Elena V. Kondakova gives a thumbs up as she dons her launch during final preparations in the Operations and Checkout Building.

STS-84 Mission Specialist Elena V. Kondakova gives a "thumbs up" as she dons her launch and entry suit during final prelaunch preparations in the Operations and Checkout Building. Kondakova is a cosmonaut with the Russian Space Agency. This is her second trip into space, but her first on the Space Shuttle. She spent 169 days in space as flight engineer of the 17th main mission on the Russian Space Station Mir from Oct. 4, 1994, to March 9, 1995. STS-84 aboard Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Mir