Caption

Astronaut Norman Thagard, photographed shortly after joining the NASA astronaut programme in 1978. Thagard is due for launch on the Russian Soyuz-TM 21 spacecraft on 18 March 1995. He will visit the Mir space station, staying there for about three months. In June 1995, Space Shuttle Atlantis will dock with Mir for five days. At the end of that time, Thagard will return to Earth in the Shuttle. Thagard has flown on four previous Shuttle Missions; STS-7, 51B, STS-30 and STS-42.