ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 16, 1996 TAG: 9607160068
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA.
SOURCE: Associated Press
There's not enough junk food or books, but other than that, staying in space a record 115 days, nine hours and 44 minutes isn't such a big deal, NASA astronaut Shannon Lucid said Monday.
At a news conference marking the record-setting event, Lucid said she misses her husband and three children and could use more books and food like potato chips. But otherwise, she's getting along fine aboard the Russian space station Mir and doesn't mind spending an extra six weeks in orbit.
Space shuttle Atlantis, Lucid's ride home, is grounded until mid-September because of rocket problems. Until the trouble arose, she expected to be back home in Houston in early August. Now, she has 70 or so more days to go.
``So I'm going to stay up here a little longer and I'll be home a little bit later,'' she said, ``and when I get home later they'll be just as excited to see me, and I'll be just as excited to see them.''
Lucid, 53, a biochemist who has been living on Mir with two Russian cosmonauts since March, said her family has been extremely supportive and sends her daily computer messages, including a computerized scrapbook complete with family snapshots. She also has periodic TV conferences with them.
``That has made all the difference to me,'' she said. ``I know what's going on in their lives. I haven't lost contact with them on a daily basis.''
Lucid feels bad about missing the birthdays of her youngest child, Michael, who turns 21 Aug. 22, and daughter Kawai, who turns 28 Sept.19.
``I told them we'd make it up to them when I do get home,'' she said.
Lucid is the second American to live on Mir under a U.S.-Russian space agreement both countries hope will lead to an international space station. Construction of that station is supposed to begin next year.
NASA provided for more family contact and a greater variety of food for the visiting Americans following last year's stay by Norman Thagard, who lost weight and complained that he had little news from back home.
Lucid surpassed Thagard's U.S. space endurance record of 115 days, nine hours and 43 minutes early Monday afternoon.
The third woman to live on the 10-year-old Mir station, Lucid also will break the space record for women - almost 170 days - in September. That was one mark she hadn't planned on setting.
Last Friday, NASA bumped Atlantis' launch from July 31 to about Sept. 15 to replace its solid-fuel rocket boosters. Hot gas leaked into joints on Columbia's boosters last month after worming through a new adhesive, and shuttle managers did not want to take a chance with Atlantis.
To help make the days go faster, Lucid's family has sent some books to Russia for launch on a supply ship later this month. Lucid prefers history books dealing with the American West. Also on board the rocket will be potato chips and other junk food she has been craving.
``If we can make your stay on board any easier, we're here to help,'' NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin said in a congratulatory call from Moscow. ``And enjoy your extra time in space. Who knows how many more records you're going to break?''
Hopefully, not too many more: The world space endurance record, held by a Russian cosmonaut, is 439 days.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Shannon Lucid/See you in Septemberby CNB