OTD…Aug. 2 and STS-43

American and Soviet crews were launched today in 1975 for the first handshakes in space between the two superpowers as part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

#OTD…in 1996, Atlantis launched to Russia’s space station Mir

#OTD in 1997…Columbia launched on the reflight of her shortened Microgravity Science Laboratory mission