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Monday, 19 March, 2001, 04:55 GMT
Discovery leaves space station
The US space shuttle Discovery has undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) after completing its mission to deliver a relief crew and new equipment and supplies.
The shuttle had been docked to the ISS for a week, and is due back at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. Before leaving the ISS after 18 weeks on duty, departing astronaut Bill Shepherd formally handed over command of the orbiting platform to his Russian successor, Yuri Usachev. "Sail her well," Shepherd said. "I am ready to be relieved." Commander Shepherd had been on board the ISS since 2 November, with Russian crewmates Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev. Behind schedule Now, two Americans - Jim Voss and Susan Helms - will fly under Commander Usachev on a tour of duty that will last from four to six months. Collectively, the new ISS crew will be known as Expedition Two.
However, a series of problems meant that the crew were running five hours behind schedule by the time Leonardo began separating from the space station. The process of returning Leonardo to the shuttle was delayed in part by a hose leaking in a small compartment between the 21-foot module and the ISS. Software problems That slowed down a depressurisation procedure that had to be carried out before the module was unbolted using computer commands.
The crew earlier spent several hours testing software on two of the shuttle's computers that had been turned on too quickly. This is not the first time the astronauts have suffered delays. An extra day has already been added to the mission because of difficulties experienced in filling Leonardo with rubbish and used station equipment.
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