Steps of ISS assembly
On August 6, 2000 Progress M1-3, the first cargo vehicle under the
ISS program, was inserted into the Earth orbit. It was launched from
cosmodrome Baikonur on LV Soyuz-U.
On
August 9, 2000 cargo vehicle Progress M1-3 was successfully
docked to ISS. Complex Progress M1-3 - Zvezda-Zarya-Unity
with a mass of about 60 tons operates on the orbit.
The cargo vehicle was docked to the Zvezda free port located on its
longitudinal axis from the Assembly Compartment side. Progress M1-3
has delivered to ISS about 1.5 tons of propellants for Zvezda propulsion
system refuelling and about 615 kg of various cargoes and science equipment
to outfit the module systems providing the ISS manned flight. The Progress M1-3 cargo
vehicle was undocked from the ISS on-orbit complex on November 1, 2000.
On September 8, 2000 the Atlantis Space Shuttle was launched under STS-106 Mission (ISS Program, Flight 2A.2b). The Space Shuttle carried
the following crew-members: US astronauts T. Wilcutt, commander;
S. Altman, E. Lu, R. Mastraccio, D. Burbank; Russian
cosmonauts Yu. Malenchenko and B. Morukov. On September 10
the Atlantis Space Shuttle docked with the stack of the Unit Module
- Zarya FGB - Zvezda SM - logistics vehicle Progress M1-3. A 169-ton
Orbital Complex has been built.
Crew unloaded logistics vehicle Progress M1-3 and the Atlantis Space
Shuttle, activated the Zvezda Module basic systems and performed the
assembly-disassembly operations in the Complex pressurized compartments.
The Zarya FGB - based tele-operated control system and the docking mechanism
probe were dismantled. The Service Module was outfitted with extra onboard
computer, veloergometer, treadmill, the Elektron system, sanitation
device, power supply system assemblies and other equipment.
On September 11 Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut
Edward Lu during their spacewalk made an inspection of the ISS structural
members condition, installed and connected the Zarya FGB/Zvezda SM external
electric cables, provided maximum possible deployment of the docking
alignment target carried by SM as well as installed boom carrying magnetometer
on the SM surface.
The Atlantis thrusters - aided reboosting of the ISS orbit was carried
out four times during September 11-17. On September 18 the
crew completed the undocking and on September 20 it conducted
landing.
)
)
)
)
)
)
