Jan 15 1997
From The Space Library
Shuttle Atlantis safely docked with the Russian space station Mir, while both spacecraft orbited at speeds of more than 17,500 miles (28,000 kilometers) per hour. Russian cosmonauts greeted the six-person American crew with the traditional Russian welcoming gift of bread and salt. Communication problems delayed the opening of the connection hatch temporarily, before American astronaut John E. Blaha, who had been aboard Mir for four months, was able to greet his fellow compatriots and his replacement. Blaha reported that the arriving Shuttle looked like a "shiny star" as it approached Mir. On hearing Atlantis's approach, Blaha, ready to go home, reported, "All bags are packed. Ready for transfer." NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin took the opportunity to congratulate Blaha on his contributions to space exploration and to improved international relations. "We spent 50 years aiming weapons at each other," Goldin stated, and he praised the United States and Russia for cooperating in sustaining Mir and planning for the ISS.
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