STS-101

Launch, orbit & landing data: Designation  26368 / 00027A Launch date - time  19 May 2000 - 10:11:10 UT Launch site  KSC, LC39A Launch vehicle  Space Shuttle Orbiter  Atlantis #22 (OV-104) Primary payload  Atlantis F21 Mass (kg)   Flight Crew  Halsell, Horowitz, Weber, Williams Voss, Helms, Usachyov Docking date - time  21 May 2000 - 04:31 UT Target spacecraft/port  ISS/xx port Earth orbit on :    - Perigee / Apogee  372 / 380 km    - Inclination  51.58°    - Period   min Undocking date - time   UT Landing date - time  29 May 2000 - 06:20:17 UT Landing location  KSC, Runway 15 Flight Duration (d:hr:min)  9:20:10 Nbr orbits  155

Flight crew

Summary:

Mission details:

Objective of mission STS-101 was repair, resupply and construction tasks aboard the international space station. This was the first launch with new electronic cockpit displays and other upgrades. The solid boosters separated at 10:13 GMT and the main engines cutoff at 10:19 GMT. The external tank, ET-102 then separated, with both orbiter and ET-102 in a 52 x 320 km initial orbit. At 10:54 GMT the OMS engines fired to raise perigee to 159 x 329 km x at 51.6 deg. Atlantis docked with the International Space Station's PMA-2 docking adapter on the Unity node at 04:31 GMT on May 21. At that time the ISS was in a 332 x 341 km orbit.

On May 22 mission specialists Jeff Williams and James carried out external maintenance work on the ISS.

On May 23 at 00:03 GMT the Atlantis crew opened the first hatch to PMA-2 and entered the Station. The crew replaced a set of batteries in Zarya, installed fans and ducting to improve airflow, and delivered supplies and equipment. Three hour-long orbit raising burns on May 24 and 25 by the RCS engines on Atlantis raised the station to a 372 x 380 km x 51.6 deg orbit.

The STS-101 crew left the station on May 26, closing the PMA-2 hatch at 08:08 GMT and undocking at 23:03 GMT. Atlantis performed a 180 degree flyaround of the station and departed the vicinity around 23:44 GMT.

Atlantis closed its payload bay doors around 02:30 GMT on May 29 and fired the OMS engines for deorbit at 05:12 GMT. The vehicle landed on RW15 at Kennedy Space Center at 06:20 GMT. Atlantis was to be turned around for the next ISS shuttle flight, STS-106.

Left in orbit was the renovated International Space Station, equipped with an upgraded electrical system, new fans, filters, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and communications gear.

The priorities for STS-101/2A.2a were:

1. ISS ingress/safety - Take air samples - Monitor carbon dioxide - Deploy portable, personal fans - Measure air flow - Rework/modify ISS ducting - Replace air filters - Replace Zarya fire extinguishers, smoke detectors

2. Critical replacements/repairs/spares - Replace four suspect batteries on Zarya - Replaced failed or suspect electronics for Zarya's batteries - Replace Radio Telemetry System memory unit - Replace port early communications antenna - Replace Radio Frequency Power Distribution Box - Clear Space Vision System target

3. Incremental assembly/upgrades - Complete assembly of Strela crane - Install additional exterior handrails - Set up center-line camera cable - Install "Komparus" cable inserts - Reseat the U.S. crane

4. Assembly parts & equipment - Transfer U.S. hardware - Transfer Russian hardware - Provide EVA tools - Supply IVA kit

5. Pre-position/stow equipment & provisions for future missions

6. Resupply - Water and water transfer, stowage equipment - Docking mechanism accessory kit - Film and video tape for documentation - Office supplies - Personal items

7. Crew health maintenance - Exercise equipment - Medical support supplies - Formaldehyde monitor kit - Passive dosimetry system

8. Detailed test objectives - Monitor cabin air - SOAR

If there is sufficient shuttle propellant following Atlantis' undocking from the ISS, a flyaround inspection will be performed prior to the Shuttle's final separation maneuver.

Orbiter: Atlantis OV104. Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center. Launch Pad 39B. Launch Window: 5 Minutes. Altitude: 320 km. Inclination: 51.6 Degrees. Duration: 9 Days 20 Hrs. 36 Min.

Vehicle Data

Shuttle Liftoff Weight: 4,519,645 lbs. Orbiter/Payload Landing Weight: 221,271 lbs.

Payload Weights: ICC 3,700 pounds. MARS: 270 lb.

Software Version: OI-27

Space Shuttle Main Engines: SSME 1: 2052 SSME 2: 2044 SSME 3: 2047

External Tank: ET-103A

SRB Set: BI-102PF/RSRM-75

Payloads:

Cargo Bay:

BioTube Precursor Experiment; SPACEHAB Integrated Cargo Carrier; Mission to America's Remarkable Schools Space Experiment Module 6

In-Cabin:

HTD 1403 Micro Wireless Instrumentation System (Micro WIS); HEDS Technology Demonstration

Mission details:

• Space Shuttle OV-104 Atlantis was launched at 1011:10 UTC on May 19, 2000 starting mission STS-101. This was the first launch with the new electronic cockpit displays and other upgrades, and it seems to have gone almost flawlessly. The solid boosters separated at 1013 UTC and the main engines cutoff at 1019 UTC. The external tank, ET-102 then separated, with both orbiter and ET-102 in a low perigee orbit. The NASA PAO claimed it had reached an orbit with a 320 km perigee, but this was clearly an error - probably the planned post OMS-2 orbit; it was probably around 52 x 320 km.
• At 1054 UTC the OMS engines fired to raise perigee to 159 x 329 km x 51.6 deg. Orbiter OV-104 Atlantis reached the International Space Station at around 0309 UTC on May 21, and docked with the PMA-2 docking adapter on the Unity node at 0431 UTC.
• On May 22 at around 0145 UTC (May 21 - US time) the Atlantis cargo bay airlock was depressurized. Mission specialists Jeff Williams and James Voss opened the hatch on the Tunnel Adapter at around 0200 UTC and floated into the cargo bay to carry out external maintenance work on ISS. They reattached the US crane, attached the Russian Strela transfer boom, and replaced a faulty antenna on the Unity node, as well as attaching EVA handrails to the station exterior. They returned to the tunnel adapter and closed the hatch around 0820 UTC (?), beginning repressurization of the airlock at 0832 UTC.
• On May 23 at 0003 UTC the Atlantis crew opened the first hatch to PMA-2 and entered the Station. The crew replaced a set of batteries in Zarya, installed fans and ducting to improve airflow, and delivered supplies and equipment. Three hour-long orbit raising burns by the RCS engines on Atlantis, on May 24 at 0002 UTC, May 25 around 0116 UTC, and May 25 at 2336 UTC, put the ISS/Atlantis complex in a 372 x 380 km x 51.6 deg orbit. On May 11 ISS had been in a 332 x 341 km orbit.
• The STS-101 crew left the station on May 26, closing the PMA-2 hatch at 0808 UTC and undocking at 2303 UTC. Atlantis performed a 180 degree flyaround of the station and departed the vicinity around 2344 UTC.
• Atlantis closed its payload bay doors around 0230UTC on May 29 and fired the OMS engines for deorbit at 0512 UTC. The vehicle landed on RW15 at Kennedy Space Center at 0620 UTC.
• The ISS is operating now in automated mode in a 369 x 378 km x 51.6 deg orbit. The PMA-2/Unity/PMA-1/Zarya stack awaits the launch of the Zvezda module next month. Zvezda will dock to the rear port on Zarya.

Astrophilately covers:

Roll-out from VAB to Pad 39B, cancel KSC. Credit: #401

Launch cancel KSC.

Houston cancel, approch to the ISS. Credit: #401

Docking cancel Korolev, send registrated.

EVA cancel Houston. Credit: #402

EVA cancel Korolev, send registrated.

Landing cancel KSC. Credit: J. Vd Dr.