Endeavour (STS-89) launched 1998

STS-89 crew:

Front row (L-R): Joe Edwards, Terrence Wilcutt, Bonnie Dunbar

Back row (L-R): David Wolf, Salizhan Sharipov, James Reilly, Andy Thomas, Michael Anderson

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-89) was launched January 22, 1998 to the space station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander Terrence Wilcutt, Pilot Joe Edwards, James Reilly, Michael Anderson, Bonnie Dunbar, Salizhan Sharipov (Roscosmos) and Andy Thomas. 

Endeavour carried Andy Thomas to Mir and brought David Wolf back.  Both were part of expedition Mir EO-24.  The crew returned to Earth January 31.

Endeavour (STS-68) launched 1994

STS-68 crew

Front row (L-R): Thomas Jones, Peter Wisoff, Steven Smith, Daniel Bursch

Back row (L-R): Michael Baker, Terrence Willcutt

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-68), launched September 30, 1994, observed changes in Earth's climate and atmosphere during the eleven-day journey.   Its crew consisted of Commander Michael Baker, Pilot Terrence Wilcutt, Steven Smith, Daniel Bursch, Peter Wisoff, and Thomas Jones.

They returned to Earth October 11.

Atlantis (STS-79) launched 1996

STS-79 crew

Front Row (L-R): Jay Apt, Terrence Wilcutt, William Readdy, Thomas Akers, Carl Walz 

Back Row (L-R): Shannon Lucid, John Blaha

STS-79 mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-79), launched September 16, 1996, was the fourth mission of a space shuttle with the space station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander William Readdy, Pilot Terrence Wilcutt, Jay Apt, Thomas Akers, Carl Walz, and John Blaha. 

It was also the first transfer of American astronauts.  Atlantis picked up Shannon Lucid after her record-breaking stay in space and dropped off John Blaha as part of Mir EO-22.

They returned to Earth September 26.

Atlantis (STS-106) launched 2000

STS-106 crew

Front row (L-R): Scott Altman, Terrence Wilcutt

Back row (L-R): Borus Morukov, Richard Mastracchio, Edward Lu, Daniel Burbank, Yuri Malenchenko

STS-106 Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-106), launched September 8, 2000, carried seven astronauts to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Terrence Wilcutt, Pilot Scott Altman, Edward Lu, Richard Mastracchio, Daniel Burbank, Yuri Malenchenko and Borus Morukov.

Lu and Malenchenko conducted an EVA lasting 6 hours 14 minutes.

The crew returned to Earth September 20.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Terrence W. Wilcutt!

Terrence Wilcutt, born October 31, 1949 in Russellville, Kentucky, is a veteran of 4 space shuttle missions. (He shares his birthday with Michael Collins!) It seems four is the average number of flights for a space shuttle astronaut.  Does anybody know?  I'll have to check that out.

Anyway, Wilcutt's first flight was on Endeavour (STS-68) September 30-October 11, 1994 when he was pilot.

His second mission was on Atlantis (STS-79) in September 1996 also as pilot.  On this mission, they brought back Shannon Lucid from the space station Mir after her record breaking stay. 

He was commander on his third mission, which was on Endeavour (STS-89) in January 1998.  The crew flew to Mir again for another American astronaut exchange, the fifth of the program.

His fourth and final mission was back on Atlantis (STS-106) in September 2000.  He and the crew spent a week transferring equipment and supplies to the International Space Station, getting it ready for a permanent crew.

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