American astronaut Shannon Lucid returned from Russia’s Mir station on Sept. 26, 1996, after 188 days in orbit. Booster-rocket repairs delayed her return by more than six weeks, and a hurricane caused a further delay, extending her planned five-month mission.
Lucid was the only American woman to stay aboard Mir, where she conducted life-science and physical-science experiments with Russian cosmonauts Yuri Onufriyenko and Yuri Usachev. Her 188-day stay set a U.S. record for a single spaceflight and a world record for a woman.
Lucid later said astronauts on long-duration missions needed training in “expedition behavior,” unlike preparation for short shuttle flights. Her experience gave NASA insight into the challenges of living in space for months.
