Atlantis Docks Mir: Cold War Thaws in Space
Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian space station Mir on June 29, 1995, during the STS-71 mission, creating the largest spacecraft ever assembled in orbit up to that time. The docking marked the first time a Space Shuttle had connected with a space station and the first American-Russian spacecraft link-up since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. Atlantis delivered replacement crew members and retrieved astronaut Norman Thagard, who had been aboard Mir for 115 days, the longest spaceflight by an American at that time. The Shuttle-Mir program included nine Shuttle dockings between 1995 and 1998 and served as the testing ground for the international cooperation that made the International Space Station possible. Seven American astronauts lived aboard Mir during the program, providing invaluable experience in long-duration spaceflight.
June 29, 1995
31 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on June 29
Cao Rui was 22 when he inherited an empire still bleeding from his father's failures. Cao Pi had spent years chasing total conquest of China and died with nothi…
Cao Pi succumbed to illness, ending his seven-year reign as the first emperor of the Cao Wei dynasty. His son, Cao Rui, immediately ascended the throne, inherit…
Nur ad-Din Zangi crushed the Crusader army at the Battle of Inab, killing Prince Raymond of Poitiers and scattering his forces. This decisive victory shattered …
A devastating earthquake struck Syria, destroying large sections of Hama and Shaizar and severely damaging the Crusader fortress Krak des Chevaliers and the cat…
The Church refused to crown him. So Sverre crowned himself. A former Faroese priest with a disputed claim to the Norwegian throne, Sverre Sigurdsson had spent y…
Sverre didn't just become King of Norway — he became the man the Pope refused to recognize. He claimed descent from King Eystein II, a story many doubted, but h…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.