Space.com
Shuttle Atlantis has reached the launch pad for its upcoming mission (STS-117) to the ISS for further construction on the station.
"Commanded by veteran spaceflyer Rick Sturckow, Atlantis’ STS-117 crew [image] is slated to launch towards the ISS at 6:43 a.m. EDT (1043 GMT) on March 15, kicking off a series of five NASA shuttle missions to continue space station assembly over the next 12 months.
The astronauts plan to deliver two starboard ISS truss segments, a pair of new solar arrays and help retract an older solar wing on the mast-like Port 6 truss -- a counterpart to one folded away in a December shuttle flight -- during three spacewalks planned for their 11-day mission [image].
This mission will allow for the installation of both the European Columbus module (slated for STS-122 in the fall) and the Japanese Kibo module (slated for STS-123 in December). In addition to the shuttle construction missions, the ISS expects 5 unmanned supply missions this year, one to be the maiden voyage of the new European Automated Transfer Vehicle, and 2 Russian Soyuz missions to change ISS crews. A busy year to be sure.
Friday, February 16, 2007
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1 comment:
These are old craft, the weight of this payload in incredible, hope not too much.Also the ISS has 1 gyroscope out and more mass added will hasten the failure rate of the faulty designs on remaining Gyros.
NASA
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