STS-81 launch view

STS081-S-005 (12 Jan. 1997) --- Lighting up an early morning sky, the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Pad 39B to begin the new year of space missions for NASA's shuttle fleet. Launch occurred at 4:27:23 a.m. (EST), Jan. 12, 1997. Now on their way for a docking mission with Russia's Mir Space Station are a crew of six astronauts and a SPACEHAB Double Module (DM), along with a large supply of food, water, hardware and other materials for Mir. Astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, now onboard Atlantis, will trade places with John E. Blaha, cosmonaut guest researcher, onboard Mir since mid September 1996. Along with Linenger, other crewmembers now aboard Atlantis are astronauts Michael A. Baker, commander; Brent W. Jett, Jr., pilot; and mission specialists John M. Grunsfeld, Marsha S. Ivins and Peter J. K. (Jeff) Wisoff.