Coverage of Atlantis' flight continues at Part 4 of the STS-110 Mission Journal.

• 16 April - Evening Update - All four spacewalks are now complete, and now it's time to get ready for home. NASA reports:

  Spacewalkers Complete Fourth STS-110 EVA
  All four of STS-110’s spacewalks are in the books with the completion of the final extravehicular activity at 4:06 p.m. CDT [5:06PM EDT/2106 GMT] Tuesday. Mission Specialists Jerry Ross and Lee Morin spent 6 hours, 37 minutes outside the International Space Station preparing it for future spacewalks and working on the Mobile Transporter atop the S0 (S-Zero) Truss.

  Preparations included the installation of work lights and the Airlock Spur -- a 4.3-meter (14-foot) beam that will help spacewalkers move more efficiently between the Quest Airlock and the S0.

  This spacewalk tightens Ross’ hold on two U.S. spacewalking records: the most spacewalks with nine and the most spacewalking time at 58 hours, 18 minutes. His crewmate, Mission Specialist Steve Smith, is second on both lists with 49 hours, 48 minutes during seven spacewalks.

  Now attention turns toward STS-110’s departure from the station. Watch NASA TV on Wednesday to see the departure of Space Shuttle Atlantis and the STS-110 crew from the International Space Station. The final farewell between the STS-110 and Expedition Four crews and hatch closure is slated to occur at 10:44 a.m. CDT [11:44AM EDT/1544 GMT]. Atlantis is scheduled to undock at 1:31 p.m. CDT [2:31PM EDT/1831 GMT]. NASA TV Schedule

  Landing is scheduled for this Friday at 12:34PM EDT (1634 GMT). Flight Day 8 videos and Flight Day 7 images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

  
  

• 16 April 2002 - Flight Day 9 dawns with the Atlantis crew getting ready for the mission's final spacewalk.  NASA reports:

  STS-110 Crew to Perform Final Spacewalk
  The fourth and final scheduled spacewalk of the STS-110 mission is slated to begin about 9:30 a.m. [10:30AM EDT/1430 GMT] today as the Silver Team of Jerry Ross and Lee Morin float outside the station.

  During today's spacewalk, the duo will install a 14-foot beam extending from Quest to the newly installed S-Zero (S0) truss; install halogen work lights on the Unity module and the laboratory, Destiny; partially assemble a work platform; and install shock absorbers on either side of the Mobile Transporter to provide a barrier and attach point between the railcar and future hand-propelled carts that will be used by spacewalkers.

  Yesterday, the Mobile Transporter was successfully commanded to latch onto the railway and plug into a power source. It will remain in its current location until the STS-111 mission when the Mobile Base System will be installed, giving the station’s robotic arm points of attachment on the rail-car base capable of moving along the station’s Integrated Truss.

  Atlantis' crew was awakened at 3:44 a.m. [4:44AM EDT/0844 GMT] to the sounds of the Purdue University Marching Band, playing I am an American, for graduate Jerry Ross. The Expedition Four crew awoke to an on-board tone at the same time.

  Watch NASA TV at 9:15 a.m. CDT [10:15M EDT/1415 GMT] to see NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe's news conference with Astronaut Barbara Morgan. Following the news conference, NASA TV will switch to coverage of STS-110’s fourth spacewalk.

  Check out the Ask the MCC Answers.

  Keep watching NASA TV for coverage of the "Teacher In Space" news conference, and today's EVA.

• 15 April 2002 - Evening Update - Flight Day 8 wraps up, with the Mobile Transporter "railcar" making a couple of runs along Alpha's structure. NASA reports:

  Crews Prepare for 4th Spacewalk
  On Monday, the STS-110 and Expedition Four crews transferred items between Space Shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station and prepared procedures for STS-110's fourth and final spacewalk. The spacewalk will be conducted Tuesday by Mission Specialists Jerry Ross and Lee Morin.

  All 10 shuttle and station crewmembers participated in the Joint Crew News Conference, fielding questions from centers in the United States and Russia before enjoying some time off.

  In other activities, flight controllers in Houston, Texas, conducted a fully successful checkout of the station's new railcar, moving it a total of 22 meters (72 feet). Expedition Four Flight Engineer Carl Walz commanded the railcar from Atlantis' aft flight deck. The railcar is a transporter that will eventually be used to carry the station's robotic arm along the Integrated Truss Structure.

  Watch NASA TV to see coverage of STS-110’s fourth spacewalk. Mission Specialists Jerry Ross and Lee Morin are scheduled to begin the extravehicular activity at 9:34 a.m. CDT (1434 GMT) Tuesday.

  Tomorrow will see the last spacewalk of this flight take place. EVA is scheduled for 10:34AM EDT. Flight Day 7 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery.

  
  

• 15 April - Afternoon Update - Docked operations continue. NASA reports:

  Mobile Transporter Moves for First Time
  The STS-110 and Expedition Four crews are prepairng for STS-110's fourth spacewalk, which will be conducted Tuesday by Mission Specialists Jerry Ross and Lee Morin.

  In other activities, flight controllers in Houston, Texas, are preparing to resume movement of the Mobile Transporter. It moved about 17 feet and began latching itself to a workstation before it stopped. The transporter is a railcar that will eventually be used to carry the station's robotic arm along the Integrated Truss Structure.

  Railcar testing hit a snag as the Mobile Transporter stopped its one-inch-per-second trip along the outside of Space Station Alpha, and went into a "safe" mode. Ground controllers are working through the problem.

  
  

• 15 April 2002 - Today is Flight Day 8 (and Tax Day in the U.S.!), and the astronauts are staying inside today. The first "railroad in space" will get its first workout today when Mission Control issues commands to move it along about 30 feet of track. The railcar is for the Mobile Transporter, a system that will allow Alpha's robotic arm to move itself around to different parts of the Station.  NASA reports:

  Crews to Continue Transfer Operations
  The STS-110 and Expedition Four crews will continue transfer operations and will review procedures for the next spacewalk. 

  The 1,900 pound Mobile Transporter will begin its first trial run about 6:30 a.m. central time [7:30AM EDT/1130 GMT] today, traveling at speeds of 1, 0.4 and 0.1 of an inch per second. The railcar ultimately will be used to move the station's robotic arm along 356 feet of track on the Integrated Truss structure once all truss components are installed.

  The Atlantis crew awoke at 3:48 a.m. [4:48AM EDT/0848 GMT] this morning to Steppenwolf's Magic Carpet Ride, with the Station crew waking at 4:14 a.m.  [5:14AM EDT/0914 GMT]. Transfer work between the two spacecraft also will continue today, and about 11:45 a.m. both crews will discuss their progress of their mission during a press conference on NASA TV.

  Tune into NASA TV today at 12:45PM EDT (1645 GMT) for the live news conference.

• 14 April 2002 - Evening Update - Flight Day 7 is over, with the third spacewalk of the mission seeing the Mobile Transporter - the first "space railroad" - being prepared for initial testing. NASA reports:

  Third Space Walk Complete; Shuttle Boosts Station
  Astronauts Steve Smith and Rex Walheim wrapped up STS-110’s third spacewalk at 3:15 p.m. CDT [4:15PM EDT/2015 GMT] Sunday. They continued the outfitting of the International Space Station’s S0 (S-Zero) Truss during the extravehicular activity, or EVA.

  Smith and Walheim, who also conducted the mission’s first EVA, began the EVA by removing the claw that was used to temporarily hold the S0 onto the Destiny Laboratory and rerouted power, data and video connections through the S0 for later operation of the station’s robot arm - Canadarm2.

  They also devoted time to preparing the Mobile Transporter for its first test run on Monday by removing launch restraints and a thermal cover. The Mobile Transporter is a railcar that is located on a rail on the S0.

  After the EVA, Pilot Steve Frick spent an hour firing Space Shuttle Atlantis' steering engines to boost the space station's orbit by about 3.2 kilometers (2 miles). This was the second of three planned orbital adjustments for the International Space Station.

  Watch NASA TV on Monday to see coverage of the Mobile Transporter’s translation test, beginning about 6:29 a.m. CDT [7:29AM EDT/1129 GMT]. Then, watch NASA TV to see the STS-110 and Expedition Four crewmembers hold their Joint Crew News Conference. The event will begin at 11:47 a.m. CDT [12:47PM EDT/1647 GMT]. NASA TV Schedule

  Jerry Ross and Lee Morin will be doing STS-110’s final spacewalk on Tuesday at 10:34AM EDT (1434 GMT). Flight Day 6 videos and images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

  
  

• 14 April - Afternoon Update - Astronauts Smith and Walheim are in the middle of STS-110's third spacewalk. NASA reports:

  Spacewalkers Outfitting S0
  Three hours into today's third spacewalk of the STS-110 mission, flight controllers told Atlantis spacewalkers Steve Smith and Rex Walheim that their rewiring of the primary set of avionics on the International Space Station's Canadarm2 was successful. The reconfiguration enables the arm to receive power from the new S0 Truss rather than the Destiny Laboratory upon which the truss is bolted in place.

  Smith and Walheim reconfigured electrical connectors on the prime string of the arm's power systems before pressing ahead to release locking devices holding the 1900-pound Mobile Transporter railcar in place on the newly installed S0 Truss. The new railcar's systems will be tested overnight before it is commanded to move about 32 feet up and down the S0 Truss rail Monday at a speed of about eight-tenths of an inch per second.

  With the spacewalk proceeding on the timeline, Smith and Walheim will reconfigure electrical connections on the backup, or redundant string of avionics on the station's robotic arm and will release locking bolts on a 14-foot ladder called the Airlock Spur which will be pivoted to the Quest Airlock and bolted down to provide an easy path for future spacewalkers moving from Quest to the truss itself.

  After this EVA is over, Monday will be spent testing the Mobile Transporter, the first "railway in space". The fourth and final spacewalk will be tackled on Tuesday by grandfathers Jerry Ross and Lee Morin. Go Silver Team!!

  
  

• 14 April - Morning Update - Flight Day 7, and EVA #3, are in progress. NASA reports:

  Third Space Walk Under Way
  Astronauts Steve Smith and Rex Walheim began STS-110's third spacewalk at 8:48 a.m. CDT 9:48AM EDT/1348 GMT] today. Their objective is to continue the outfitting of the S0 (S-Zero) Truss.

  Their first scheduled tasks are to release a claw that temporarily secured S0 and to reroute power, data and video through the truss for later operation of the space station robotic arm, Canadarm2. The truss was permanently secured during STS-110's first two spacewalks.

  The two spacewalkers are also slated to prepare the Mobile Transporter for use by releasing launch restraints and removing a thermal cover. Another task during the spacewalk is the installation of a beam that will help future spacewalkers.

  Supporting the spacewalk from inside the station and Space Shuttle Atlantis are STS-110 Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa and Expedition Four Flight Engineer Dan Bursch, who are operating the station's robot arm. STS-110 Commander Mike Bloomfield and Pilot Steve Frick are operating Atlantis' robot arm, and Mission Specialists Lee Morin and Jerry Ross are coordinating activities. The spacewalk is scheduled to conclude about 3:13 p.m. CDT [4:13PM EDT/2013 GMT].

  Keep an eye on NASA TV, and get the play-by-play at top right.

  
  

• 14 April 2002 - Ah, Sunday morning... let's go outside for a little spring spacewalk. NASA reports:

  S0 Truss to be Outfitted Today
  Preparations for today's planned 6 1/2 hour spacewalk are going well on board Atlantis and the International Space Station.

  Spacewalkers Steve Smith and Rex Walheim are currently about 50 minutes ahead of their preparation timeline and could begin their spacewalk as early as 8:45 a.m. central time [9:45AM EDT/1345 GMT].

  Smith will be referred to as EV1 and can be recognized through the red stripes on the legs of his spacesuit. Walheim, in an all-white spacesuit will be referred to as EV2. This is the second spacewalk conducted by Smith and Walheim during this mission and the third of four scheduled for the STS-110 mission.

  Today's spacewalk comes right on the heels of yesterday's excursion, which saw the S-Zero Truss being completely bolted on to the Space Station.

• 13 April 2002 - Evening Update - Flight Day 6 wraps up with a record-breaking EVA, with astronauts Ross and Morin finishing up connection work on the S0 Truss. NASA reports:

  Astronauts Complete Second STS-110 Spacewalk
  Mission Specialists Jerry Ross and Lee Morin completed STS-110's second spacewalk at 4:39 p.m. CDT [5:39PM EDT/2139 GMT]. During the spacewalk, they bolted the final two struts that will hold the S0 (S-Zero) Truss permanently in place on the International Space Station. Other tasks completed during the spacewalk included the removal of launch restraints on the S0 and the attachment of a cable system onto the Mobile Transporter, which is mounted on the S0.

  Today’s spacewalk lasted 7 hours and 30 minutes. It was Ross’ eighth spacewalk and Morin’s first. Ross holds the U.S. record for the most spacewalks conducted and the most time spent spacewalking, which now stands at 51 hours and 41 minutes.

  Attention now turns to the mission’s third spacewalk, which is scheduled to begin at 9:34 a.m. CDT (1434 GMT) Sunday and will be performed by Mission Specialists Rex Walheim and Steve Smith. Their tasks include work to prepare the Mobile Transporter for testing.

  The ISS crew got a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin in honor of Cosmonauts' Day yesterday. Flight Day 5 images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

  
  

• 13 April - Morning Update - EVA #2 is in progress, with Ross and Morin getting an early start. NASA reports:

  STS-110's Second Spacewalk Under Way
  Mission Specialists Jerry Ross and Lee Morin, dubbed the Silver Team by their crewmates since both are grandfathers, are currently performing the second of STS-110's four spacewalks. They began the excursion at 9:09 a.m. CDT [10:09AM EDT/14:09 GMT] and are slated to wrap it up at 3:34 p.m. CDT [4:34PM EDT/2034 GMT].

  Their primary task is the bolting of the final two struts that will hold the S0 (S-Zero) Truss permanently in place on the International Space Station's Destiny Laboratory. The first two struts were bolted during STS-110's first spacewalk on Thursday. Other tasks for today's spacewalk include the removal of launch restraints on the S0 and the attachment of a cable system onto the Mobile Transporter, which is mounted to the S0.

  [The EVA started] as Atlantis and the International Space Station flew high over the Earth's surface, just to the east of the coast of Brazil.

  Flight Day 5 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery.

  
  

• 13 April 2002 - It's Flight Day 6, and more spacewalks are on tap for this weekend. Today, we'll see the "Silver Team," Ross and Morin, continue the work that Smith and Walheim began on Thursday to attach the S0 Truss to Space Station Alpha. Why are they nicknamed the "Silver Team"? Because they are both grandfathers!  NASA reports:

  Crew to Conduct Second STS-110 Spacewalk
  On board Atlantis and the International Space Station, work is under way to begin the second of four spacewalks scheduled for this mission. Jerry Ross and Lee Morin will float out of the Quest airlock about 9:30 a.m. central time [10:34AM EDT/1434 GMT] today. During a planned 6 1/2 hour spacewalk, they will complete the structural attachment of the two remaining S-Zero (S0) truss struts and connect additional cabling.

  Ross will be identified by the broken red stripes on the legs of his spacesuit, Morin by the diagonal broken stripes on his.

  Ross and Morin will receive assistance from inside Space Shuttle Atlantis and the space station. STS-110 Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa and Expedition Four Flight Engineer Carl Walz will be at the controls of Canadarm2, the station's robot arm, to move Morin around. Commander Mike Bloomfield and Pilot Frick will operate the shuttle's robot arm, and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim will coordinate the spacewalk's activities.

  EVA #3 is scheduled to go until about 5PM EDT (2100 GMT) today. Watch NASA TV for live coverage of mission events, and check the play-by-play links at top right for up-to-the-minute status.

  Flight Day 4 videos and images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

• 12 April 2002 - Evening Update - The second EVA of this flight is set to start tomorrow morning. NASA reports:

  Crews Transfer Supplies, Experiments
  Joint operations between the STS-110 and Expedition Four crews continued Friday. They focused on the transfer of supplies, equipment and experiments.

  The International Space Station's newest addition, the S0 (S-Zero) Truss, is functioning well. On Friday, Flight controllers activated two systems on S0.

  Watch NASA TV on Saturday to see coverage of STS-110's second spacewalk. Mission Specialists Jerry Ross and Lee Morin are scheduled to begin the excursion at 9:34 a.m. CDT [10:34AM EDT/1434 GMT].

  Stay tuned...

  
  

• 12 April 2002 - Friday begins Flight Day 5, a relatively easy one. NASA reports:

  STS-110, Expedition Four Crews to Perform Transfer Operations
  Atlantis' crew awoke at 3:44 a.m. central time today, with the station crew waking up about a half hour later. After a day spent in transfer activities and preparation for two spacewalks this weekend, the crews will enjoy a couple of hours of off duty time to ensure they remain well rested.

  The STS-110 and Expedition Four crews will spend their second full day of working together performing transfer operations. They will transfer supplies, equipment and experiments between Space Shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station.

  STS-110 Mission Specialists Lee Morin and Jerry Ross will place an experimental plant growth chamber in the station's Destiny Laboratory Module, and a freezer for future crystal growth samples will be placed in Destiny by Mission Specialists Ellen Ochoa and Rex Walheim. The crews will also transfer oxygen and nitrogen to the station so that the Quest Airlock's high-pressure gas tanks can be refilled.

  The crews will also review procedures for STS-110's next two spacewalks. Ross and Morin will perform an extravehicular activity on Saturday. They will continue the permanent installation of the S0 (S-Zero) Truss, which was attached to the station on Thursday. Walheim and Mission Specialist Steve Smith will conduct the third spacewalk Sunday. Morin and Ross will perform the fourth and final spacewalk Tuesday.

  The STS-110 and Expedition Four crews will take a break at 11:28 a.m. [12:28PM EDT/1628 GMT] today to discuss their mission with reporters from MSNBC, WWJ-TV Detroit and the CBS Radio Network. Then at 1 p.m. CDT [2PM EDT/1800 GMT], NASA TV will provide live coverage of NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe's address on "Pioneering the Future." NASA TV Schedule

  Watch NASA TV for live coverage of the above media events. NASA chief Sean O'Keefe is expected to announce today the resumption of the Teacher In Space program. Check the play-by-play links at top right for up-to-the-minute mission status.

For reports from launch through the first two EVAs, see Part 2 of the STS-110 Mission Journal.