Spaceflight Now STS-102

Space Station Stage 5A.1

Welcome to Spaceflight Now's comprehensive coverage of the international space station, its full-time residents and plans for the next shuttle assembly mission, flight STS-102/ISS-5A.1. NASA refers to STS-102, the Expedition One crew's on-going work and hand-over to Expedition Two as "Stage 5A.1" in the space station assembly matrix. This page incorporates that approach. We will post data on upcoming shuttle assembly flights as each stage is completed. E-mail us your comments, suggestions and corrections!

Top Stories
Station pioneers back on Earth after historic voyage
After a dramatic reversal of fortune, the shuttle Discovery dropped out of orbit and glided to a pre-dawn landing at the Kennedy Space Center today, bringing the international space station's first full-time crew back to Earth after a 141-day space odyssey.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   DETAILED ENTRY TIMELINE
Shuttle
NASA continues protesting space joyride of Dennis Tito
NASA managers vowed Tuesday to continue efforts to convince their Russian counterparts not to launch U.S. millionaire Dennis Tito to the international space station next month, saying the would-be space tourist has not been properly trained and represents a clear safety threat to the multi-billion-dollar station and its crew.
   FULL STORY (Updated: 2325 GMT)
   NASA NEWS RELEASE
Tito
Russia stands firm on Tito, cosmonauts resume training
The Russian Aviation and Space Agency ordered the Russian Soyuz taxi crewmembers to resume training at the Johnson Space Center on Tuesday but remained adamant that Dennis Tito would fly with to the space station with or without NASA's consent.
   FULL STORY
RASA
Fire alarm sends station crew scrambling
A fire alarm went off in the Destiny laboratory module of the international space station Monday. It turned out to be a false alarm, but it shut down ventilation systems, computers dropped off line and the station's new crew was unable to find the documentation needed to reactive critical systems.
   FULL STORY
Station
Shepherd hands station over to Expedition Two crew
The international space station's first commander formally turned over the ship to his replacement Sunday evening, wishing the lab's second three-person crew good luck aboard the orbital outpost and urging them to "sail her well" during their four-and-a-half-month stay. Discovery undocked a few hours later.
   FULL STORY (updated at 0750 GMT)
   MISSION STATUS CENTER

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   VIDEO: CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY
Handover
Computer issue resolved as module returns to shuttle
The Leonardo "moving van" was pulled away from the space station and returned to Discovery's payload bay Sunday after delivering five tons of equipment and supplies to the orbiting outpost. The move followed intensive troubleshooting to verify the health of the shuttle's flight computers.
   FULL STORY
Leonardo
Mir veterans recall space station's glory, lament its passing
As the shuttle and station crews wrapped up a quiet but productive day in space Saturday morning, four of the five Mir veterans on board reflected on the upcoming demise of the old Russian station, lamenting its passing but looking forward to the future.
   FULL STORY
Astronauts
Discovery to stay an extra day at space station
Mission managers have decided to extend Discovery's stay at the International Space Station by one day; the station's first crew looks forward to homecoming, if not Earth's gravity.
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   VIDEO: MISSION EXTENDED (subscribers only)
Shuttle docked
Cargo transfer in high gear
The Discovery astronauts spent Thursday repacking the Leonardo cargo module with space station trash and discarded equipment while the lab's departing crew members briefed their replacements on the finer points of operating the growing outpost.
   FULL STORY
ISS
Crew rotation complete
Astronaut Susan Helms moved aboard the international space station Wednesday, completing the lab's first crew rotation and becoming the first woman to live aboard the outpost. The astronauts are ahead of schedule unloading the Leonardo cargo carrier.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
Leonardo
Spacewalk clears way for arm attachment
Shuttle astronauts Andy Thomas and Paul Richards made a 6.5-hour spacewalk Tuesday that successfully continued outfitting the exterior of the international space station's Destiny module and fixed a solar array wing brace.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
   SPACEWALK PREVIEW MOVIE (subscribers only)
   DETAILED EVA TIMELINE
EVA
Italian-made 'moving van' docked to space station
The Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module has been mounted to the international space station with its 9,993 pounds of equipment and experiments for the U.S. Destiny laboratory. The astronauts will start unpacking its contents on Monday night.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates
   STS-102 MISSION THEATERVideo
Leonardo
Marathon spacewalk sets new endurance record
In a marathon spacewalk marked by unexpected glitches and lost hardware, two astronauts mounted critical equipment on the hull of the international space station Sunday. The 8-hour 56-minute long excursion, was the longest in spacewalk U.S. history.
   FULL STORY
   SPACEWALK PREVIEW MOVIE (subscribers only)
   DETAILED EVA TIMELINE
Spacewalk
Discovery makes belated docking with station
The shuttle Discovery glided to a delayed-but-successful docking with the international space station early Saturday to deliver the first of three new crew members after flight controllers finally managed to lock down a possibly free-swinging solar panel.
   FULL STORY
   DOCKING VIDEO (subscribers only)
   EARLIER STORY
Docking
Shuttle Discovery nears rendezvous with station
The astronauts successfully completed chores aboard Discovery Friday as the space shuttle headed ever closer to docking with the international space station. The link up is scheduled for 12:34 a.m. EST (0534 GMT) Saturday.
   FULL STORY
Docking animation
Liftoff of Discovery!
By dawn's early light, the shuttle Discovery rocketed into orbit Thursday and set off after the international space station to deliver the lab's second full-time crew and nearly five tons of supplies and equipment.
   FULL STORY
   STS-102 MISSION THEATERVideo
Discovery
Discovery 'go' for launch amid station budget trouble
With the shuttle Discovery poised for launch Thursday on the next space station assembly mission, senior NASA managers Tuesday attempted to downplay the potential impact of a projected $4 billion budget shortfall, calling an expected down-sizing a "minor adjustment."
   FULL STORY
ISS
Countdown rolls on for Thursday's shuttle launch
The trouble-free countdown continues at Kennedy Space Center for shuttle Discovery's sunrise blastoff Thursday. The weather forecast is generally favorable with the only concern being unseasonably cold temperatures.
   FULL STORY
Discovery
Shuttle Discovery set for sunrise launch Thursday
The seven astronauts who will ride shuttle Discovery into space made a late-night arrival at Kennedy Space Center on Sunday as preparations remain on schedule to start the countdown today. The shuttle is poised for liftoff Thursday at 6:42 a.m. EST (1142 GMT).
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
Discovery
Related coverage
2001 began with flawless lab delivery
The shuttle Atlantis delivered the $1.4 billion U.S. Destiny laboratory module to the international space station in February during a highly successful mission.
   FULL COVERAGE
Undocking
Station's power-generating solar wings spread
In December the astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour bolted a $600 million solar power tower to the international space station and unfurled the most powerful solar wings ever launched.
   FULL COVERAGE
Station
Building a space outpost
The crew of space shuttle Discovery carried out a complex four-spacewalk construction mission in October to mount a truss structure with gyroscopes and communications gear to the international space station and add another docking port.
   FULL COVERAGE
ISS

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