STS-106 Day 6 Highlights
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- On Thursday, September 14, 2000, 7:00 a.m. CDT, STS-106 MCC Status Report # 13
reports:
- Astronauts aboard the International Space Station earlier today
completed final electrical installations in both the Zvezda and Zarya
modules and transferred another station-based experiment to
demonstrate control technologies to suppress unwanted vibrations.
- Ed Lu and Yuri Malenchenko hooked up a third battery in the Zvezda
module, bolstering its supply of power reservoirs. The module was
launched in July with five of eight batteries installed to save
weight. One of the newly installed batteries in Zvezda is not working
properly and Russian flight controllers are investigating.
Regardless, the station will have plenty of power to accommodate the
needs of the first resident crew scheduled to arrive in early
November.
- Meanwhile, Mission Specialists Dan Burbank and Boris Morukov,
removed and replaced a fourth battery and related equipment in the
Zarya module, bringing its complement of six batteries back up to
speed with fresh replacements.
- Commander Terry Wilcutt and Pilot Scott Altman used Atlantis^Ò
propulsion system to reboost the station^Òs orbit to an altitude of
236 by 225 statute miles (380 x 362 km) firing the jets 36 times over
the course of an hour. The maneuver raised the stations orbit about 4
½ miles (7 km). Two more altitude-raising burns are planned before
the shuttle undocks Sunday.
- Through it all, Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio oversaw the
unpacking of Atlantis^Ò cargo hold and the Progress supply ship,
moving all manner of equipment and supplies on board the station for
the first crew. The crew also unpacked Russian-made Orlan space suits
that will be used to perform space walks outside the station.
- Another important item for those first residents was installed
earlier today when Malenchenko moved the hardware and hoses for the
station^Òs first toilet from the Progress to Zvezda. The
unit^Òs waste tank and hose were installed. The task of activating
the bathroom will be left to the Expedition One crew.
- As of Noon Wednesday, the crew had transferred 1,900 pounds of
hardware and supplies to the ISS. Total planned transfer from the
shuttle and Progress is expected to be about 6,000 pounds.
- Atlantis' crew will turn in about 11 this morning and be
awakened at 6:46 this evening and the next mission status report will
be issued about 7 p.m. today or sooner if events warrant.
- On Thursday, September 14, 2000, 7:00 p.m. CDT, STS-106 MCC Status Report # 14
reports:
- The seven astronauts aboard the Atlantis-International Space Station
will soon resume their transfer activities as they start their 5th day
of docked operations inside the orbiting facility. At of the start of
their workday today, approximately one third of the almost three tons
of supplies and equipment have already been moved into the station.
- Commander Terry Wilcutt, Pilot Scott Altman along with Mission
Specialists Ed Lu, Rick Mastracchio, Dan Burbank, Yuri Malenchenko and
Boris Morukov were awakened shortly before 7 p.m. Central. The wake
up song was ^ÓHaze Has Melted Away^Ô by Konstantin Nikolsky's
Group and was requested for Malenchenko by his wife.
- Highlights of the day include the continuing transfer of equipment
and supplies from Atlantis to the International Space Station and the
organization and stowage of that gear inside the ISS. The 1,300
pounds of ISS gear aboard the Progress cargo spacecraft docked to the
aft end of the Zvezda module already has been unloaded.
- The Progress is beginning its second role, as a space garbage truck.
It will be loaded with unneeded gear -- packing material as an example
-- which will be incinerated with the vehicle during a fiery re-entry
into the Earth^Òs atmosphere.
- Lu and Malenchenko will spend much of their day installing voltage
and current stabilizers in the Zvezda Service Module. They also will
install components of the Elektron system in Zvezda. That equipment,
sent into orbit aboard the Progress, separates water into oxygen and
hydrogen. The hydrogen is vented overboard while the oxygen
replenishes the air in the ISS. The system will not be activated
until after arrival of the first station crew.
- The third in a series RCS jet firings to gently raise the
station^Òs altitude will happen early on Friday morning. Beginning
about 1:46 a.m., Atlantis^Òs maneuvering thrusters will be pulsed
36 time over a one hour period to raise the station about 3½ statue
miles (5.6 km). One more altitude-raising burn is planned before the
shuttle undocks Sunday.
- Wilcutt and Altman will give their impressions of the ISS as a home
and the progress of the STS-106 mission with reporters from The CBS
^ÓEarly Show,^Ô the Cable News Network (CNN) and the Louisville
Courier-Journal. The series of interviews will begin at 7:31
a.m. Central time on Friday.
- Atlantis^Ò astronauts will conclude their activities mid-morning
on Friday and begin an eight-hour sleep period at 10:46 a.m.
- The next STS-106 status report will be issued at 7 a.m. on Friday or
sooner if events warrant.
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