Debra J. Rahn
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                   December 16, 
1993
(Phone:  202/358-1639)


RELEASE: 93-222

NASA AND RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY SIGN AGREEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL 
SPACE SHUTTLE/MIR MISSIONS
 
   NASA and the Russian Space Agency (RSA) have agreed to up 
to 10 Shuttle flights to Mir with a total of 24 months time 
onboard Mir for U.S. astronauts, a program of scientific and 
technological research, and the upgrade and extension of the 
Mir lifetime during the period 1995-1997.  This is the first 
of a three-phase program in human spaceflight cooperation 
which may culminate in the construction of an international 
Space Station.
  
   NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin and RSA Director 
General Yuri Koptev signed this protocol today in Moscow, 
expanding the terms of the 1992 Human Space Flight 
Cooperation agreement.
 
   "This is a very significant step in expanding our human 
spaceflight cooperation with our Russian friends," Goldin 
said.  "These activities will provide valuable experience for 
the construction and operation of the international space 
station."

   The following is a summary of cooperative activities 
outlined in this protocol:

   o  An additional Russian cosmonaut flight on Space Shuttle 
mission STS-63 scheduled for launch in 1995.  Colonel 
Vladimir G. Titov, the back-up cosmonaut currently in 
training at NASA's Johnson Space Center for the January 1994 
flight (STS-60), will be the primary cosmonaut for the STS-63 
flight.  Sergei K. Krikalev, the STS-60 primary cosmonaut, 
will act as the back-up.  During the STS-63 mission, the 
Space Shuttle will perform a rendezvous with the Mir-1 Space 
Station and will approach to a safe distance.
 

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   o  The Space Shuttle will rendezvous and dock with the 
Mir-l in October-November 1995, and the Shuttle crew may 
include Russian cosmonauts.  Mir-1 equipment, including power 
supply and life support system elements, also will be 
carried.  The crew will return on the same Space Shuttle 
mission.  This mission will include activities on Mir-l and 
possible extravehicular activities to upgrade solar arrays.

   o  NASA-designated astronauts will fly on the Mir-1 space 
station for an additional 21 months for a total of 2 years.  
This will include at least four astronaut flights. 
 
   o  The Space Shuttle will dock with Mir-1 up to ten times.  
The Shuttle flights will be used for crew exchange, 
technological experiments, logistics and sample return.  Some 
of those flights will be dedicated to resources and equipment 
necessary for life extension of Mir-1.  
 
   o  A specific program of technological and scientific 
research, including the utilization of the Mir-1 Spektr and 
Priroda modules equipped with U.S. experiments to undertake a 
wide-scale research program, will be developed by the Mission 
Science Joint Working Group.  The activities carried out in 
this program will expand ongoing research in biotechnology, 
materials sciences, biomedical sciences, Earth observations 
and technology.
 
   o  NASA and RSA will initiate in 1993 the joint 
development of a solar dynamic power system with a test 
flight on the Space Shuttle and Mir in 1996, the joint 
development of spacecraft environmental control and life 
support systems and studies on potential development of a 
common space suit starting with the compatibility of 
respective spacesuits.
 
   o  A crew medical support program for the benefit of both 
sides' crew members, including the development of common 
standards, requirements, procedures, databases and 
countermeasures will be initiated.  

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