Soyuz TM-23 was the 25th mission and the 21st long-duration expedition to Mir space station. It was also a part of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program. The mission began on February 21, 1996, 12:34:05 UTC, launching Commander Yuri Onufrienko and Flight Engineer Yury Usachov into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts performed several EVAs and various scientific experiments. Station crew was visited by several Progress resupply spacecrafts, STS-76, and welcomed aboard Soyuz TM-24 with the next expedition crew. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on September 2, 1996, 07:41:40 UTC.