United States astronaut (Lucid) to Russia’s Mir Space Station for extended joint space research. Clifford and Godwin, pictured here in training versions of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), performed the first Extravehicular Activity (EVA) during Mir-Shuttle docked operations.

STS79-E-5095 (19 September 1996) --- Soon after Russia's Mir Space Station and the Space Shuttle Atlantis were docked in Earth-orbit, hatchways were quickly and safely opened, making way for special reunions like the one between astronaut and cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid (still attired in her Mir-22 garment) and astronaut John E. Blaha near the tunnel connection to the Docking Module (DM) on Mir, during Flight Day 4. After spending 180 days aboard Mir, Lucid is with the astronaut who will replace her as cosmonaut guest researcher. The two have flown together on two previous Space Shuttle missions.

STS79-E-5131 (20 September 1996) --- Astronauts Shannon W. Lucid and John E. Blaha, sharing a third flight together in Earth-orbit (twice on the Space Shuttle Atlantis, once on the Space Shuttle Columbia), hold a brief-debrief session about their soon-to-be exchanged roles, during Flight Day 5. Blaha becomes a Mir-22 cosmonaut guest researcher for several months and Lucid ends a period of over six months aboard Mir as a cosmonaut guest researcher, having spent time with two Mir crews.

STS079-354-011 (16-26 Sept. 1996) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid with cosmonaut Aleksandr Y. Kaleri prepare to move Lucid's cosmonaut space suit from Russia's Mir Space Station to the Space Shuttle Atlantis. This photograph is one of fifteen 35mm frames (along with four 70mm frames) of still photography documenting the activities of NASA's STS-79 mission, which began with a Sept. 16, 1996, liftoff from Launch Pad 39A the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and ended with a landing at KSC on Sept. 26, 1996. Onboard for the launch were astronauts William F. Readdy, commander; Terrence W. Wilcutt, pilot; John E. Blaha, Jerome (Jay) Apt, Thomas D. Akers and Carl E. Walz, all mission specialists. On flight day 4, the crew docked with Mir. Lucid, who had spent six months aboard Mir, switched cosmonaut guest researcher roles with Blaha. The latter joined fellow Mir-22 crewmembers Valeri G. Korzun, commander, and Kaleri, flight engineer.

STS79-E-5078 (19 September 1996) --- Astronaut and cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid sees her first astronaut visitors since March 1996, as she greets William F. Readdy, STS-79 commander, during Flight Day 4. Some of Russia's Mir Space Station's components can be seen through the window in background. Lucid is to return to Earth with Readdy's crew in a few days.

STS79-E-5309 (23 September 1996) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, former cosmonaut guest researcher, is captured in her first photograph aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis since leaving Russia's Mir Space Station for the final time, during Flight Day 8.

STS79-E-5388 (16 - 26 September 1996) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, former cosmonaut guest researcher, was photographed onboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis as the Russian Mir Space Station, her temporary "home" for the past six months, moves off to continue its mission with fellow astronaut John E. Blaha, cosmonaut guest researcher, aboard.

STS076-356-029 (22 - 31 March 1996) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, cosmonaut guest researcher, shows off a book which will occupy some of her off-duty time and that of her two Mir-21 crew mates aboard Russia's Mir Space Station during the next five months. Lucid was about to bid farewell to STS-76 crew mates Kevin P. Chilton (left), mission commander, and Ronald M. Sega, payload commander. The book was a gift from the STS-76 crew, given to the Mir-21 crew. This photograph was made onboard Mir's Base Block Module. After leaving Lucid to her duties onboard Mir, Chilton, Sega and three other astronauts later returned to Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Mission Specialist Shannon W. Lucid, STS 51-G, descends from the top of the crew compartment trainer in bldg 9A, the mockup and integration laboratory, during emergency egress training.

NM21-388-012 (For Release October 1996) --- Astronaut Shannon Lucid (background) exercises on the treadmill in the Mir space station Base Block while Mir 21 flight engineer Yury V. Usachev is wired for an experiment.

NASA Chief Scientist Shannon Lucid, a former astronaut, introduces Northern Virginia students to the research that will be conducted on the STS-107 mission. The activity was part of the Space Research and You education event held by NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research on June 25, 2002, in Arlington, VA, to highlight the research that will be conducted on STS-107.

S93-31697 (3 April 1993) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid participates in training for contingency Extravehicular Activity (EVA) for the STS-58 mission. Behind Lucid, sharing a moveable platform with her, is astronaut David A. Wolf (out of frame). For simulation purposes, the two mission specialists were about to be submerged to a point of neutral buoyancy in the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F). Though the Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-2) mission does not include a planned EVA, all crews designate members to learn proper procedures to perform outside the spacecraft in the event of failure of remote means to accomplish those tasks.

The STS-34 crew portrait includes 5 astronauts. Pictured left to right are Shannon W. Lucid, mission specialist; Donald E. Williams, commander; Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, mission specialist; Michael J. McCulley, pilot; and Ellen S. Baker, mission secialist. The crew of 5 launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis on October 18, 1989 at 12:53:40pm (EDT). The primary payload was the Galileo Jupiter Spacecraft and attached inertial upper stage (IUS). Deployed 6 hours and 30 minutes into the flight, the IUS stages fired, boosting Galileo on trajectory for a 6 year trip to Jupiter.

STS079-S-092 (16-26 Sept. 1996) --- Astronauts Shannon W. Lucid and John E. Blaha work at a microgravity glove box on the Priroda Module aboard Russia's Mir Space Station complex. Blaha, who flew into Earth-orbit with the STS-79 crew, and Lucid are the first participants in a series of ongoing exchanges of NASA astronauts serving time as cosmonaut guest researchers onboard Mir. Lucid went on to spend a total of 188 days in space before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew. During the STS-79 mission, the crew used an IMAX camera to document activities aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and the various Mir modules, with the cooperation of the Russian Space Agency (RSA). A hand-held version of the 65mm camera system accompanied the STS-79 crew into space in Atlantis' crew cabin. NASA has flown IMAX camera systems on many Shuttle missions, including a special cargo bay camera's coverage of other recent Shuttle-Mir rendezvous and/or docking missions.

STS079-S-082 (16-26 Sept. 1996) --- Cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid and Valeri G. Korzun, her Mir-22 commander, are pictured on the Spektr Module aboard Russia's Earth-orbiting Mir Space Station. Korzun was the third of four commanders that Lucid served with during her record-setting 188 consecutive days in space. Later, Lucid returned to Earth with her fourth commander-astronaut William F. Readdy-and five other NASA astronauts to complete the STS-79 mission. During the STS-79 mission, the crew used an IMAX camera to document activities aboard the space shuttle Atlantis and the various Mir modules. A hand-held version of the 65mm camera system accompanied the STS-79 crew into space in Atlantis' crew cabin. NASA has flown IMAX camera systems on many Shuttle missions, including a special cargo bay camera's coverage of other recent Shuttle-Mir rendezvous and/or docking missions.

STS79-E-5145 (20 September 1996) --- Astronaut and cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid exercises on a treadmill while astronaut, soon-to-be cosmonaut guest researcher, John E. Blaha studies the daily planner, during Flight Day 5.

NM21-386-024 (March 1996) --- Onboard the Base Block Module of Russia’s Mir Space Station, as two members of the Mir-21 crew prepare to move supplies to their proper stowage places. Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, recently dropped off by the STS-76 Space Shuttle Atlantis crew members and now serving as a cosmonaut guest researcher, works with Yury V. Usachev, flight engineer. She went on to spend a total of 188 consecutive days in space before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew. She worked with a total of five cosmonauts at various times during that stay.

STS079-357-015 (20 Sept. 1996) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, in one her final opportunities to work with cosmonauts on her record stay in space, joins cosmonaut Aleksandr Kaleri in securing empty food trays to be moved from Russia's Mir Space Station to the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Cosmonaut Valeri Korzun, Mir-22 commander, is busy with other chores in the background.

The STS-58 crew portrait includes astronauts (seated left to right) David A. Wolf, Shannon W. Lucid, and Rhea Seddon, all mission specialists; and Richard A. Searfoss, pilot. Standing in the rear, left to right, are John E. Blaha, commander; William S. McArthur, Jr., mission specialist; and Martin J. Fettmen, payload specialist. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on October 18, 1993 at 10:53:10 a.m. (EDT), STS-58 served as the second dedicated Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-2) mission.

The crew assigned to the STS-51G mission included (kneeling front left to right) Daniel C. Brandenstein, commander; and John O. Creighton, pilot. Standing, left to right, are mission specialists Shannon W. Lucid, Steven R. Nagel, and John M. Fabian; and payload specialists Sultan Salman Al-Saud, and Patrick Baudrey. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on June 17, 1985 at 7:33:00 am (EDT), the STS-51G mission’s primary payloads were three communications satellites: MORELOS-A for Mexico; ARABSAT-A , for Arab Satellite communications; and TELSTAR-3D, for ATT.

STS034-05-027 (18-23 Oct. 1989) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid peers into Atlantis' cargo bay from the aft flight deck. The spacecraft was in the midst of one of its many "days", a 50-odd minutes session of exposure to the sun. The scene was recorded with a 35mm camera.

The crew assigned to the STS-79 mission included (seated front left to right) Jerome (Jay) Apt, mission specialist; Terrence W. Wilcutt, pilot; William F. Readdy, commander; Thomas D. Akers, and Carl E. Walz, both mission specialists. On the back row (left to right) are mission specialists Shannon W. Lucid, and John E. Blaha. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on September 16, 1996 at 4:54:49 am (EDT), the STS-79 mission marked the fourth U.S. Space Shuttle-Russian Space Station Mir docking, the second flight of the SPACEHAB module in support of Shuttle-Mir activities and the first flight of the SPACEHAB Double Module Configuration.

The space shuttle Atlantis touches down on the runway at Edwards, California, at approximately 5:29 a.m. Pacific Standard Time after completing the highly successful STS-76 mission to deliver Astronaut Shannon Lucid to the Russian Space Station Mir. She was the first American woman to serve as a Mir station researcher. Atlantis was originally scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, but bad weather there both 30 and 31 March necessitated a landing at the backup site at Edwards. This photo shows the drag chute deployed to help the shuttle roll to a stop. Mission commander for STS-76 was Kevin P. Chilton, and Richard A. Searfoss was the pilot. Ronald M. Sega was payload commander and mission specialist-1. Mission specialists were Richard Clifford, Linda Godwin and Shannon Lucid. The mission also featured a spacewalk while Atlantis was docked to Mir and experiments aboard the SPACEHAB module.

S95-16674 (14 July 1995) --- On the left is the Mir-21 crew consisting of cosmonaut Yuriy V. Usachov (standing), flight engineer; Yuriy I. Onufriyenko (seated), commander; and Shannon W. Lucid, cosmonaut guest researcher. On the right side is the Mir-23 crew consisting of John E. Blaha (standing), cosmonaut guest researcher; Vasili V. Tsibliyev (seated), commander; and Aleksandr I. Lazutkin, flight engineer. NASA astronauts Lucid and Blaha each will go into space to board Russia's Mir Space Station for lengthy research on their respective missions. Lucid will board the Mir during the STS-76 mission. Blaha will replace Lucid onboard the Mir during the STS-79 mission.

STS034-09-007 (23 Oct. 1989) --- Having been in space only a few hours, three of the STS-34 astronaut crew prepare for pre-deployment exercises involving one of the most prominent "passengers" of the flight -- the Galileo payload which was lying in Atlantis', Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104's, payload bay (PLB). Pictured, left to right, are astronauts Ellen S. Baker and Shannon W. Lucid, both mission specialists; along with Donald E. Williams, commander, who guided OV-104's course during the exercise. Baker and Lucid communicated with ground controllers while juggling other Galileo-related chores. Both Baker and Lucid are equipped with SONY Walkmans and are wearing headsets. Lucid wears a pair of sunglasses with brightly colored frames. A tethered inertial upper stage (IUS) deploy checklist (C/L) floats between the two and a spotmeter is Velcroed to an on orbit station control panel.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis, with its new external tank/solid rocket booster stack, rolls out to Pad 39A on August 20, 1996, in preparation for launch of STS-79 on the fourth Mir docking mission. Atlantis will return Astronaut Shannon Lucid to Earth after her record-breaking stay by an American on the Russian space station. Lucid has completed 21 weeks in space this week. Astronaut John Blaha will trade places with Lucid for a planned four-month stay aboard Mir. Atlantis will also carry the first SPACEHAB Double Module

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis, with its new external tank/solid rocket booster stack, rolls out to Pad 39A on August 20, 1996, in preparation for launch of STS-79 on the fourth Mir docking mission. Atlantis will return Astronaut Shannon Lucid to Earth after her record-breaking stay by an American on the Russian space station. Lucid has completed 21 weeks in space this week. Astronaut John Blaha will trade places with Lucid for a planned four-month stay aboard Mir. Atlantis will also carry the first SPACEHAB Double Module

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis, with its new external tank/solid rocket booster stack, rolls out to Pad 39A on August 20, 1996, in preparation for launch of STS-79 on the fourth Mir docking mission. Atlantis will return Astronaut Shannon Lucid to Earth after her record-breaking stay by an American on the Russian space station. Lucid has completed 21 weeks in space this week. Astronaut John Blaha will trade places with Lucid for a planned four-month stay aboard Mir. Atlantis will also carry the first SPACEHAB Double Module.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis, with its new external tank/solid rocket booster stack, rolls out to Pad 39A on August 20, 1996, in preparation for launch of STS-79 on the fourth Mir docking mission. Atlantis will return Astronaut Shannon Lucid to Earth after her record-breaking stay by an American on the Russian space station. Lucid has completed 21 weeks in space this week. Astronaut John Blaha will trade places with Lucid for a planned four-month stay aboard Mir. Atlantis will also carry the first SPACEHAB Double Module

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Atlantis, with its new external tank/solid rocket booster stack, rolls out to Pad 39A on August 20, 1996, in preparation for launch of STS-79 on the fourth Mir docking mission. Atlantis will return Astronaut Shannon Lucid to Earth after her record-breaking stay by an American on the Russian space station. Lucid has completed 21 weeks in space this week. Astronaut John Blaha will trade places with Lucid for a planned four-month stay aboard Mir. Atlantis will also carry the first SPACEHAB Double Module.

Sharnon Lucid aboard STS-79, with the Glovebox in MIR Priroda module. Priroda is the Russian word for nature.

STS043-03-001 (2-11 Aug 1991) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, STS-43 mission specialist, is pictured with a sample from the Bio-serve Instrumentation Technology Associates Materials Dispersion Apparatus (BIMDA). BIMDA is designed to obtain data on scientific methods and commercial potential for growing large high quality protein crystals in microgravity. The experimental focus is on both synthetic and natural biological processes that provide the foundation of the assembly of large structures from macromolecules. In addition, cell processes and membrane (cell and artificial) processes are being evaluated. BIMDA experiments are stored and operated on the middeck in a refrigerator/incubator module (R/IM). During this flight, the R/IM maintains a constant internal temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. This experiment also flew on NASA?s STS-37 mission.

Overexposed earth observations taken during the NASA/Mir 21 mission from the Russian space station Mir by astronaut Shannon Lucid.

S76-E-5229 (28 March 1996) --- As she floats from one spacecraft to another, astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, Mir-21 cosmonaut guest researcher, is surrounded by a large delivery of new supplies for the Mir Space Station. Today is the final day for Lucid's five STS-76 astronaut colleagues to spend time with the Mir-21 crew, as they are soon to undock the Space Shuttle Atlantis from Russia's Mir Space Station.

NM21-393-009 (For release October 1996) --- Cosmonauts Yuriy I. Onufriyenko (wearing red stripe on suit) and Yuriy V. Usachov were photographed by astronaut and cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid as the pair performed a scheduled Extravehicular Activity (EVA) in the early days of Lucid’s extended stay aboard Russia’s Mir Space Station.

STS043-37-012 (2-11 Aug 1991) --- Three STS-43 astronauts are busy at work onboard the earth-orbiting space shuttle Atlantis. Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid is pictured performing one of several tests on Computer hardware with space station applications in mind. Sharing the aft flight deck with Lucid are Michael A. Baker (left), pilot and John E. Blaha, mission commander.

STS79-E-5202 (21 September 1996) --- From the left, astronaut and cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid, cosmonauts Aleksandr Y. Kaleri and Valeri G. Korzun, the Mir-22 crew members, share a meal on the Space Shuttle Atlantis' mid deck, during Flight Day 6. Lucid will bid farewell to the two cosmonauts when she comes back to Earth next week, onboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

S95-21469 (December 1995) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, mission specialist, Mir 21/22 flight engineer, cosmonaut guest researcher. EDITOR'S NOTE: Astronaut Lucid will launch aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-76 mission, to board the Russian Mir Space Station. After a long duration of cosmonaut guest research duties, she will return to Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-79 mission.

STS79-E-5246 (22 September 1996) --- Astronauts Thomas D. Akers and Shannon W. Lucid check the latest send-up of "mail" on the Space Shuttle Atlantis' mid deck, during Flight Day 7. The Thermal Imaging Printing System (TIPS) messages likely include information pertinent to the final day of joint activities with the Mir-22 crew members whom Lucid will leave behind for her return to Earth later this week.

NM21-382-024 (For Release October 1996) --- Cosmonaut Yuriy I. Onufriyenko was photographed by astronaut and cosmonaut guest researcher Shannon W. Lucid as the Mir-21 commander performed a scheduled Extravehicular Activity (EVA) at a truss assembly in the early days of Lucid’s extended stay aboard Russia’s Mir Space Station.

NM21-395-024 (March 1996) --- Posed near a microgravity glove box on the Priroda Module aboard Russia’s Mir Space Station are the Mir-21 crew members. From the left are astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, cosmonaut guest researcher; Yuriy V. Usachov, flight engineer; and Yuriy I. Onufriyenko, commander. Lucid went on to spend a total of 188 consecutive days in space before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew.

S95-21463 (August 1995) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, who will go into space in 1996 to spend time aboard Russia?s Mir Space Station, egresses from a training version of a Soyuz spacecraft, during water survival training in Russia. Lucid is to accompany the STS-76 crew in March and spend a little over four months aboard Mir before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew.

NM22-427-023 (20 Sept. 1996) --- This photograph of the space shuttle Atlantis was taken from approximately 170 feet away by astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, winding up her duties as cosmonaut guest researcher onboard Russia?s Mir Space Station. Lucid was in Mir?s Base Block Module. The Spacehab double module, a first time space flyer, is seen in the aft payload bay. Its tunnel can be seen connecting to both Atlantis? crew cabin and the androgynous docking adapter. Also seen in the forward bay is the Ku-band antenna used for communications. Though not recognizable in this photo, several Atlantis crew members had their ?noses to the windows? as NASA was about to make its first crew member exchange with Mir. Astronaut John E. Blaha was onboard Atlantis as Lucid?s replacement.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-79 mission comes to a successful conclusion as the orbiter Atlantis touches down on Runway 15 of KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 8:13:15 a.m. EDT, September 26. On board is U.S. astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, who has been living and working on the Russian Space Station Mir for about six months. Lucid has spent 188 days in space from launch aboard Atlantis in March to her return today, establishing a U.S. record for long-duration spaceflight as well as representing the longest spaceflight for a woman. Succeeding Lucid on Mir is U.S. astronaut John E. Blaha, who embarked to Mir with the STS-79 crew. The commander of Mission STS-79 is William F. Readdy; Terrence W. Wilcutt is the pilot, and the three mission specialists are Jay Apt, Thomas D. Akers and Carl E. Walz

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-79 mission comes to a successful conclusion as the orbiter Atlantis touches down on Runway 15 of KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 8:13:15 a.m. EDT, September 26. On board is U.S. astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, who has been living and working on the Russian Space Station Mir for about six months. Lucid has spent 188 days in space from launch aboard Atlantis in March to her return today, establishing a U.S. record for long-duration spaceflight as well as representing the longest spaceflight for a woman. Succeeding Lucid on Mir is U.S. astronaut John E. Blaha, who embarked to Mir with the STS-79 crew. The commander of Mission STS-79 is William F. Readdy; Terrence W. Wilcutt is the pilot, and the three mission specialists are Jay Apt, Thomas D. Akers and Carl E. Walz.

STS076-345-028 (22 - 31 March 1996) --- Onboard the Base Block Module of Russia's Mir Space Station the visiting STS-76 crew members enjoy Russian food. At right is astronaut Kevin P. Chilton, mission commander, who along with his crew mates docked with Mir on March 23, 1996, and remained linked until March 28, 1996. Left to right are astronauts Shannon W. Lucid, Linda M. Godwin and Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, all mission specialists, along with Richard A. Searfoss, pilot. The right hand of payload commander Ronald M. Sega is at right edge. Lucid was in the process of transferring from STS-76 to the Mir-21 crew, which thereby grew from two to three members. Lucid will remain aboard Mir for approximately 140 days, as a cosmonaut guest researcher.

STS-76, Mir Glovebox and NASA-2 (Mir-21) increment. Astronaut Sharnon Lucid, Cosmonaut Yuriy-V Usachov and Flight Engineer/Cosmonaut Yuriy-I Onuufriyenko.

STS-79 Shuttle/Mir docking to retrieve Astronaut Sharnon Lucid from Mir Space Station; full shot of Mir Space Station taken from Shuttle.

STS79-E-5289 (23 September 1996) --- Crew members of STS-79 and Mir-22 pose for final group portrait aboard Russia's Mir Space Station's Core Module before going separate ways in Earth-orbit, during Flight Day 8. Front row, left to right, are Aleksandr Y. Kaleri, Jerome (Jay) Apt, William F. Readdy and Shannon W. Lucid. On the back row are, left to right, Thomas D. Akers, Carl E. Walz, Valeri G. Korzun and Terrence W. Wilcutt. Note Blaha, the new cosmonaut researcher for Mir-22, is now wearing the uniform of that crew and Lucid's garment is uniform with the STS-79 astronauts.

STS076-371-002 (25 March 1996) --- The crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis poses for a traditional inflight portrait on the mid deck. Shannon W. Lucid (rear center) later joined the Mir-21 crew to begin the first leg of her five-month stay aboard Russia's Mir Space Station. From the left on front row are astronauts Linda M. Godwin, mission specialist; Kevin P. Chilton, mission commander; and Richard A. Searfoss, pilot. Left to right on the back row are astronauts Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, Lucid and payload commander Ronald M. Sega, all mission specialists.

STS079-353-023 (16-26 Sept. 1996) --- Cosmonaut Valeri Korzun, Mir-22 commander, is pictured near the camera rack on the Russian Mir Space Station's Base Block Module. The photograph was taken by astronaut Shannon W. Lucid. She later told an assembly of her Houston co-workers that she was able to experience the unique opportunity of serving with four different mission commanders in a span of approximately six months. Cosmonauts Korzun and Aleksandr Kaleri, flight engineer, had earlier welcomed astronaut John E. Blaha aboard Mir as Lucid's replacement as cosmonaut guest researcher.

STS076-316-008 (23 March 1996) --- On the aft flight deck of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, astronaut Linda M. Godwin uses a hand-held laser instrument to check the range of Russia's Mir Space Station during docking operations. The two spacecraft were in the process of making their third docking in Earth-orbit. With the subsequent delivery of astronaut Shannon W. Lucid to the Mir, the Mir-21 crew grew from two to three, as the mission specialist quickly becomes a cosmonaut guest researcher. Lucid will spend approximately 140 days on Mir before returning to Earth.

STS076-709-007 (22 - 31 March 1996) --- Earth's terminator forms the backdrop for this scene of Russia Mir Space Station's Soyuz and Kvant 2 Modules, as photographed from the aft flight deck of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Atlantis docked with the Mir Space Station on March 23, 1996, and remained linked until March 28, 1996. Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid transferred from the STS-76 crew to the Mir-21 crew, which grew from two to three. Lucid will remain aboard Mir for approximately 140 days.

Mir 21 crew portraits. Group portrait of Mir 21 prime and backup crews with American and Russian flags and shuttle/Mir model, top from left: Yuri Usachev, Shannon Lucid, John Blaha and Alexandr Lazutkin, bottom from left: Yuri Onufrienko and Vasiliy Tsibliev (16674). Backup crew portrait: Lazutkin, Blaha and Tsibliev (16675). Group portrait of Mir 21 prime and backup crews with Donald Puddy, special assistant in Russian Project Office (16676). Prime crew portrait: Lucid, Usachev and Onufrienko (16677).

S95-16678 (September 1995) --- NASA astronauts Shannon W. Lucid and John E. Blaha next year will follow the lead of astronaut Norman E. Thagard's 1995 feat of extended stay aboard Russia's Mir Space Station. Lucid is to accompany the STS-76 crew in March and spend a little over four months aboard Mir before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew. Blaha will go into space on the scheduled August mission of STS-79 and after four months aboard Mir will return to Earth with the STS-81 crew.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Former NASA shuttle astronaut and space explorer Shannon Lucid was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame class of 2014 during a ceremony inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Lucid is the only American woman to serve aboard the Russian Space Station Mir and was the first woman to join a U.S. class of astronauts. She held the record until 2007 for the most flight hours in orbit by a female astronaut, 223 days. The 2014 inductees were selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A KSC fire truck stands on alert as the STS-79 Space Shuttle Atlantis hurtles down Runway 15 of KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility, its drag chute billowing behind it. Atlantis touched down at 8:13:15 a.m. EDT, September 26. On board is U.S. astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, who has been living and working on the Russian Space Station Mir for about six months. Lucid has spent 188 days in space from launch aboard Atlantis in March to her return today, establishing a U.S. record for long-duration spaceflight as well as representing the longest spaceflight for a woman. Succeeding Lucid on Mir is U.S. astronaut John E. Blaha, who embarked to Mir with the STS-79 crew. The commander of Mission STS-79 is William F. Readdy; Terrence W. Wilcutt is the pilot, and the three mission specialists are Jay Apt, Thomas D. Akers and Carl E. Walz

STS079-S-097 (16-26 Sept. 1996) --- Left to right, Terrence W. (Terry) Wilcutt, pilot; Shannon W. Lucid, mission specialist; and William F. Readdy, mission commander, are pictured on the space shuttle Atlantis' aft flight deck during undocking operations with Russia's Mir Space Station. Mir had served as both work and home for Lucid for over six months before greeting her American colleagues upon docking of Mir and Atlantis last week. Following her lengthy stay aboard Mir and several days on Atlantis, Lucid went on to spend 188 consecutive days in space before returning to Earth with the STS-79 crew. During the STS-79 mission, the crew used an IMAX camera to document activities aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and the various Mir modules. A hand-held version of the 65mm camera system accompanied the STS-79 crew into space in Atlantis' crew cabin. NASA has flown IMAX camera systems on many Shuttle missions, including a special cargo bay camera's coverage of other recent Shuttle-Mir rendezvous and/or docking missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The drag chute is deployed as the orbiter Atlantis swoops down on Runway 15 of KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 8:13:15 a.m. EDT, September 26, bringing to a successful conclusion U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid's record- setting, 188-day stay in space. Lucid's approximately six-month stay aboard the Russian Space Station Mir establishes a new U.S. record for long-duration spaceflight and also is the longest for a woman, surpassing Russian cosmonaut Elena Kondakovaþs 169-day stay on Mir. Lucid returns to Earth with the flight crew of Mission STS-79: Commander William F. Readdy; Pilot Terrence W. Wilcutt; and Mission Specialists Thomas D. Akers, Jay Apt and Carl E. Walz. Succeeding her aboard Mir for an approximately four-month stay is fellow veteran astronaut John E. Blaha, who traveled to the station with the STS-79 flight crew. The STS-79 mission is part of the NASA/Mir program which is now into the Phase 1B portion, consisting of nine Shuttle-Mir dockings and seven long-duration flights of U.S. astronauts aboard the Russian space station between early 1996 and late 1998

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Former NASA shuttle astronaut and space explorer Shannon Lucid was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame class of 2014 during a ceremony inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Lucid is the only American woman to serve aboard the Russian Space Station Mir and was the first woman to join a U.S. class of astronauts. She held the record until 2007 for the most flight hours in orbit by a female astronaut, 223 days. The 2014 inductees were selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Four STS 51-G crewmembers huddle in a corner of the Discovery's middeck area. Daniel C. Brandenstein, mission commander, assists Steven R. Nagel with the treadmill device while John O. Creighton and Shannon W. Lucid look on.

JSC2011-E-046428 (19 May 2011) --- NASA astronaut Shannon Lucid, STS-134 spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM), is pictured at her console in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA?s Johnson Space Center during flight day four activities. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer James Wetherbee walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NM21-401-012 (28 March 1996) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis is backdropped over the darkness of space, and partially over clouds and open ocean waters on Earth, as it and Russia’s Mir Space Station begin their relative separation following several days of joint operations. This 35mm film was exposed by astronaut Shannon W. Lucid as she was beginning her record-setting stay aboard Mir, as a cosmonaut guest researcher. Onboard with Lucid were her Mir-21 crew mates, cosmonauts Yuriy I. Onufriyenko, commander; and Yuriy V. Usachov, flight engineer. Onboard Atlantis were Kevin P. Chilton, STS-76 mission commander; Richard A. Searfoss, pilot; along with Linda M. Godwin, Ronald M. Sega and Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, mission specialists.

STS076-461-004 (22-31 March 1996) --- Onboard the Base Block Module of Russia's Mir Space Station, astronauts Shannon W. Lucid and Ronald M. Sega, payload commander, discuss final activities between the STS-76 and Mir-21 crews as cosmonaut Yury I. Onufrienko (center) listens. Yury V. Usachev (out of frame) is Mir-21 flight engineer. The Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with Mir on March 23, 1996, and remained linked until March 28, 1996. Lucid was in the process of transferring from STS-76 to the Mir-21 crew, which thereby grew from two to three members. She will remain aboard Mir for approximately 140 days.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Steve Hawley walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Fred Haise walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Bruce McCandless walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

S76-E-5157 (24 March 1996) --- Two Russian cosmonauts and five of six NASA astronauts exchange gifts soon after reuniting in the Base Block Module of Russia's Mir Space Station. From the left are Linda M. Godwin, Kevin P. Chilton, Yury V. Usachev, Shannon W. Lucid, Yury I. Onufrienko, Ronald M. Sega and Richard A. Searfoss. Not pictured is astronaut Michael R. (Rich) Clifford. In a light moment around this time, ground controllers informed Chilton, the STS-76 mission commander, that Lucid, who will spend several months onboard Mir as a cosmonaut guest researcher, should now be considered a Mir-21 crew member, along with Onufrienko and Usachev, Mir-21 flight engineer. The image was recorded with a 35mm Electronic Still Camera (ESC) and downlinked at a later time to ground controllers in Houston, Texas.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Fred Gregory walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS079-S-022 (26 Sept. 1996) --- The main landing gear of the space shuttle Atlantis touches down on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), bringing an end to the successful ten-day mission. Landing occurred at 8:13:15 a.m. (EDT), Sept. 26, 1996. The touchdown marked the end of 188 days in space for astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, following her in-space exchange with astronaut John E. Blaha, who is now aboard Russia's Mir Space Station. Returning along with Lucid were her STS-79 crew mates - astronauts William F. Readdy, commander; Terrence W. Wilcutt, pilot; and Thomas D. Akers, Jerome (Jay) Apt and Carl E. Walz, mission specialists.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Edgar Mitchell walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Jeff Hoffman walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Delaware North Parks & Resorts at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, speaks during the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Vance Brand walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS076-S-011 (22 March 1996) --- This wide view captures the nocturnal launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, as it heads toward Earth-orbit and an eventual docking with Russia?s Mir Space Station. Mir has been in space for ten years and a two-man crew (Mir-21) currently awaits the arrival of Atlantis. The on-time launch occurred at 3:13:04 a.m. (EST) on March 22, 1996. Onboard for STS-76 are astronauts Kevin P. Chilton, Richard A. Searfoss, Ronald M. Sega, Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, Linda M. Godwin and Shannon W. Lucid. Lucid will remain onboard Mir for just under five months? time, as a cosmonaut guest researcher. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

STS076-S-002 (November 1995) --- These six NASA astronauts will be launched into space aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis early next year. Front row, left to right, are astronauts Ronald M. Sega, mission specialist; Kevin P. Chilton, mission commander; and Richard A. Searfoss, pilot. Back row, left to right, are mission specialists Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, Shannon W. Lucid and Linda M. Godwin. STS-76 begins a new period of international cooperation in space exploration with the first Shuttle transport of a United States astronaut (Lucid) to Russia’s Mir Space Station for extended joint space research. Clifford and Godwin, pictured here in training versions of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), are scheduled to perform the first Extravehicular Activity (EVA) during Mir-Shuttle docked operations.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Shamika Hamilton, in NASA's Launch Services Program, sings the National Anthem during the opening of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Frank Culburtson walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Robert "Hoot" Gibson walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut, Hall of Famer and Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The space shuttle Atlantis attraction served as the backfor the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, the Titusville Naval Junior ROTC from Titusville High School in Florida, presents the colors to open the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden speaks during the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Kathy Thornton walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Dan Brandenstein walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS076-S-009 (22 March 1996) --- From the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Pad 39B, the space shuttle Atlantis heads toward Earth orbit and an eventual docking with Russia's Mir Space Station. Mir has been in space for ten years and a two man crew (Mir-21) currently awaits the arrival of Atlantis. The on-time launch occurred at 3:13:04 a.m. (EST) on March 22, 1996. Onboard are astronauts Kevin P. Chilton, Richard A. Searfoss, Ronald M. Sega, Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, Linda M. Godwin and Shannon W. Lucid. Lucid will remain onboard Mir for just under five months' time, as a cosmonaut guest researcher. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer General Tom Stafford walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Karol "Bo" Bobko walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Curt Brown walks the red carpet at the 2014 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts and space explorers Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The 2014 inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Lucid and Ross, 87 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS076-S-008 (22 March 1996) --- As represented in this fish-eye view from the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Pad 39B, the space shuttle Atlantis heads toward Earth-orbit and an eventual docking with Russia's Mir Space Station. Mir has been in space for ten years and a two man crew (Mir-21) currently awaits the arrival of Atlantis. The on-time launch occurred at 3:13:04 a.m. (EST) on March 22, 1996. Onboard for STS-76 are astronauts Kevin P. Chilton, Richard A. Searfoss, Ronald M. Sega, Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, Linda M. Godwin and Shannon W. Lucid. Lucid will remain onboard Mir for just under five months time. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration