Note: The links below will
open up in one new browser window. For best viewing, size the two web
browsers so that they don't take up the entire screen - this way, you will be
able to go back and forth to all the stories without losing your place. Click the Refresh button to
make sure you have the newest version.
Space
Shuttle Endeavour and the five-member STS-97 crew landed safely at Kennedy
Space Center, Fla., to end a successful mission to the International Space
Station. Touchdown occurred at 5:03 p.m. CST (23:03 GMT). While at the
station, the astronauts installed the first set of U.S. solar arrays,
performed three space walks, delivered supplies and equipment and became
the first shuttle crew to visit the station’s first resident crew. The
work performed by the STS-97 crew sets the stage for the installation of
the station’s next major component, the U.S. Destiny Laboratory, in
early 2001.
Space
Shuttle Endeavour landed at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, shortly after 6
p.m. EST this evening, completing a successful mission to the
International Space Station. Commander Brent Jett and Pilot Mike
Bloomfield steered the spacecraft to a picture perfect landing, passing
over Central America and the western coast of Florida. They and mission
specialists Joe Tanner, Carlos Noriega and Marc Garneau spent just short
of 11 days in orbit installing the first set of U.S. solar arrays,
performing three space walks and becoming the first shuttle crew to visit
the station's Expedition 1 crew.
This , with required to unfurl the
twin solar arrays that will provide heat and power for future experiments
aboard the ISS. Today's , with weather conditions clear in the . Video clips .
There will be a press conference tomorrow at - watch
live at 12:30PM EST.
11 December 2000 - Update 2PM EST - The are preparing to , winding up a successful mission to Space Station Alpha. reports:
Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to return to Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
today. STS-97's first landing opportunity is at 5:04 p.m. CST (23:04 GMT),
with the de-orbit burn occurring at 3:57 p.m. CST (21:57 GMT). Preliminary
weather forecasts are favorable for landing, but if needed, there is one
more landing opportunity available at Kennedy Space Center and three
available at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The STS-97 astronauts are
wrapping up a successful mission to the International Space Station. While
at the station, they installed the first set of U.S. solar arrays,
performed three space walks and became the first shuttle crew to visit the
station's Expedition 1 crew.
Watch streaming video of post-landing activities on . .
11 December 2000 - Update 10AM EST - Endeavour
is scheduled to land at KSC this evening at 6:06PM - but NASA reports:
Endeavour's
five astronauts were awakened by flight controllers to the tune of
"I'll be Home for Christmas," this morning. They are looking
forward to landing early this evening after a successful mission to the
International Space Station. The weather forecast for the anticipated
landing time at Kennedy Space Center, FL, 6:04 p.m. EST, calls for a
slight chance of showers in the area. Watch the landing live on or . On
Saturday Endeavour's astronauts made a final fly-around of the
International Space Station, then separated from the orbital outpost they
had helped make the most powerful spacecraft ever with the installation of
a 240-foot wide solar array. Following naval tradition, Expedition One's
crew--who will remain aboard the space station until February--rang the
station's ship's bell as Endeavour's crew departed.
11 December 2000 - Endeavour
tonight at 6:04PM EST! reports:
After successfully completing its task at the International Space Station, the
STS-97 crew focused on returning to Earth. Most of Sunday was spent
preparing for Monday's landing, which is slated for 5:04 p.m. CST (23:04
GMT) at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Mike
Bloomfield and Mission Specialist Carlos Noriega checked out landing systems.
The for Monday are available. Watch streaming video on to see continuing coverage of STS-97. .
Endeavour undocked from the ISS over the weekend, completing a to "Space Station Alpha". All that
remains is a safe landing at .
10 December 2000 - Web chat with astronaut today at 3PM EST, live from orbit - but it's in . No
problemo! reports:
Endeavour
astronauts and the crew of Expedition One aboard the International Space
Station finally met face-to-face today, now that all spacewalks on Space
Shuttle mission have been
completed. Landing is scheduled for Monday at 6:04 p.m. EST. On Sunday,
beginning at approximately 3 p.m. EST, Univision.com will host the
first-ever live Spanish-language interactive online chat with Endeavour
astronaut Carlos Noriega. The event, accessible at ,
will include live audio and video feeds. Participants are invited to submit
questions in Spanish prior to the event. A great deal of NASA science
information is now available in Spanish from Ciencia@NASA (science at NASA),
from the staff at
Marshall Space Flight Center.
After successfully completing its task at the International Space Station, the
STS-97 crew is now focusing on returning to Earth. Most of Sunday will be
spent preparing for Monday's landing, which is slated for 5:04 p.m. CST
(23:04 GMT) at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Mike
Bloomfield and Mission Specialist Carlos Noriega will check out landing
systems. They will test the Reaction Control System jets at 11:16 a.m.
(17:16 GMT). Also, the entire crew will spend time putting away equipment
that was used at the space station.
Watch
to see the Associated Press, Telemundo and Univision conduct interviews
with the STS-97 crew today at 2:51 p.m. CST (20:51 GMT). . The and
have answered Internet questions in the section.
06 December 2000 - The of the mission is
scheduled for Thursday at 11:51AM EST.
reports:
Endeavour’s astronauts worked Wednesday to get ready for the Thursday space walk by
Mission Specialists Joe Tanner and Carlos Noriega. They also took a few
hours off to rest and enjoy the view from their spacecraft, moving at five
miles a second about 235 miles above the Earth.
Space walk preparations focused on techniques to tighten one of two solar blankets on
the starboard wing. They got the word that task had been added to the
space walk schedule shortly after they were awakened about 6:30 a.m. They
reviewed the procedures during a conference with flight controllers later
in the day.
and the are now available in the .
Watch to see coverage of STS-97's third space
walk, which is scheduled to begin at 10:51 a.m. CST (16:51 GMT) Thursday.
Check the Status Reports for Wednesday
and .
05 December 2000 - The of the mission is complete.
reports:
At 5:58 p.m. CST (23:58 GMT), STS-97 Astronauts Carlos Noriega and Joe Tanner
completed the second space walk of STS-97. Noriega and Tanner performed
tasks to activate the International Space Station's newly installed solar
arrays, moved S-band antenna equipment and prepared Pressurized Mating
Adapter 2 for relocation to the end of the Destiny Laboratory Module,
which is scheduled to be delivered to the station in early 2001 by STS-98.
This... space walk lasted 6 hours and 37 minutes and was the 12th space
walk conducted outside of the space station. The third space walk of
STS-97 is slated to begin Thursday at 10:51 a.m. CST (16:51 GMT).
The STS-97
crew has answered an in the section.
Watch
Wednesday at 12:16 p.m. CST (18:16 GMT) as Fox News; WBBM-TV, Chicago;
and Bob Vila interview crew members. . The
is now
available in the .
Check the Status Reports for Tuesday
and .
04 December 2000 - UPDATE 11PM EST - Success! The
spacewalking pair have , using a that allowed it to unfurl with the desired amount of tension.
reports:
The STS-97 astronauts completed deployment of the second solar array on the
International Space Station's Monday night at 8:46 CST (Tuesday at 2:46 GMT). The
sequence of events in the deployment was a modified version of Sunday's
deployment of the first solar array wing. Instead of deploying the array
in a continuous motion, the crew stopped the process numerous times to
dampen the movement of the solar array blanket. Also, flight controllers
continue to look at procedures to increase the tension on the array
deployed Sunday.
Now that the deployment of the station's first set of U.S. solar arrays is complete,
attention turns to the second of STS-97. Mission Specialists Joe Tanner and Carlos Noriega are
scheduled to begin the space walk Tuesday at 11:46 a.m. CST (17:46 GMT).
Follow the play-by-play at and
04 December 2000 - UPDATE 2PM EST - Ground controllers
are to avoid a repeat of with
the deployment of the solar arrays. The first one is up and running, but it
is within its framework.
reports:
Flight controllers and the STS-97 crew continue to work toward the deployment of
the P6 Integrated Truss' second solar array wing later today. The sequence
of events in the deployment, which is currently scheduled for 5:23 p.m.
CST (23:23 GMT), will be a modified version of Sunday's. Instead of
deploying the array in a continuous motion, it will be stopped several
times to dampen the movement of the solar array blanket. Also, flight
controllers continue to look at procedures to increase the tension on the
array deployed Sunday.
Also today, the
astronauts will do some housekeeping chores on the shuttle and do a photo
survey of the solar array structure. Tuesday, Mission Specialists Joe
Tanner and Carlos Noriega will perform the second space walk of the mission.
04 December 2000 - , two astronauts from the Endeavour crew performed a 7-hour
spacewalk to install solar arrays on the ISS - but they hit a snag.
reports:
At
8:08 p.m. CST Sunday (2:08 GMT Monday), STS-97 Mission Specialists Joe
Tanner and Carlos Noriega finished the first of three space walks that
they will conduct during the mission. During the space walk, the STS-97
crew installed the U.S. solar array structure. The space walkers received
help from Pilot Mike Bloomfield and Mission Specialist Marc Garneau, who
were operating Space Shuttle Endeavour's robotic arm. After the
installation and preparation of the solar array structure, Commander Brent
Jett sent the command to deploy the arrays. However, only one of the two
arrays was deployed. The length of the space walk was 7 hours and 33
minutes.
The is now available in the .
Mission controllers are until they know why the first one . It is , however, and NASA could even leave the "solar
wings" in this state - but who really thinks they're going to do that?
03 December 2000 - The of the
is .
reports:
STS-97 Mission Specialists Carlos Noriega and Joe Tanner began the 11th space
walk in the history of the International Space Station at 12:35 p.m. CDT
(18:35 GMT). The main objective of the space walk is to attach the solar
array structure to the International Space Station. The space walkers will
be assisted by Space Shuttle Endeavour's robotic arm, which will be
operated by Pilot Mike Bloomfield and Mission Specialist Marc Garneau.
After the solar array structure is installed and ready for deployment, Commander
Brent Jett will send the command to deploy the arrays. The space walk is
slated to end at about 7:16 p.m. CST (1:16 GMT).
Follow the play-by-play at and
02 December 2000 - UPDATE 11:30PM EST - Astronauts and
entered the "vestibule"
of the Station today, leaving bags of water and other supplies for the
Expedition One crew to retrieve. The two crews are , but that will sync up on Friday for joint operations. Flight
Day 3 is winding down. Tomorrow's activities will feature the that will allow the U.S. Destiny module to be opened
up, as well as provide power for future station nodes. Destiny has been
sealed since the ISS crew has been aboard, because the existing solar panels
don't provide enough electricity to keep it heated.
Check the Status Reports for Saturday
and .
02 December 2000 - UPDATE 4:30PM EST - . Endeavour has taken over all attitude control for the docked complex, so that Alpha's
maneuvering thrusters don't "fight" the 's thrusters.
Astronauts are preparing to leave some supplies aboard PMA-3. The ISS crew
will retrieve the supplies tonight, but they will not meet until next week,
when the atmospheric pressure aboard ISS and Endeavour can be equalized. NASA reports:
Space Shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station today at 2
p.m. CST (20:00 GMT) to make STS-97 the first shuttle mission to visit the
inhabited space station. While at the station, the STS-97 crew will
install the P6 Integrated Truss Structure, which contains the first set of
U.S. solar arrays.
At about 3 p.m. today [4PM EST], Mission Specialist Marc Garneau will use Endeavour's robotic arm to
lift the P6 out of the payload bay. He will park the P6 above the bay so
that its temperature can begin equalizing with that of the space station.
Also this afternoon, Mission Specialists Carlos Noriega and Joe Tanner
will enter the station docking port to install electrical grounding straps
and deliver supplies for the station crew.
The is now available in the .
02 December 2000 - UPDATE 3:30PM EST -
has to Space Station Alpha! The , while
the ISS orbited 235 miles over Kazakhstan. The latches are locked in, and
Canadian astronaut is preparing to use the Remote Manipulator Arm to lift the , which contains the , out of the the Payload Bay to
protect the structure from overheating. The ISS crew and the STS-97 crew
will not actually meet until the ninth day of the mission, after all the s
are completed. So close, and yet so
far...
02 December 2000 - The crew are
with Space Station Alpha today, right before 3PM EST. reports:
Space Shuttle Endeavour is almost at its destination, the . The STS-97 crew will begin rendezvous operations at 8:30
a.m. CST (14:30 GMT) today. Endeavour's engines will be fired twice prior to
its docking with the downward facing docking port on the station's Unity
Connecting Module. The first burn will occur at 10 a.m. CST (16:00 GMT) and
the second burn, which is the terminal initiation burn, will occur at 11:33
a.m. CST (17:33 GMT). Docking is scheduled for 1:59 p.m. CST (19:59 GMT).
The STS-97 crew will receive assistance from the station crew with
air-to-air radio signals during the approach and docking.
Night
launches of the Space Shuttle are always spectacular events. The engines
and solid rocket boosters turn night into day for a few seconds for miles
around the launch pad. NASA photographers captured Endeavour on liftoff
last night in a series of . Endeavour is scheduled to dock with the International Space
Station on Saturday, December 2, at 2:57 p.m. EST. Follow the action on or on .
Watch streaming video on to see continuing coverage of STS-97. The is available online. The is now available in the .
Follow the play-by-play at and
01 December 2000 - Shuttle
is in orbit, (ISS) for a
and docking . The five astronauts from KSC at 10:06PM EST, on a
to install the ever deployed in space. reports:
Space Shuttle Endeavour continues its pursuit of the as the STS-97 crew will spend most of its day preparing
for Saturday's docking with the station. Today, Commander Brent Jett and
Pilot Mike Bloomfield are scheduled to fire the orbital maneuvering
thrusters at about 12:41 p.m. CST (18:41 GMT) and 9:15 p.m. CST (3:15 GMT)
to put Endeavour in the proper alignment with the station and to close the
distance between the two spacecraft. At 11:30 a.m. (17:30 GMT) today,
Endeavour trailed the station by about 12,875 kilometers (8,000 miles).
Also, the astronauts will be checking out the systems, tools and spacesuits that
they will use to install the P6 Integrated Truss, which contains the U.S.
solar arrays, on to the station. The shuttle's robotic arm will be used
and three will
be conducted at the station.
Last night's launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour marked the beginning of
a busy mission for its five astronauts and the Expedition 1 crew, the
current permanent residents of the International Space Station. The
astronauts are delivering the P6 Integrated Truss Segment, which includes
the first US Solar arrays and a power distribution system. They will take
three space walks to connect the equipment. The 17-ton truss segment is
the heaviest and largest element yet delivered to the station on a Space
Shuttle. This is the sixth shuttle mission to visit the station, but the
first since the Expedition 1 crew took up residence. Docking is scheduled
for 2:57 p.m. EST on Saturday.
CNN interview with the crew .
Updated media schedule .
Check the Status Reports for Friday
and .
30 November 2000 - 11:45PM EST - The are open, radiating
the heat from ascent into space.
Besides the that had pad personnel scrambling today, there was
another pre-launch problem - fire! A small brushfire was reported to be
about 400 feet away from the launchpad. The
quickly put it
out. NASA officials speculate that it may have been a bird flying though the
jet of flame designed to burn off excess hydrogen from the as
it sits on the pad.
Mmmm... extra crispy! Launch videos
and .
reports:
Lighting
up the sky with a brilliant glow, Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off from
the Kennedy Space Center, FL, tonight on an 11-day mission to the
International Space Station. Mission STS-97's five astronauts will join the
three-man Expedition 1 crew already aboard the Station to begin assembly
work on the orbiting outpost. The giant solar arrays the crew will install
will quintuple the Station's electrical power, enabling future unparalleled
research. The arrays are the first of three such sets to be attached to the
Station in coming years.
Follow the play-by-play at and
.
First Status Report .
30 November 2000 - 10:50PM EST - is firing its Orbital Maneuvering System to make its orbit more circular.
Docking with is scheduled for 2:57PM EST this Saturday.
Did You Know? STS-97 crewmember became the first
astronaut . He is on his on the Shuttle. He is the first
from Canada to go up . Liftoff, eh?
30 November 2000 - 10:35PM EST - After a , the
is running through routines to take the Shuttle from
configuration to
configuration.
The external tank has been jettisoned. reports:
Thursday at 9:06 p.m. CST (Friday at 3:06 GMT), Space Shuttle Endeavour blasted off from
Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to begin STS-97. Endeavour and its five-member
crew will deliver U.S. solar arrays to the International Space Station and
be the first shuttle crew to visit the station's first resident crew.
Endeavour is slated to dock with the station Saturday at 1:57 p.m. CST
(19:57 GMT).
The they will install are
as big as 2 football fields - and are . High voltages and plasma buildup could cause electrical
discharges - like lightning bolts!
30 November 2000 - 10:10PM EST - LIFTOFF!! is
to the
ISS, on the 101st Shuttle
flight!!
30 November 2000 - 9:50PM EST - Range officers have declared everything
after one of the transmitters on the ground showed a momentary glitch.
We are GO for 10:06PM EST liftoff!!
Follow the play-by-play at and
More news at .
30 November 2000 - 9PM EST - One hour from launch. the - large enough to power 15
average-sized homes! reports:
Shuttle Managers today ordered replacement of one bolt and
the repair of another on the Shuttle Access Arm at the Kennedy Space Center, FL.
This caused delay in the fueling of Space Shuttle Endeavour, but mission STS-97,
with the International Space Station as its destination, is still slated for
launch tonight at 10:06 p.m. EST. Watch the launch on or
on . At launch time, the Station will be located over the
southeastern Indian Ocean, west of Australia.
Follow the play-by-play at and
30 November 2000 - 8PM EST - Two hours from launch.
They earlier in the countdown, but they seem to have
it. reports:
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., the replacement of one bolt and the repair of another
on the Shuttle Access Arm caused the fueling of Space Shuttle Endeavour to
be delayed. However, STS-97 is still slated to launch tonight at 9:06 CST
(3:06 GMT). Fueling is resumed this afternoon at 1:51 CST (19:51 GMT).
When Endeavour launches tonight, the International Space Station will be located at 24
degrees 80 minutes south latitude and 96 degrees 20 minutes east
longitude. The coordinates will place the station over the southeastern
Indian Ocean, west of Australia.
Here's the most recent .
30 November 2000 - 2PM EST - Things are looking good! reports:
All systems are go for launch of Space Shuttle Mission
STS-97 later today from the Kennedy Space Center, FL. Watch the
launch--scheduled for 10:06 p.m. EST--live on NASA
Television or on . This
mission will carry five astronauts to the International Space Station, where
they will join the three-man Expedition 1 crew and connect a package of giant
solar arrays and other equipment to the orbiting outpost. The U.S.-developed,
240-foot long solar arrays will generate a level of electricity that could power
30 average Earth homes, and is the first of three such sets of arrays that will
be attached to the station in coming years.
30 November 2000 - Endeavour launches tonight at 10:06PM
EST, on a mission to to the ISS. This will make
the Space Station one of the in the night sky! Follow the play-by-play at and
- or watch live on the web! reports:
Watch streaming video on of
the launch of STS-97. Coverage begins Thursday at 3:30 p.m. CST (21:30 GMT).
The
is available online.
Weather conditions . Check back with us tonight for more news.
29 November 2000 - The launch date for
is fast approaching. reports:
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., preparations continue on schedule for Thursday's
launch of STS-97, a mission to deliver solar arrays to the International
Space Station. The final flight preparations for Space Shuttle Endeavour's
main engines began Wednesday morning, and the activation of the orbiter's
communications equipment and inertial measurement units was scheduled to
occur later in the day.
Thursday, the Rotating Service Structure will be pulled away from Endeavour at about
12:30 a.m. CST (6:30 GMT), and the external tank will be loaded with fuel
at about 12:40 p.m. CST (18:40 GMT). Lift off is slated for 9:06 p.m. CST
Thursday (3:06 GMT Friday).
28 November 2000 - The has
for the launch of Shuttle Endeavour this week. reports:
The launch countdown for STS-97 began on schedule Tuesday at 12 a.m. CST (6:00 GMT)
at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. STS-97 will deliver U.S. solar arrays to the
International Space Station. Also on Tuesday morning, workers began
removing work platforms from around Space Shuttle Endeavour. Tuesday
afternoon, technicians were scheduled to activate and test Endeavour's
navigational systems. STS-97 is slated to launch Thursday night at 9:06
CST (Friday at 3:06 GMT).
27 November 2000 - The crew of has arrived at
for
's launch. reports:
The STS-97 flight crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday afternoon. Space
Shuttle Endeavour and its five astronauts will continue the on-orbit
construction of the International Space Station by delivering and
installing the first set of U.S. solar arrays.
The STS-97 launch countdown is slated to begin Tuesday at 12 a.m. CST (6:00 GMT), and
liftoff is scheduled for Thursday at 9:06 p.m. CST (Friday 3:06 GMT).
NASA has an STS-97 mission quiz is now online.
has STS-97 preflight videos .
22 November 2000 - launch
arrangements continue. NASA reports:
Tuesday night, Space Shuttle Endeavour's payload bay doors were closed as
preparations for the launch of STS-97 continued at Kennedy Space Center,
Fla. Endeavour and its five astronauts will deliver the P6 Integrated
Truss Structure, which contains the first set of U.S. solar arrays. Also,
workers complete Endeavour's aft main engine compartment close-outs and
were scheduled to install the orbiter's flight doors Wednesday. The STS-97
astronauts will arrive at Kennedy Space Center Nov. 27 at 3:30 p.m. CST
(21:30 GMT), and on Nov. 28, the launch countdown is slated to begin at 12
a.m. CST (6:00 GMT).
The is now available.
and
are now available in the .
Yesterday's Shuttle Status Report .
20 November 2000 - NASA has confirmed the for Endeavour.
for 10:06PM EST on a mission to the .
15 November 2000 - launch prep continues. NASA reports:
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., STS-97's primary payload, the
, was moved to the payload
changeout room at Launch Pad 39B.
Thursday, it was scheduled to be placed into Space Shuttle Endeavour's
payload bay. STS-97's five-member crew will install the P6, which will
increase the International Space Station's power capability with its , on to the station.
The are now available in the .
Yesterday's Shuttle Status Report .
09 November 2000 - STS-97 work continues at . NASA reports:
Preparations
continue for the launch of STS-97, a mission to deliver U.S. solar arrays
to the International Space Station. Saturday, one of Endeavour's payloads,
an IMAX 3-D camera, will arrive at Launch Pad 39B and will be installed
into the payload bay Sunday. STS-97's primary payload, the space station's
P6 Truss, is slated to arrive at the pad Nov. 14. The P6 contains the
solar arrays that will become the largest ever deployed in space.
Yesterday's Shuttle Status Report .
02 November 2000 - is set to launch on 30 Nov
2000 at 10:05PM EST. NASA reports:
Tuesday, Space Shuttle Endeavour was rolled to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
where it will begin STS-97, a mission to increase the International Space Station’s
power-generating capability with the delivery of the largest solar arrays ever deployed in
space. Testing of Endeavour’s three Auxiliary Power Units began Wednesday morning, and launch
pad validations are under way. Also on Wednesday, the rotating Service Structure was placed
around the shuttle, and main engine flight testing was slated to begin. The five-member
STS-97 crew will be at Kennedy Nov. 7-8 to participate in the Terminal Countdown
Demonstration Test.
Latest Shuttle Status Report .
01 November 2000 - Endeavour heads for the launchpad - NASA reports:
Space Shuttle Endeavour rolls to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla. STS-97 will deliver solar arrays to the International
Space Station and will be the first shuttle to visit the station’s
first resident crew.
The Shuttle stack finally made to the launchpad after a caused by a problem with one of the tracks on the massive
.
28 October 2000 - Here's what's going on now with :
Preparations continue at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., for the launch of STS-97, a mission
that will deliver the U.S. solar arrays to the International Space Station.
In the Vehicle Assembly Building, workers attached Space Shuttle Endeavour
to the external tank and were making final connections on Friday. Saturday,
the Shuttle Interface Test is scheduled to begin. Endeavour will be rolled
out to Launch Pad 39B on Oct. 30. Endeavour and the five-member STS-97 crew
are slated to lift off Nov. 30.
27 October 2000 - Welcome to our coverage of 's flight to the International Space Station! Here's the from NASA:
STS-97 to Deliver Solar Arrays to International Space Station
STS-97 will be the sixth space shuttle mission to visit the International
Space Station and the first mission to visit the station after the arrival
of its first resident crew. Space Shuttle Endeavour and its five-member crew
will deliver the P6 Integrated Truss Segment, which includes the first U.S.
Solar arrays and a power distribution system. Endeavour's robotic arm will
be used and two space walks will be conducted to install the P6 on to the
station's Z1 Truss. The solar arrays will be the largest ever to fly in
space. Also, the crew will relocate the S-Band Antenna Support Assembly from
the Z1 to the P6, which will make the S-band system operational. Another
payload for STS-97 is an IMAX Cargo Bay Camera-3D. It will be used to record
activities of the mission.
Latest Shuttle Status Report .
Orbiter processing started back in .
Space
Shuttle Endeavour and the five-member STS-97 crew landed safely at Kennedy
Space Center, Fla., to end a successful mission to the International Space
Station. Touchdown occurred at 5:03 p.m. CST (23:03 GMT). While at the
station, the astronauts installed the first set of U.S. solar arrays,
performed three space walks, delivered supplies and equipment and became
the first shuttle crew to visit the station’s first resident crew. The
work performed by the STS-97 crew sets the stage for the installation of
the station’s next major component, the U.S. Destiny Laboratory, in
early 2001.
Space
Shuttle Endeavour landed at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, shortly after 6
p.m. EST this evening, completing a successful mission to the
International Space Station. Commander Brent Jett and Pilot Mike
Bloomfield steered the spacecraft to a picture perfect landing, passing
over Central America and the western coast of Florida. They and mission
specialists Joe Tanner, Carlos Noriega and Marc Garneau spent just short
of 11 days in orbit installing the first set of U.S. solar arrays,
performing three space walks and becoming the first shuttle crew to visit
the station's Expedition 1 crew. 
Endeavour
astronauts and the crew of Expedition One aboard the International Space
Station finally met face-to-face today, now that all spacewalks on Space
Shuttle mission have been
completed. Landing is scheduled for Monday at 6:04 p.m. EST. On Sunday,
beginning at approximately 3 p.m. EST, Univision.com will host the
first-ever live Spanish-language interactive online chat with Endeavour
astronaut Carlos Noriega. The event, accessible at ,
will include live audio and video feeds. Participants are invited to submit
questions in Spanish prior to the event. A great deal of NASA science
information is now available in Spanish from Ciencia@NASA (science at NASA),
from the staff at
Marshall Space Flight Center.
At 5:58 p.m. CST (23:58 GMT), STS-97 Astronauts Carlos Noriega and Joe Tanner
completed the second space walk of STS-97. Noriega and Tanner performed
tasks to activate the International Space Station's newly installed solar
arrays, moved S-band antenna equipment and prepared Pressurized Mating
Adapter 2 for relocation to the end of the Destiny Laboratory Module,
which is scheduled to be delivered to the station in early 2001 by STS-98.
This... space walk lasted 6 hours and 37 minutes and was the 12th space
walk conducted outside of the space station. The third space walk of
STS-97 is slated to begin Thursday at 10:51 a.m. CST (16:51 GMT).
At
8:08 p.m. CST Sunday (2:08 GMT Monday), STS-97 Mission Specialists Joe
Tanner and Carlos Noriega finished the first of three space walks that
they will conduct during the mission. During the space walk, the STS-97
crew installed the U.S. solar array structure. The space walkers received
help from Pilot Mike Bloomfield and Mission Specialist Marc Garneau, who
were operating Space Shuttle Endeavour's robotic arm. After the
installation and preparation of the solar array structure, Commander Brent
Jett sent the command to deploy the arrays. However, only one of the two
arrays was deployed. The length of the space walk was 7 hours and 33
minutes.
STS-97 Mission Specialists Carlos Noriega and Joe Tanner began the 11th space
walk in the history of the International Space Station at 12:35 p.m. CDT
(18:35 GMT). The main objective of the space walk is to attach the solar
array structure to the International Space Station. The space walkers will
be assisted by Space Shuttle Endeavour's robotic arm, which will be
operated by Pilot Mike Bloomfield and Mission Specialist Marc Garneau.
Space Shuttle Endeavour continues its pursuit of the as the STS-97 crew will spend most of its day preparing
for Saturday's docking with the station. Today, Commander Brent Jett and
Pilot Mike Bloomfield are scheduled to fire the orbital maneuvering
thrusters at about 12:41 p.m. CST (18:41 GMT) and 9:15 p.m. CST (3:15 GMT)
to put Endeavour in the proper alignment with the station and to close the
distance between the two spacecraft. At 11:30 a.m. (17:30 GMT) today,
Endeavour trailed the station by about 12,875 kilometers (8,000 miles).
the heat from ascent into space.
Besides the that had pad personnel scrambling today, there was
another pre-launch problem - fire! A small brushfire was reported to be
about 400 feet away from the launchpad. The
quickly put it
out. NASA officials speculate that it may have been a bird flying though the
jet of flame designed to burn off excess hydrogen from the as
it sits on the pad.
Mmmm... extra crispy! Launch videos
and .
reports:
Lighting
up the sky with a brilliant glow, Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off from
the Kennedy Space Center, FL, tonight on an 11-day mission to the
International Space Station. Mission STS-97's five astronauts will join the
three-man Expedition 1 crew already aboard the Station to begin assembly
work on the orbiting outpost. The giant solar arrays the crew will install
will quintuple the Station's electrical power, enabling future unparalleled
research. The arrays are the first of three such sets to be attached to the
Station in coming years.
Space Shuttle Endeavour rolls to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla. STS-97 will deliver solar arrays to the International
Space Station and will be the first shuttle to visit the station’s
first resident crew. 
Preparations continue at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., for the launch of STS-97, a mission
that will deliver the U.S. solar arrays to the International Space Station.
In the Vehicle Assembly Building, workers attached Space Shuttle Endeavour
to the external tank and were making final connections on Friday. Saturday,
the Shuttle Interface Test is scheduled to begin. Endeavour will be rolled
out to Launch Pad 39B on Oct. 30. Endeavour and the five-member STS-97 crew
are slated to lift off Nov. 30.