Table of Contents

Assembly Stages

May 19 to 29, 2000
Space Shuttle Logistics
Flight 2A.2; STS-101

On May 19, 2000, at 6:11 a.m., the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off the pad at the Kennedy Space Center, on International Space Station Flight 2A.2, and Space Shuttle Mission STS-101. The 9 day, 21 hour mission was designed to deliver supplies to the International Space Station, to perform a spacewalk and then to reboost the Station from its orbit at 368 kilometres, to a higher orbit, at 400 kilometres.

Detailed mission objectives included ISS ingress/safety to take air samples, monitor carbon dioxide, deploy portable, personal fans, measure air flow, rework/modify ISS ducting, replace air filters, replace Zarya fire exrtinguishers and smoke detectors. Atlantis crewmembers made critical repairs to four Zarya batteries considered suspect, and replaced failed or suspect electronics in Zarya’s batteries.

The mission also included incremental assembly and upgrades such as the assembly of the Strela crane, which had been transported on board the Space Shuttle Discovery in May 1999, installation of additional exterior handrails, setting up of a center-line camera cable, installation “Komparus” cable inserts and reseating of the ORU Transfer Device, a U.S. crane previously delivered on board Discovery.

Atlantis served as a cargo vessel, ressuplying the Space Station with water, a docking mechanism accessory kit, film and video tape for documentation, office supplies and personal items. In addition, exercise equipment and medical support supplies were delivered. The mission was one of over 50 Space Shuttle Missions expected to do assembly, maintenance and servicing work on the Space Station.