STS-101 Day 8 Highlights
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- On Friday, May 26, 2000, 6:00 a.m. CDT, STS-101 MCC Status Report # 15
reports:
- With all of their mission's objectives met or exceeded, Atlantis'
crew shut the doors to the International Space Station early this
morning in preparation for bidding the rejuvenated outpost farewell
this evening.
- "I couldn't be happier with the way this mission has
gone," Lead Flight Director Phil Engelauf said. "Our
accomplishments are at more than 100 percent for the flight."
- "The crew will be leaving a pristine International Space
Station behind them," added Paul Hill, Lead Station Flight
Director.
- Highlights of the crew's work aboard the station included the
installation of four new batteries and associated electronics; 10 new
smoke detectors in the Zarya module; four new cooling fans; additional
cables for the Zarya computer to enhance its capabilities; a new
communications memory unit; and a new power distribution box for the
United States-built backup communications system. A new communications
antenna, the final parts of a Russian crane, and various cabling and
handholds were installed on the station's exterior by Astronauts Jeff
Williams and Jim Voss during a six hour, 44-minute spacewalk. All of
the new equipment has been checked out and is in excellent condition.
- The crew unloaded over 3,300 pounds of gear from
Atlantis. Subtracting equipment removed from the station and stowed on
Atlantis, the net change in mass for the station is about one
additional ton. Along with the new electrical equipment installed, the
crew also stowed supplies for future crews aboard the station,
including about 48 gallons of water in four 12-gallon bags; a
treadmill, exercise bicycle ergometer, and resistive exercise device;
and sewing kits, trash bags, clothes, tools, books, note pads and can
openers, among other items. Overseeing the unloading and stowing of
supplies was Astronaut Mary Ellen Weber. Also, Commander Jim Halsell
and Pilot Scott Horowitz fired Atlantis' steering jets in gentle,
hour-long maneuvers during each of the past three days to raise the
station's orbital altitude by 27 miles. The station is now in the
optimum orbit to await the arrival of the next major station component
-- a Russian-built living quarters that will launch in July.
- Astronaut Susan Helms and Cosmonaut Yury Usachev began backing out
of the station -- closing five hatches behind them -- by closing a
hatch to the Zarya module's main compartment at 12:23 a.m. CDT. The
final hatch to the station was shut at 3:04 a.m. CDT as the orbiting
complex flew about 234 miles above the Red Sea. Helms, Usachev and
fellow crew member Jim Voss will again visit the station next year to
spend more than four months as the second crew to live aboard. In
total, the astronauts on Atlantis spent three days, eight hours and
one minute with the hatches open to the station during the mission.
- Atlantis' undocking from the International Space Station is planned
for 6:03 p.m. CDT, followed by a half-loop flyaround of the station -
from above to underneath - before firing its jets for the final
separation. Atlantis and the station are in an orbit with a high
point of 238 miles and a low point of 230 miles, circling Earth every
92 minutes. The next mission status report will be issued at 7
p.m. CDT.
- On Wednesday, May 26, 2000, 7:30 p.m. CDT, STS-101 MCC Status Report # 16
reports:
- With a gentle push, Atlantis and the International Space Station
parted company this evening as the two spacecraft flew 237 miles over
Kazakhstan concluding five days of work to prepare the outpost for its
first resident crew.
- Undocking occurred at 6:03 p.m. Central time, as Pilot Scott
Horowitz slowly backed Atlantis away from the space station and then
flew a half-circle around the station, before firing Atlantis' jets in
a final separation burn at 6:41 p.m. Atlantis' crew leaves behind a
refurbished and rejuvenated space station with four new batteries, 10
new smoke detectors, and four new cooling fans in the Zarya module, a
revamped communications system in the Unity module and 1 ½ tons of
other supplies, including clothing and water.
- Now flying solo, the seven-member Atlantis crew will enjoy several
hours of off-duty time tonight in recognition of the ambitious pace of
work they maintained throughout this flight. Commander Jim Halsell,
Horowitz, and Mission Specialists Jeff Williams, Mary Ellen Weber, Jim
Voss, Susan Helms and Yury Usachev will power down some of the
equipment used during today's undocking and flyaround, and then will
perform some routine housekeeping tasks before beginning their
scheduled off duty time.
- Toward the end of the crew's day, Usachev will take some time to
talk with Russian media gathered at the Russian Mission Control Center
just outside of Moscow in an event scheduled at 4:26 a.m. Central time
Saturday morning. Usachev, along with crewmates Voss and Helms, will
visit the station again next year to spend more than four months on
board as the second resident crew scheduled to live on board.
- The station is now in the optimum orbit to await the arrival of the
next major station component -- a Russian-built living quarters that
will launch in July -- flying in an orbit with a high point of 238
miles and a low point of 230 miles, circling the Earth every 92
minutes.
- The next mission status report will be issued at 7 a.m. Central time.
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