spacetoday.net: Shuttle docks with ISS

Posted: Wed, Apr 10, 2002, 7:55 PM ET (2355 GMT)
STS-110 docking with ISS (NASA illus.)

The space shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on Wednesday. Atlantis docked with ISS on schedule at 12:04 pm EDT (1604 GMT), and hatches between the two opened two hours later. Atlantis is scheduled to remain docked to the station for one week while the STS-110 crew installs the first segment of the station's truss. The first of four spacewalks during the mission is scheduled to begin Thursday at 11:04 am EDT (1504 GMT), when astronauts Steve Smith and Rex Walheim help make the initial connections between the S0 truss section and the Destiny module; the truss will be moved from the shuttle's cargo bay to Destiny by the station's robotic arm. Meanwhile, engineers on the ground are looking at ways for the shuttle to conserve propellant: the shuttle had to use more propellant than originally planned to reach the station because it launched within seconds of the end of its launch window. NASA officials believe that the propellant can be made up while still giving the shuttle enough margin to remain in orbit an extra day or two, if necessary.