• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: In Orbit
• OFFICIAL KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 12 at 4:27.23 a.m. EST
• DOCK WITH MIR: Jan. 14 at about 10:50 p.m. EST
• UNDOCK FROM MIR: Jan. 19 at about 9:12 p.m. EST
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 22 at about 7:57 a.m. EST
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 3 hours, 30 minutes
• CREW: Baker, Jett, Grunsfeld, Ivins, Wisoff, Linenger (up), Blaha (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE:The countdown for launch of Atlantis on mission STS-81 proceeded smoothly and launch occurred on time.

Atlantis is scheduled to remain in orbit for about 10 days and land back at Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 22 at about 8 a.m. Returning with Atlantis will be John Blaha, ending his four month stay on the Mir space station.

The solid rocket booster retrieval ships are expected to begin recovery operations this morning and then return the twin boosters to Hangar AF by tomorrow morning. Also, initial post-launch assessments indicate minimal damage occurred at Pad 39B during launch.

The crew of STS-81 are: Commander Michael Baker, Pilot Brent Jett, and Mission Specialists Jeff Wisoff, John Grunsfeld, Marsha Ivins, Jerry Linenger (up), and John Blaha (down).

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