Mission Specialists C. Michael Foale and Elena V. Kondakova find a moment to communicate one-on-one.

STS-84 Mission Specialists C. Michael Foale, at left, and Elena V. Kondakova, of the Russian Space Agency, find a moment to communicate one-on-one, perhaps about upcoming and past experiences living on the Russian Space Station Mir, during a busy training session at Launch Pad 39A. They and the other five crew members are participating in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch. STS-84 aboard Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Mir. Kondakova spent 169 days in space as the cosmonaut flight engineer of the 17th main mission to Mir from Oct. 4, 1994, to March 9, 1995. After Atlantis docks with Mir on STS-84, Foale will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission. STS-84 is targeted for a May 15 liftoff.