#sts-102

[orbitalarchives]

Space Shuttle Discovery launches from LC-39B at the Kennedy Space Center, marking the beginning of STS-102, 8 March 2001.

STS-102, Expedition 1, and Expedition 2 crew portrait: top row, STS-102 crew, from left: pilot James Kelly; mission specialist Andrew Thomas; commander James Wetherbee; mission specialist Paul Richards. Bottom left, departing Expedition 1 crew: flight engineer Sergei Krikalev (Roscosmos), commander William Shepherd, Soyuz commander Yuri Gidzenko (Roscosmos). Bottom right, arriving Expedition 2 crew: flight engineer James Voss, commander Yuri Usachov (Roscosmos), and flight engineer Susan Helms.

Also known as ISS Assembly Flight 5A.1, STS-102’s primary mission was resupplying the International Space Station. Discovery carried the Leonardo Multi Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), the first of seven flights the module would make to the station before being converted into the Permanent Multipurpose Module and permanently berthed to the ISS in 2011. In addition to the MPLM, Discovery also carried payload racks to be used in the Destiny laboratory module, and an Integrated Cargo Carrier, which carried equipment to be attached to Destiny. STS-102 was also a crew rotation flight, replacing the crew of Expedition 1 with that of Expedition 2.

Leonardo seen inside Discovery’s payload bay. It would be temporarily installed to the Space Station for the duration of STS-102.

Rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station would occur on the third day of the flight, 10 March. The first of two extravehicular activities (EVAs) was scheduled to begin later that day (flight day 4), when Jim Voss and Susan Helms would relocate Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 (PMA-3) from the lower berthing port of the Unity node to Unity’s port side, allowing the lower port to be used by the MPLM. On flight day 6, 12 March, Andy Thomas and Paul Richards would perform the second EVA, removing equipment from the Integrated Cargo Carrier and attaching it to Destiny laboratory module.

Susan Helms on EVA 1.

After completing logistics transfers and the Expedition crew handover aboard the International Space Station, Discovery undocked from the station and began its return to Earth on 18 March. The mission concluded on 21 March with Discovery landing at Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, bringing an end to STS-102 after nearly 13 days in space.

The International Space Station as seen from Discovery after undocking.

References

STS-102 Mission Summary STS-102 Press Kit

Images: NASA, 2, 3, 4, 5

[roversrovers]

"An early morning fog almost turns space shuttle Discovery invisible as it rolls out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B for the STS-102 mission to the International Space Station. It lifted off from LC-39B on March 8, 2001."

Credit: NASA

[lonestarflight]

"From the aft flight deck of the Space Shuttle Discovery, astronauts Andrew S. W. Thomas and Paul W. Richards, STS-102 mission specialists and James M. Kelly, STS-102 pilot look through overhead windows."

Date: March 11, 2001

NASA ID: STS102-314-005

[lonestarflight]

"In the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1, STS-102 Mission Specialist Paul W. Richards (left) looks on while Pilot James W. Kelly; checks out equipment in Discovery’s payload bay. Above them (left) are two GetAway Special canisters that contain experiments for the mission. Above them is the Canadian robotic arm, used to manipulate modules during the construction of the International Space Station. The crew is at KSC for Crew Equipment Interface Test activities. STS-102 is the 8th construction flight to the Space Station and will carry the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. STS-102 is scheduled for launch March 1, 2001. On that flight, Leonardo will be filled with equipment and supplies to outfit the U.S. laboratory module Destiny. The mission will also be carrying the Expedition Two crew to the Space Station, replacing the Expedition One crew who will return on Shuttle Discovery."

Date: January 15, 2001

NASA ID: 01pp0178

[simonh]

Sunrise Launch of STS-102 by NASA on The Commons Via Flickr: The Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-102 mission, clears launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center as the sun peers over the Atlantic Ocean on March 8, 2001. STS-102's primary cargo was the Leonardo, the Italian Space Agency built Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM). The Leonardo MPLM was the first of three such pressurized modules that served as the International Space Station's (ISS's) moving vans, carrying laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments, and supplies to and from the Station aboard the Space Shuttle. The cylindrical module was approximately 21-feet long and 15- feet in diameter, weighing almost 4.5 tons. It could carry up to 10 tons of cargo in 16 standard Space Station equipment racks. On February 24, 2011, Leonardo was launched on STS-133 and installed on the ISS as the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) on March 1, 2011. STS-102 was also the first flight involved with Expedition Crew rotation. The Expedition Two crew was delivered to the station while Expedition One was returned home to Earth. NASA Media Usage Guidelines Credit: NASA Image Number: 0302483 Date: March 8, 2003

[gregorygalloway]

James McNeal Kelly (born Burlington, IA, 14 May 1964)

[spookluvr]

(11 March 2001) --- Astronaut Susan J. Helms completes a scheduled space walk task on the International Space Station (ISS). This extravehicular activity (EVA), on which Helms was joined by astronaut James S. Voss (out of frame), was the first of two scheduled STS-102 EVA sessions. The pair, destined to become members of the Expedition Two crew aboard the station later in the mission, rode aboard Discovery into orbit and at the time of this EVA were still regarded as STS-102 mission specialists.

[spookluvr]

March 13, 2001 --- Astronaut Paul W. Richards, STS-102 mission specialist, works in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Discovery during the second of two scheduled space walks. Richards, along with astronaut Andy Thomas, spent 6.5 hours outside the International Space Station (ISS), continuing work to outfit the station and prepare for delivery of its robotic arm. STS-102 delivered the first Multipurpose Logistics Modules (MPLM) named Leonardo, which was filled with equipment and supplies to outfit the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module.