Discovery is scheduled to linkup to the ISS tomorrow at 1:37
p.m. Central time as the two spacecraft fly over the Indian Ocean
northwest of Australia, just south of the Indonesian island of Jawa.
The major objective of the STS-105 mission of Discovery is the swapout of the new resident Station crew, led by Culbertson, with the Expedition Two crew, Commander Yury Usachev and Flight Engineers Jim Voss and Susan Helms, who have been aboard the Station more than five months. They are to return to Earth aboard Discovery on August 22.
Discovery also is bringing equipment, supplies and scientific
experiments to the Station. Almost 7,000 pounds of that cargo is in
Leonardo, the Italian-built Multipurpose Logistics Module in
Discovery's cargo bay. Once that is transferred to the station,
Leonardo will be packed with other equipment, unused items and trash
for return to Earth.
During their eight days docked to the station, Discovery Mission
Specialists Barry and Forrester will perform two spacewalks. On the
first, next Thursday, they will install an device called an Early
Ammonia Servicer on the Station. It contains spare ammonia that could
be used to cool Station systems should it be needed. During the
second spacewalk, two days later, they will install heater cables for
the station's large S0 truss segment, which will be delivered on a
future mission, as well as handrails.
Discovery is orbiting the Earth in excellent shape with no issues
being worked by the flight control team.
The next mission status report will be issued Saturday evening prior
to the start of the crew's sleep period, or earlier, as events
warrant.
On Saturday, August 11, 2001, 7:00 p.m. CDT, STS-105 MCC Status Report # 3
reports:
The seven crewmembers aboard Discovery, including the future residents
of the International Space Station (ISS), spent their first full day
in orbit today preparing for their arrival tomorrow at the orbital
outpost.
Commander Scott Horowitz, Pilot Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialists
Pat Forrester and Dan Barry, along with Expedition Three Commander
Frank Culbertson, Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail
Tyurin, checked out Shuttle systems, navigational tools and docking
hardware in advance of Discovery's planned linkup to the ISS.
The docking is scheduled to occur Sunday at 1:38 p.m. Central time
over the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia, just south of the
Indonesian island of Jawa.
Forrester and Horowitz powered up, unfurled and checked out
Discovery's 50-foot long robotic arm, which will be used by Forrester
to move the Leonardo cargo module from Discovery's payload bay to the
ISS for the transfer of food and supplies, and by Horowitz to
transport Barry and Forrester around the Station during their two
spacewalks next week.
In addition, Barry and Forrester tested the devices they will use
tomorrow to measure Discovery's distance from the ISS and its rate of
closure on the complex during the terminal phase of the Shuttle's
approach to the Station.
Discovery's docking mechanism was also checked out and its outer
docking ring extended to insure it is ready for tomorrow's capture of
the ISS docking port on the forward end of the Station's Destiny
laboratory module.
Next week, Barry and Forrester will test the spacesuits they will wear
during their two excursions outside Discovery to attach a spare
cooling reservoir to the ISS and to hook up heating cables for a large
truss structure that will be mounted to the Station next year.
The crew enjoyed a few hours of spare time this afternoon to relax as
they wound down for the start of an eight-hour sleep period just after
9 p.m. Central time tonight.
Aboard the ISS, Expedition Two Commander Yury Usachev and Flight
Engineers Jim Voss and Susan Helms spent the day packing up personal
items and preparing Station systems for tomorrow's arrival of their
replacements, Culbertson, Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight
Engineer Mikhail Tyurin. This was the 156th day in space for the
current occupants of the ISS.
The exchange of crew members on the Station will occur on Monday,
although formal command of the Station will not be transferred from
Usachev to Culbertson until a few hours before Discovery's undocking
on August 20.
Almost 7,000 pounds of food, supplies and personal items for the
Expedition Three crew are housed in Leonardo, the Italian-built
Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM). Once the module is transferred
to the Station and unpacked, it will be filled with equipment no
longer needed on the ISS, including Expedition Two crew clothing and
trash for return to Earth.
Discovery is orbiting the Earth in excellent shape with no issues
being worked by the flight control team.
Go to STS-105 Flight Day 3 Highlights: