Discovery Lands, Brings Expedition Two Home
Space Shuttle Discovery touched down at the Kennedy Space Center today bringing to an end the 167-day mission of the International Space Station's Expedition Two. Commander Scott "Doc" Horowitz and Pilot Rick Sturckow brought Discovery to a picture-perfect landing at 2:23 p.m. EDT. Commander The station crew, Yury Usachev and Flight Engineers Susan Helms and Jim Voss, landed in recumbent seats in the Shuttle's middeck as a precaution; their bodies now begin to acclimate to Earth's gravity again after more than five months in microgravity, or weightlessness.

Discovery's mission, STS-105, also included the delivery of the Expedition Three crew to the station along with supplies and scientific equipment. STS-105's Mission Specialists Daniel T. Barry and Patrick G. Forrester conducted two space walks on the station.

The crew will return to Houston's Ellington Field Thursday afternoon about 6PM EDT.

Flight Day 12 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery. Landing clips available at KSC, CNN, and The Houston Chronicle. Landing photos at Florida Today and Space.com.

Controllers Wave Off First Landing Opportunity 
for Shuttle Discovery
Flight controllers passed on Space Shuttle Discovery's first landing attempt of the day due to rain in the vicinity of Kennedy Space Center, Fla. STS-105's second opportunity is now slated for 1:23 p.m. CDT (18:23 GMT). If this opportunity is taken, the deorbit burn will occur at 12:17 p.m. CDT (17:17 GMT). During the descent to Kennedy, Discovery will pass over the northern Mexico, then over southern Texas and the northern Gulf Coast. Flight controllers and forecasters will continue to monitor the weather.

When Discovery lands, it will wrap up STS-105 -- a successful mission to the International Space Station. Returning to Earth on Discovery is the Expedition Two crew: Commander Yury Usachev and Flight Engineers Susan Helms and Jim Voss. Expedition Two spent more than five months at the station.

If the second opportunity is selected for a landing today, the deorbit burn to initiate Discovery's return to Earth would occur at 1:15PM EDT with landing to follow at 2:23PM EDT.

Discovery Set to Land Today
Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to land today, with the first opportunity at 11:46 a.m. CDT (16:46 GMT). When Discovery lands, it will wrap up STS-105 -- a successful mission to the International Space Station. Returning to Earth on Discovery is the Expedition Two crew: Commander Yury Usachev and Flight Engineers Susan Helms and Jim Voss. Expedition Two spent more than five months at the station.

If Discovery takes the first opportunity, the deorbit burn will occur at 10:37 a.m. CDT (15:37 GMT). The second landing opportunity is in Florida also and is at 1:23 p.m. CDT (18:23 GMT). The second opportunity's deorbit burn would occur at 12:17 p.m. CDT (18:17 GMT). The weather looks promising for landing, but there is a chance of rain.

STS-105 Landing Ground Tracks are available for Wednesday's opportunities. Watch NASA TV today to see coverage of STS-105's landing and Expedition Two's return to Earth. Space Shuttle Discovery is slated to touch down at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 11:46 a.m. CDT (16:46 GMT).

Three of the astronauts, having spent 167 days on the ISS, are in for a tough re-adaptation to gravity. More mission clips at The Houston Chronicle.

Watch NASA TV to see the live webcast, and check the links at right for real-time play-by-play. JSC reports using Central Time - add an hour for Eastern.

Crew Prepares for Landing
The STS-105 and Expedition Two crews spent Tuesday preparing for their return home on Wednesday. STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz, Pilot Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialist Dan Barry checked out the performance of Space Shuttle Discovery's landing systems. Also, the crews stowed equipment.

Three special recumbent seats were set up on the shuttle's middeck for the Expedition Two crew -- Yury Usachev, Jim Voss and Susan Helms. The seats are designed to minimize the effects of gravity on the station crewmembers who are returning home after more than five months on orbit at the International Space Station.

STS-105 is returning home after a successful stay at the space station. Discovery is scheduled to touch down Wednesday at 11:46 a.m. CDT (16:46 GMT) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

STS-105 Landing Ground Tracks are available for Wednesday's opportunities.

Flight Day 11 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery.

Station Crew Happy to Land Tomorrow
The STS-105 and Expedition Two crews spent today preparing for their return home on Wednesday. STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz, Pilot Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialist Dan Barry checked out the performance of Space Shuttle Discovery's landing systems and everyone stowed equipment. Three special recumbent seats are to be set up on the Discovery's middeck for the Expedition Two crew - Yury Usachev, Jim Voss and Susan Helms. The seats are designed to minimize the effects of gravity on the station crew members who are returning home after more than five months on orbit in the International Space Station.

You can watch Discovery touchdown via NASA TV on the Web. Landing is scheduled for Wednesday at 12:46 p.m. EDT (16:46 GMT) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Weather looks OK for tomorrow's arrival. There will be two landing opportunities, with touchdown possible at 12:46PM EDT and 2:23PM EDT.

Two opportunities also exist at the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California, with touchdown at 2:17PM EDT and 3:53PM EDT - but NASA managers have not yet decided whether to activate the backup site.

Crew to Prepare for Landing
The STS-105 and Expedition Two crews will spend today preparing for their return home on Wednesday. STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz, Pilot Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialist Dan Barry will checkout the performance of Space Shuttle Discovery's landing systems. Also, the crews will stow equipment.

Later today, three special recumbent seats will be set up on the shuttle's middeck for the Expedition Two crew - Yury Usachev, Jim Voss and Susan Helms. The seats are designed to minimize the affects of gravity on the station crewmembers who are returning home after more than five months on orbit at the International Space Station.

Watch NASA TV on Tuesday to see the Expedition Two crew talk with reporters from CNN, WMAQ-TV in Chicago, Ill., and KPTV-TV in Portland, Ore., at 10:30 a.m. CDT (15:30 GMT). NASA TV Schedule

The Space Shuttle is returning home after a successful mission to the ISS, involving crew transfer, science experiments, and on-orbit construction. Today's interviews are on at 11:30AM EDT. 

Discovery is scheduled to touch down Wednesday at 12:46PM EDT (16:46 GMT) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Meanwhile, the new ISS crew awaits the docking of an unmanned "Progress" supply vehicle, launched by the Russian Space Agency this morning.

Station's Expedition Three Crew Prepares for Cargo Ship
Now that space shuttle Discovery has departed for Earth, the newly arrived Expedition Three crew is settling in for its four-month stay on the International Space Station. Commander Frank Culbertson and flight engineers Mikhail Tyurin and Vladimir Dezhurov are turning their attention to Wednesday's undocking of the Progress cargo ship now docked to the aft end of the Zvezda Module. The maneuver is being performed in preparation for the arrival of a new Progress cargo ship on Thursday. Meanwhile, Discovery is scheduled to land on Wednesday at 12:48 p.m. EDT.

Discovery is scheduled to land this Wednesday at 12:49PM EDT. On the Space Station, Frank Culbertson, Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Turin, will prepare for Tuesday morning's launch of a Progress resupply vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Flight Day 10 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery.

Discovery Undocks from Station
Space Shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station today at 9:52 a.m. CDT (14:52 GMT) to end a successful stay at the station by the STS-105 and Expedition Two crews. While at the station, the STS-105 crew attached the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to the station, transferred supplies and equipment, and conducted two space walks. STS-105 delivered Expedition Two's replacements, Expedition Three, to the station. At the time of undocking, Discovery and the station were flying due west of Chile over the southern Pacific Ocean.

Before Discovery's final separation burn, Pilot Rick Sturckow performed a flyaround of the station. STS-105 is slated to land at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Wednesday at 11:46 a.m. CDT (16:46 GMT).

Later after undocking, the shuttle crew deployed a small science satellite called Simplesat, which is designed to evaluate the use of inexpensive commercially available hardware in space and to demonstrate GPS attitude control and pointing in free flight. It was spring-ejected from a canister at the rear of the shuttle's cargo bay.

This morning's departure concluded 7 days, 20 hours, and 10 minutes of joint operations between the STS-105 crew, the returning Expedition Two crew and the new station residents of the Expedition Three crew. 

Flight Day 9 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery.

Crews to Say Farewells Today
The STS-105 and Expedition Two crews will say their final farewells to the Expedition Three crew this morning, with the hatch closing scheduled for just before 7 a.m. CDT (12:00 GMT). Discovery's crewmembers, Commander Scott Horowitz, Pilot Rick Sturckow, and Mission Specialists Pat Forrester and Dan Barry, assisted by the returning Expedition Two crew, Commander Yury Usachev and Astronauts Jim Voss and Susan Helms, will undock Discovery at 9:52 a.m., while the two spacecraft are over the south Pacific due west of the southern coast of Chile.

Later today, the shuttle crew will deploy a small science satellite called Simplesat, which is designed to evaluate the use of inexpensive commercially available hardware in space and to demonstrate GPS attitude control and pointing in free flight. It will be spring-ejected from a canister at the rear of the Shuttle's cargo bay.

After Discovery departs, the Expedition Three crew will turn its attention to the undocking of the Progress cargo ship docked to the aft end of the Zvezda Module. Undocking is slated for 1:05 a.m. CDT (06:05 GMT) Wednesday and is being performed in preparation for the arrival of a new Progress. The new cargo ship, which will launch at 4:24 a.m. CDT (09:24 GMT) Tuesday, will be delivering supplies to Expedition Three and is slated to dock Thursday at 4:59 a.m. CST (09:59 GMT).

The hatch closing ceremony is set for 7:52AM EDT, with undocking and flyaround scheduled for 10:52AM EDT.

Leonardo Returns to Discovery's Payload Bay
Using Space Shuttle Discovery's robot arm, the STS-105 crew unberthed the Leonardo Module from the International Space Station and returned it to the orbiter's payload bay.

Watch NASA TV Monday starting at 9:52 a.m. CDT (14:52 GMT) for Discovery's undocking from the International Space Station, and tune in at 2:50 p.m. CDT (19:50 GMT) as all seven shuttle crewmembers talk with reporters from the Associated Press and CBS News.

The orbiter will undock from Alpha at 10:52AM EDT Monday, following a farewell ceremony just before 8AM EDT. See NASA's news updates here, and check the links at right for play-by-play.

Leonardo Returns to Payload Bay
During its last full day of joint operations with the Expedition Three crew, the STS-105 crew unberthed the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module from the International Space Station and returned it to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay. Discovery's robot arm was used to perform this procedure. STS-105 Mission Specialist Pat Forrester was the primary robot arm operator, and Commander Scott Horowitz served as his backup.

Monday morning, the STS-105 and Expedition Two crews will depart the station for the final time and undock at 9:52 a.m. CDT (14:52 GMT). At the time of undocking, the two spacecraft will be flying over the southern Pacific Ocean due west of Chile at 50 degrees 60 minutes south latitude and 142 degrees 80 minutes west longitude.

Leonardo to Return to Payload Bay
Today is the last full day of docked operations for the STS-105, Expedition Two and Expedition Three crews. The day will be highlighted by the unberthing of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module from the International Space Station and its return to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay. Discovery's robot arm will be used to perform this procedure. STS-105 Mission Specialist Pat Forrester will be the primary robot arm operator, and Commander Scott Horowitz will serve as his backup. After Leonardo returns to the payload bay, the crews will enjoy some time off this afternoon.

Monday morning, the STS-105 and Expedition Two crews will depart the station for the final time and undock at 9:52 a.m. CDT (14:52 GMT). At the time of undocking, the two spacecraft will be flying over the southern Pacific Ocean due west of Chile at 50 degrees 60 minutes south latitude and 142 degrees 80 minutes west longitude.

Watch NASA TV on Sunday to see coverage of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module's unberthing from the International Space Station and its return to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay. Unberthing is slated for 2:20 p.m. CDT (19:20 GMT) Sunday. Then at 5:10 p.m. CDT (22:10 GMT) Sunday, STS-105 Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester will participate in interviews with WVEC-TV of Norfolk, Va., the Springfield Times of Springfield, Va., and space.com. NASA TV Schedule

East coast times are 3:20PM for the MPLM unberthing, and 6:10PM for the interviews. 

Crew Wraps Up Second Space Walk
STS-105's second space walk concluded Saturday at 2:11 p.m. CDT (19:11 GMT). Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester performed it. During the space walk, they prepared the International Space Station for the arrival of the S0 Truss early next year. Among the tasks performed was the installation of heating cables for the S0 Truss. Also, they installed handrails onto the Destiny Laboratory.

Inside Discovery, Commander Scott Horowitz operated the orbiter's robot arm to assist Barry and Forrester. Pilot Rick Sturckow coordinated the space walk, which was the 26th in the support of space station construction.

Sunday is the last full day of joint operations scheduled for the STS-105 and station crews. Also, Discovery's robot arm will be used to unberth the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module from the station and return it to the orbiter's payload bay in preparation for the trip home. Discovery is scheduled to undock from the station Monday at 9:54 a.m. CDT (14:54 GMT).

The Leonardo module will be disconnected from the ISS and stored back in Discovery's payload bay tomorrow at 3:20PM EDT. Flight Day 8 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery. "Ask The MCC" answers are up, too.

Second Space Walk Under Way
STS-105 Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester began the mission's second space walk today at 8:42 a.m. CDT (13:42 GMT). During the space walk, they will prepare the International Space Station the arrival of the S0 Truss early next year. Among the tasks to be performed is the installation of heating cables for the S0 Truss. Also, they will install handrails onto the Destiny Laboratory.

Inside Discovery, Commander Scott Horowitz is operating the orbiter's robot arm to assist Barry and Forrester. Pilot Rick Sturckow is coordinating the space walk, which is the 26th in the support of space station construction.

Tomorrow will be the last full day of docked operations with Alpha.

Barry, Forrester to Conduct STS-105's Second Space Walk
Space Shuttle Discovery's crew will focus on STS-105's space walk today. Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester are slated to begin the space walk at 9:15 a.m. CDT (14:15 GMT), although it could begin earlier. They will prepare the station for the arrival of the S0 Truss early next year. Among the tasks to be performed is the installation of heating cables for the S0 truss. Also, they will install handrails onto the Destiny Laboratory.

Inside Discovery, Commander Scott Horowitz will operate the orbiter's robot arm to assist Barry and Forrester. Pilot Rick Sturckow will coordinate the space walk, which will be 26th in the support of the construction of the space station.

The spacewalk should last about 5½ hours. Watch the action live on NASA TV!

Shuttle, Station Crews Transfer Items into Leonardo for Trip Home
Joint operations between the STS-105 and station crews resumed Friday. They transferred equipment, discarded items and belongings that will be returning to Earth into the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Module. Leonardo is a reusable cargo module supplied by the Italian Space Agency.

Hatches between the two spacecraft were sealed Friday in preparation for the mission's second space walk. Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester spent time preparing for the space walk which is slated to begin at 9:15 a.m. CDT (14:15 GMT) Saturday.

In other activities, STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz and Pilot Rick Sturckow fired Space Shuttle Discovery's engines to raise the station's orbit. This was the second reboost maneuver of the mission, raising the station's orbit by about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles).

Tomorrow's EVA starts at 10:15AM EDT.

Change of Command Ceremony in Space
The ten astronauts and cosmonauts aboard Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station continue the hard work of stowing equipment, discarded items and belongings of the Expedition Two crew aboard the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo for return to Earth aboard Discovery next week. Expedition Two crewmembers Yury Usachev, Jim Voss and Susan Helms continue handover briefings with the newly arrived Expedition Three crew.

The new station commander, Frank Culbertson, and cosmonauts Mikhail Tyurin and Vladimir Dezhurov have taken up residence aboard the station.  Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. EDT a formal change of command ceremony took place on the station as Expedition Two Commander Usachev passed the baton to Culbertson. The handover of command actually occurred late Monday afternoon after the crews exchanged custom-made seat liners for the Soyuz return capsule docked to the station. You can watch NASA TV on the Web to see Astronauts Dan Barry and Pat Forrester walk in space again on Saturday, to hook up heater cables for a truss structure to be delivered to the station next year.

Stay tuned...

Watch NASA TV on Friday to see Expedition Two Commander Yury Usachev and Expedition Three’s Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin field questions from Russian reporters at 11:15 a.m. CDT (16:15 GMT).

At 12:12 p.m. CDT (17:12 GMT), there will be a change of command ceremony onboard the International Space Station between Usachev and Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson. Then, the STS-105 and Expedition Two and Three crews will hold the Joint Crew News conference at 2:20 p.m. CDT (19:20 GMT).

Add 1 hour to the times above for Eastern time. Look for the latest Mission Status Report here.

During yesterday's spacewalk, a small puncture was discovered in a Space Station component. The astronauts were in no danger (it wasn't near the crew compartments), but it's a sobering reminder that there's lots of high-speed junk in orbit that can drill through the hull of any spacecraft.

Astronauts Perform Space Walk
Astronauts Dan Barry and Pat Forrester successfully completed STS-105’s first space walk at 3:14 p.m. (20:14 GMT) Thursday. They installed the Early Ammonia Servicer and the Materials International Space Station Experiment onto the International Space Station. The servicer contains spare ammonia that can be used in the space station's cooling systems if needed. The experiment, which is also known as MISSE, will expose material samples to the space environment.

During the space walk, STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz operated Space Shuttle Discovery’s robot arm, and Pilot Rick Sturckow choreographed the space walk. This was the 25th space walk devoted to the construction of the space station and the 12th one this year. Barry and Forrester will perform the mission’s second space walk on Saturday.

Some interesting stats:

Today's spacewalk was...
-- The 67th in Shuttle program history
-- The 25th to assemble the International Space Station
-- The 23rd Shuttle spacewalk for ISS assembly (two of which were staged from the ISS)
-- The 12th spacewalk this year
The total U.S. spacewalking time in Shuttle history is now 426 hours, 10 minutes.
The total spacewalking time for ISS assembly is now 161 hours, 55 minutes.

Flight Day 6 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery.

Flight Day 5 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery.

In other Shuttle news: despite the string of successful launches this year, NASA may be facing further budget cuts - and Discovery may have to wait for the "glass cockpit" upgrades that Atlantis and Columbia have already undergone.

Barry, Forrester Begin Space Walk
STS-105's first space walk is under way. Astronauts Dan Barry and Pat Forrester began the 25th space walk in International Space Station history at 8:58 a.m. CDT (13:58 GMT).

The Early Ammonia Servicer was hard mated to the P6 truss of the International Space Station at 10:49 a.m. Central time, almost 2 hours into today's spacewalk.

Watch NASA TV today to see coverage of STS-105’s first space walk by Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester. The space walk is currently under way and is slated to wrap up about 3:30 p.m. CDT (20:30 GMT).

In other Shuttle news, NASA will agree to sending Israel's first astronaut aboard Shuttle Columbia when it flies on next year's Earth-science mission, STS-107.

Crew to Perform Space Walk
STS-105's Mission Specialist Dan Barry and Pat Forrester [begin] the 25th space walk in International Space Station history at 8:58 a.m. CDT (13:58 GMT). They will install the Early Ammonia Servicer, or EAS, onto the International Space Station's P6 Truss. If needed, the EAS contains spare ammonia that can be used in the space station's cooling systems. Barry and Forrester will also attach the Materials International Space Station Experiment onto the station. The experiment, which is also known as MISSE, will expose material samples to the space environment.

Forrester and Barry are receiving help from inside Discovery. STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz is operating Space Shuttle Discovery's robot arm, and Pilot Rick Sturckow is serving as the space walk choreographer. The space walk is slated to last 6.5 hours. The mission's second space walk will occur Saturday.

Today marks a milestone for the ISS - it's been in orbit for exactly 1000 days.

STS-105 Astronauts Prepare for Thursday's Space Walk
During the space walk, which is slated to begin at [10:15AM EDT/14:15 GMT] Thursday, Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester will install the Early Ammonia Servicer onto the International Space Station's P6 Truss and install a materials experiment onto the station's Quest Airlock. The hatches between Space Shuttle Discovery and the station were closed at [5:52PM EDT/21:52 GMT] Wednesday in preparation for the space walk. Prior to hatch closure, the STS-105 and station crews continued transferring supplies and equipment from Discovery to the station and loading the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module.

Watch NASA TV on Thursday to see coverage of STS-105’s first space walk by Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Engineer Susan Helms said in an interview today that living aboard the ISS was one of the most amazing experiences of her life.

STS-105 Astronauts Preparing for Thursday's Space Walk
On Thursday, beginning at 10:15 a.m. EDT, Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester will venture into space to install the Early Ammonia Servicer onto the International Space Station's P6 Truss and install a materials experiment onto the station's Quest Airlock. The materials experiment, consisting of two suitcase-size devices, will be exposed to the environment of space for a year, collecting engineering data on the effects of atomic oxygen on a variety of materials. Forrester and Barry used virtual reality gear to train for their space walk duties.

The hatches between Space Shuttle Discovery and the station are slated to be closed at 5:30 p.m. EDT today in preparation for the space walk. Prior to hatch closure, the STS-105 and station crews will continue transferring supplies and equipment from Discovery to the station and loading the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module.

Crews Unload Logistics Module
The STS-105 and station crews unloaded the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Tuesday. Also, Discovery's engines were used to raise the station's orbit.

This sixth day of Discovery's mission to the International Space Station will be highlighted by the continuing transfer of supplies from Discovery to the ISS for the new Expedition Three crew and the checkout of spacesuits and hardware which will be used tomorrow by Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester in the first of two spacewalks to attach gear to the outside of the complex.

Watch NASA TV on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. CDT (16:30 GMT) to see Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson and Expedition Two Flight Engineer Susan Helms conduct interviews with KATU-TV, KOIN-TV and KGW-TV of Portland, Ore. NASA TV Schedule

NASA was late publishing last night's Mission Control Center Status Report - here it is. Today's interviews are slated for 12:30PM EDT.

2 Space Walks on Tap for STS-105
During STS-105's stay at the International Space Station, Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester are scheduled to conduct two space walks. During the first space walk, they will install the Early Ammonia Servicer onto the station's P6 Truss and the Materials International Space Station Experiment onto the Station Quest Airlock. On the second space walk, they will install handrails onto the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module and attach cables that may be used to power heaters on the S0 Truss, which will be installed during STS-110. Commander Scott Horowitz, who will operate the shuttle's robot arm, will assist them. Pilot Rick Sturckow will coordinate the space walks.

The first spacewalk is now scheduled for 10:15AM EDT this Thursday, and the second one is set for 10:15AM EDT this Saturday. Tomorrow's interviews are slated for 12:30PM EDT.

Busy Day for Station, Shuttle Crews
Members of the STS-105 crew are spending the day working with the Expedition Two and Three crews inside the International Space Station, focusing on unloading the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (pictured), in which more than 2.7 metric tons (3 tons) of supplies and equipment was delivered to the station. Also, STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz and Pilot Rick Sturckow will fire Space Shuttle Discovery's jets in a series of burns to raise the station's orbit by about 3.2 kilometers (2 statute miles) this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Expedition Three crewmembers - Commander Frank Culbertson, Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin - are spending their first full day as residents of the International Space Station. They will continue handover activities with the off-going Expedition Two crew - Commander Yury Usachev, Jim Voss and Susan Helms.

Crews to Unload Leonardo
The STS-105 crew will spend the day working with the Expedition Two and Three crews inside the International Space Station. They will focus on unloading the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, which delivered more than 2.7 metric tons (3 tons) of supplies and equipment to the station. Also, STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz and Pilot Rick Sturckow will fire Space Shuttle Discovery's jets in a series of burns to raise the station's orbit by about 3.2 kilometers (2 statute miles) this afternoon.

Watch NASA TV on Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. CDT (17:00 GMT) for a replay of the NASA Administrator's preflight briefing. Tune in at 2 p.m. CDT (19:00 GMT) to see Expedition Two Commander Yury Usachev and Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson participate in interviews with ABC, the Fox News Network and National Geographic TV. NASA TV Schedule

Space Station crew change article with videos here. The first spacewalk is scheduled for 8:40AM EDT this Thursday.

Crew Attaches Leonardo onto ISS
As the Expedition Two and Three crews conducted handover procedures onboard the International Space Station, STS-105 Mission Specialist Pat Forrester used Space Shuttle Discovery's robotic arm to lift the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module out of the payload bay and install it onto the station's Unity Module on Monday. Leonardo, a reusable cargo carrier provided by the Italian Space Agency, contains supplies and equipment for the station's Expedition Three crew. Commander Scott Horowitz assisted Forrester with the arm.

Once Leonardo was installed on the station, crewmembers opened the hatch and activated it. During the afternoon, the station and STS-105 crews transferred equipment from Discovery's mid-deck.

Flight Day 3 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery. 

Life in Space: No Up, No Down
When the crew of STS-105 lifted off for the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery last week, space flight rookies Patrick Forrester and Mikhail Turin experienced the strange feeling of life in microgravity for the first time. On Earth we always know which way is up because sensors in the inner ear, which are part of the body's vestibular system, can feel the pull of gravity and send information to the brain. In space, however, the vestibular system doesn't sense the familiar pull of gravity and the world can suddenly seem topsy-turvy. After a few hours or a day or so, however, most people get used to life in space.

STS-105 will return the station's Expedition Two crew - Yury Usachev, Jim Voss and Susan Helms - to Earth. As veterans of more than five months of continuous habitation in space, the no-up, no-down world now seems commonplace to them and their challenge will be to adjust to life with gravity.

Meanwhile, back on Earth - post-launch inspections of the launchpad and SRBs show no problems.

Shuttle Crew to Install Leonardo
As the Expedition Two and Three crews conduct handover procedures onboard the International Space Station, STS-105 Mission Specialist Pat Forrester will use Discovery's robotic arm to lift the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module out of the payload bay and install it onto the station's Unity Module late this morning. Leonardo, a reusable cargo carrier provided by the Italian Space Agency, contains supplies and equipment for the station's Expedition Three crew. Also, the station and STS-105 crews will transfer equipment from Discovery's mid-deck.

The Leonardo module is scheduled to be connected to the ISS at 10:30AM EDT today.

Discovery Docks with Station
With STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz at the controls, Space Shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station at 1:42 p.m. CDT (18:42 GMT) Sunday as the two spacecraft flew over northwestern Australia. STS-105, which is the 11th shuttle mission to visit the station, is delivering the Expedition Three crew and will return the Expedition Two crew to Earth. While at the station, the STS-105 crew will conduct two space walks and install the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module onto the station.

Watch NASA TV on Monday to see coverage of handover activities onboard the International Space Station between Expedition Two and Expedition Three crews. Activities are slated to begin at 9:10 a.m. CDT (14:10 GMT). Then at 9:30 a.m. CDT (14:30 GMT) Monday, the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module is slated to be installed onto the International Space Station. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 2 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery. 

Discovery to Dock with Station
Space Shuttle Discovery, which is carrying the Expedition Three crew and the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Module, is slated to dock with the station at 1:38 p.m. CDT (18:38 GMT) today. Rendezvous operations will begin just before 9 a.m. CDT (14:00 GMT). The STS-105 and Expedition Three crews are scheduled to enter the station about 3:30 p.m. CDT (20:30 GMT) today. If docking occurs as planned, the two spacecraft will be flying over the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia, just south of the island of Jawa.

Mission clips at The Houston Chronicle. Watch NASA TV to see the live webcast, and check the links at right for real-time play-by-play. JSC reports using Central Time - add an hour for Eastern.

Crew Prepares for Docking, Space Walks
The five astronauts and two cosmonauts aboard Space Shuttle Discovery spent their first full day in orbit preparing for docking with the International Space Station and the mission's two space walks. Discovery's orbital maneuvering system engines were fired Saturday to adjust the shuttle's orbit, and the crew prepared navigation and rendezvous tools that will be used for docking. Also the crew checked out the spacesuits that will be used during the space walks by Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester and tested Discovery's robotic arm.

Watch NASA TV on Sunday to see coverage of Space Shuttle Discovery’s arrival at the International Space Station. Discovery is slated to dock at 1:38 p.m. CDT (18:38 GMT) Sunday. Then at about 2:55 p.m. CDT (19:55 GMT), the Expedition Two crew will welcome the STS-105 and Expedition Three crews onto the station. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 1 video clips are now available in the NASA Gallery. New launch photos are up at The Orlando Sentinel. 

Docking is scheduled for 2:38PM EDT tomorrow (Sunday).

Crew to Prepare for Docking
The five astronauts and two cosmonauts aboard Space Shuttle Discovery will spend their first full day in orbit preparing for docking with the International Space Station and the mission's two space walks. Discovery's orbital maneuvering system engines will be fired today to adjust the shuttle's orbit, and the crew will prepare navigation and rendezvous tools that will be used for docking. Also the crew will check out the spacesuits that will be used during the space walks by Mission Specialists Dan Barry and Pat Forrester and test Discovery's robotic arm.

Docking is slated for 1:38 p.m. CDT (18:38 GMT) Sunday. If docking occurs as planned, the two spacecraft will be flying over the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia, just south of the island of Jawa.

Space Shuttle Discovery Launches
STS-105 is under way. Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 4:10 p.m. CDT (21:10 GMT) Friday. STS-105 will deliver the Expedition Three crew to the International Space Station and return the Expedition Two crew to Earth. Also, Discovery is carrying the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, a reusable cargo module that contains supplies and equipment for the station. Discovery is scheduled to dock with the space station on Sunday at 1:33 p.m. CDT (18:33 GMT).

Discovery Dodges Thunderstorms, Lifts Off
Under the threat of thunderstorms, Discovery lifted off toward the International Space Station Friday afternoon at 5:10 p.m. EDT from the Kennedy Space Center, FL. In addition to the four-man flight crew, Mission STS-105 carries the three-man Expedition Three crew to the Station to relieve the Expedition Two Crew who have been on-orbit for 155 days.

Discovery roared into space 5 minutes earlier than originally planned (right at the beginning of the launch window), to try and beat advancing summer storms.

KSC has lots of STS-105 video clips, including today's launch. Their newsroom schedule is here.

STS-105 Slated to Launch Today
Space Shuttle Discovery slated to launch at 4:15 p.m. CDT (21:15 GMT) today to begin the 11th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Discovery's Thursday launch attempt was postponed to today due to poor weather conditions in the vicinity of Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Today's forecast calls for the threat of scattered and broken clouds and a chance of thunderstorms near the launch site. Meanwhile, workers completed fueling the External Tank at 10:07 CDT (15:07 GMT) this morning.

To get the flight off the ground in advance of any afternoon T-storms, launch managers may push liftoff back by 5 minutes, to 5:10PM EDT.

Weather Delays Discovery; Launch Planned for Today
Thunderstorms and nearby lightning delayed the launch of space shuttle Discovery yesterday at the Kennedy Space Center, FL. NASA officials will make another launch attempt today, at 5:15 p.m. EDT. Mission STS-105 will carry the crew of Expedition Three to the International Space Station to relieve the Expedition Two crew who have been on orbit for 154 days. Expedition Two--Yury Usachev, Susan Helms and Jim Voss--are awaiting news that their ride home is on the way.

Watch NASA TV on Friday to see the launch of STS-105. Coverage will begin Friday morning at 11 CDT [Noon EDT/16:00 GMT]. NASA TV Schedule

NASA has an interactive demo about STS-105. (Requires Flash Player).

Weather Forces Launch Delay; Attention Turns to Friday Liftoff
Unfavorable weather conditions forced NASA officials to postpone the launch of STS-105 on Thursday. The next launch attempt for Space Shuttle Discovery and its crew is slated for 4:15 p.m. CDT (21:15 GMT) Friday. NASA managers and forecasters continue to monitor the weather situation.

STS-105 will deliver the Expedition Three crew to the International Space Station and return the Expedition Two crew to Earth. Also, Discovery is carrying the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, a reusable cargo module that contains supplies and equipment for the station. Discovery is scheduled to dock with the space station on Sunday.

Preflight video and images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

Launch Day Arrives for Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery and its five astronauts and two cosmonauts are set to lift off today at 4:38 p.m. CDT (21:38 GMT) to begin the 11th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. STS-105 will be delivering the Expedition Three crew and the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to the station. Also, the STS-105 crew will conduct two space walks.

Launch day activities continue at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Workers began fueling Discovery's External Tank at 7:20 a.m. CDT (12:20 GMT). The crew is scheduled to depart for Launch Pad 39A at 12:47 p.m. CDT (17:47 GMT) today.

The current weather forecast calls for only a slight chance of showers near the launch site. At the time of launch, the International Space Station will be located at 48 degrees 26 minutes south latitude and 138 degrees 10 minutes east longitude, which will place it over the Southern Ocean, due south of Adelaide, Australia.

Watch NASA TV today to see STS-105 launch coverage, which begins at 11 a.m. CDT (16:00 GMT). Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to lift off this afternoon at 4:38 CDT (21:38 GMT). NASA TV Schedule

Discovery Ready to Launch Today
The countdown to launch is underway at the Kennedy Space Center, FL. While NASA launch officials, the crew of space shuttle Discovery on mission STS-105, and spectators in the area are anxiously awaiting liftoff, there are three people in space who are watching very closely: the crew of Expedition Two aboard the International Space Station. Yury Usachev, Susan Helms and Jim Voss will ride Discovery back home to Earth after a more than five-month stay aboard the station. Discovery will deliver their replacements, the crew of Expedition Three: Frank Culbertson, Vladimir Dezhurov, and Mikhail Tyurin. Liftoff is scheduled for 5:38 p.m. EDT.

Two EVAs are scheduled for this mission. Watch the liftoff live on NASA TV!

Countdown Activities on Schedule
The STS-105 launch countdown was proceeding on schedule Wednesday at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Workers finished loading cryogenics into Space Shuttle Discovery's Power Reactant and Storage Distribution System tanks. The Rotating Service Structure is scheduled to be rolled away from Discovery Wednesday night at 8:30 CDT (Thursday at 01:30 GMT). Tanking operations will begin Thursday at about 8:45 a.m. CDT (13:45 GMT).

Discovery and its five astronauts and two cosmonauts are slated to lift off at 4:38 p.m. CDT (21:38 GMT) Thursday to begin the 11th mission to the International Space Station. STS-105 will deliver the Expedition Three crew to the station and return Expedition Two to Earth.

Currently, forecasts call for a 60-percent chance of favorable weather conditions for Thursday's launch.

STS-105 Countdown Activities on Schedule
Tuesday, STS-105 countdown activities continued to proceed on schedule. Workers were slated to begin loading Space Shuttle Discovery's Power Reactant and Storage Distribution System tanks late Tuesday afternoon. The orbiter's communications system is scheduled to be tested today and the Rotating Service Structure will be rolled away from Discovery tonight at 9:30 CDT.

Discovery is scheduled to lift off at 4:38 p.m. CDT Thursday. STS-105 will deliver the Expedition Three crew to the International Space Station.

STS-105 Launch Countdown Under Way
The STS-105 launch countdown is under way. It began Monday at 4 p.m. CDT. STS-105, which is slated to liftoff Thursday at 4:38 p.m. CDT, will be the 11th shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station and will deliver the Expedition Three crew to the orbital outpost.

Meanwhile, launch preparations continue at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The STS-105 astronauts and the Expedition Three crew arrived at Kennedy on Sunday.

The detection of a crack in the steering system of an SRB built at the same time as one of Discovery's reusable boosters had threatened to delay the launch. NASA managers decided to press ahead with an August 9th liftoff.

Aug. 9 Gets Nod as STS-105 Launch Date
During Wednesday's Flight Readiness Review, NASA officials tabbed Aug. 9 as the official STS-105 launch date, with liftoff set for 4:38 p.m. CDT. STS-105 will be the 11th shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station, and it will be delivering the Expedition Three crew and the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module.

Space Shuttle Discovery's prelaunch processing continues at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Workers are in the process of preparing to close up Discovery's main engine compartment and have completed the replacement of the orbiter's master events controller No. 2. The flight crew is slated to arrive at Kennedy Space Center on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. CDT, and the launch countdown will begin Monday at 4 p.m. CDT.

STS-105 Prelaunch Processing Continues
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., prelaunch processing continues for STS-105. Monday, workers were preparing to close up Space Shuttle Discovery's main engine compartment, and the flight crew's spacesuits were being checked. The installation of explosive bolts is slated to begin today. Then on Wednesday, NASA managers will hold the Flight Readiness Review. STS-105 is slated to lift off no earlier than Aug. 9 and will be the 11th shuttle flight to visit the International Space Station.

Expedition 3 Commander Frank Culbertson spoke out against ISS budget cuts recently.

Leonardo to be Installed into Discovery's Payload Bay Friday
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., preparations for the launch of STS-105 continue at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module arrived at Launch Pad 39A on Wednesday and is scheduled to be installed into Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay Friday morning. The multiplexer-demultiplexer testing is complete. NASA managers will hold the Flight Readiness Review on Aug. 1. Discovery is slated to launch no earlier than Aug. 9.

STS-105 to Deliver Expedition Three Crew to International Space Station
STS-105 will be the 11th shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. Space Shuttle Discovery will deliver the Expedition Three crew -- Commander Frank Culbertson, Soyuz Pilot Vladimir Dezhurov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin -- to the station. Also, Discovery will return the Expedition Two crew -- Commander Yury Usachev, Flight Engineer Susan Helms and Flight Engineer Jim Voss -- to Earth.

STS-105’s primary payload will be the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, a reusable cargo module. Leonardo will carry equipment and experiments to the station and will return to Earth in Discovery.

Ground processing for Discovery began in March, when the orbiter returned from STS-102. See the links on the right of this page for more Web coverage of the STS-105 mission to bring a new crew to the ISS.