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STS-104 Mission Journal
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Shuttle Atlantis launches on mission STS-104
to Space Station Alpha!
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The STS-104 mission patch features the names of the
crew, as well as the Space Station Flight Number
(7A).
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Jump to latest STS-104 coverage
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| 25 July 2001 - 12:30AM EDT - After a beautiful night
landing (the 18th
of the Shuttle program), Atlantis is
sitting on
Runway 15 at KSC. The
astronauts have disembarked from the orbiter, and ground crews are prepping
it for a 5AM trip to the VAB.
NASA reports:
Space
Shuttle Atlantis Lands to End STS-104
The STS-104 crew wrapped up a successful mission to the International
Space Station when Space Shuttle Atlantis touched down at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., at 10:39 p.m. CDT July 24 (03:39 GMT July 25). While at the
station, the STS-104 crew conducted joint operations with the Expedition
Two crew and performed three space walks to install the Joint Airlock,
named Quest, and to outfit it with four High-Pressure Gas Tanks. STS-104
was the 10th shuttle mission to visit the space station.
Atlantis Lands, Ending Airlock Installation Mission to Space Station
Space
Shuttle Atlantis landed at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, Tuesday evening
at 11:39 p.m. EDT after a successful mission to the International Space
Station. The landing had been delayed for 24 hours due to bad weather in
Florida. The five astronauts of space shuttle mission STS-104 installed
the airlock Quest on the station, allowing space walks to take place even
in the absence of a space shuttle. They spent more than 12 days in orbit.
The crew of Expedition Two aboard the station will return to Earth next
month on the next shuttle mission that will deliver the Expedition Three
crew to the station.
A press conference has been scheduled
for later this morning at 6:15AM EDT.
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| 24 July 2001 - 11:40PM EDT - TOUCHDOWN!- Atlantis has rolled to a stop at the
Shuttle Landing Facility
at KSC. Ground crews are preparing to "safe" the orbiter.
The mission lasted 12 days 18 hours 36 minutes, and covered 5.3-million
miles.
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| 24 July - 11:20PM EDT - Just minutes to go....
NASA reports:
Space
Shuttle Atlantis Heads Home
At 9:32 CDT tonight (02:32 GMT Wednesday), STS-104 Commander Steven
Lindsey fired Space Shuttle Atlantis’ engines to begin the final leg of
the STS-104 mission. Atlantis is slated to touch down at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., at 10:39 CDT tonight (03:39 GMT Wednesday). Atlantis and its
five-member crew will be returning home after a successful visit to the
International Space Station.
STS-104 Landing
Ground Tracks for Flight Day 14 are available.
Watch the landing on NASA
TV.
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| 24 July - 10:45PM EDT - Deorbit Burn! - STS-104
is coming to a close tonight, as the spacecraft has fired its thrusters on
schedule to reduce speed enough to drop out of Earth orbit. The Flight Day 12 Highlights video is at The Houston
Chronicle.
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| 24 July - Evening Update - Atlantis is due to come
home tonight, after being delayed one day due to weather conditions at KSC. NASA reports:
STS-104
Set to Land Tonight
Weather forecasts call
for favorable conditions for a landing tonight by Space Shuttle Atlantis
at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Atlantis' first landing opportunity is at
10:39 CDT tonight (03:39 GMT Wednesday). If this opportunity is taken, the
de-orbit burn would occur at 9:32 CDT tonight (02:32 GMT Wednesday). The
second opportunity is at 12:15 a.m. CDT (05:15 GMT) Wednesday.
Atlantis and
its five-member crew will be returning home after a successful visit to
the International Space Station. While at the station, they conducted
joint operations with the Expedition Two crew and performed three space
walks to install and outfit the Quest Airlock.
|
| 24 July - Afternoon Update - Will Atlantis
come home tonight? The weather looks better.
NASA reports:
Weather Keeps Shuttle in Orbit Another Day
Atlantis and its crew of five will spend at least one more day in orbit
after the weather in Florida refused to permit landing early Tuesday
morning at the Kennedy Space Center. The STS-104 mission's next landing
attempt will be at 11:39 p.m. EDT Tuesday (0339 Wednesday GMT), on the
flight's 200th orbit. A second opportunity exists at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday
EDT (0515 GMT). During this mission, Atlantis's crew conducted three space
walks to install and outfit the Quest
Airlock. Watch NASA
TV and NASA TV on the
Web for continuing coverage of STS-104.
Atlantis' crew was awakened at [3:34PM EDT] today, once again targeting a
return trip to Kennedy Space Center, weather permitting. Inclement weather last night
resulted in a wave-off of yesterday's landing opportunities.
Weather conditions in Florida still show a possibility of low clouds and rain near the landing site.
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| 24 July 2001 - 8AM EDT - After waving off the
first two
landing opportunities early this
morning, flight controllers are getting
ready to bring Atlantis in
tonight.
NASA reports:
STS-104
Prepares for Tuesday Night Landing Opportunities
Weather conditions
prevented Space Shuttle Atlantis from landing Monday night at Kennedy
Space Center. Flight controllers waved off two landing attempts and
decided to try again Tuesday night. Two landing opportunities exist for a
Florida landing. The first one is planned for orbit 200 with a touchdown
at 10:39 p.m. CDT (03:39 GMT). The second opportunity would be on orbit
201 with a landing at 12:15 a.m. CDT Wednesday (05:15 GMT).
STS-104 is returning home from a successful mission to the
International Space Station. While at the station, the crew conducted three
space walks to install and outfit the Quest Airlock.
STS-104 was the 10th shuttle mission to visit the orbital outpost.
See the chart below for burn and landing times.
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| 24 July - 1AM EDT - No Landing This Morning - Weather
has thwarted a second landing
attempt for
Atlantis.Landing opportunities for the next two days: (all times EDT) Tuesday PM/Wednesday AM
REV...SITE..DEORBIT......LANDING
200...KSC...10:32 p.m....11:39 p.m.
201...KSC...12:08 a.m....01:15 a.m.
202...EDW...01:39 a.m....02:46 a.m.
203...EDW...03:16 a.m....04:22 a.m.
Wednesday PM/Thursday AM
REV...SITE..DEORBIT......LANDING
215...KSC...09:37 p.m....10:41 p.m.
216...KSC...11:13 p.m....12:17 a.m.
217...EDW...12:45 a.m....01:48 a.m.
218...EDW...02:21 a.m....03:24 a.m.
Chart courtesy of Spaceflight Now!
Stay tuned...
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| 24 July 2001 - 12:15AM EDT - We are awaiting a decision on the second
landing attempt.
NASA reports:
Flight
Controllers Pass on First STS-104 Landing Opportunity
Flight controllers decided to wave off Space Shuttle Atlantis' first
landing attempt due to the threat of rain within 30 miles of Kennedy Space
Center, Fla. The first opportunity was at 11:37 p.m. CDT today (04:37 GMT
Tuesday). Now the focus will be on Atlantis' second opportunity at 1:14
a.m. CDT (06:14 GMT) Tuesday at Kennedy. The de-orbit burn will occur at
12:08 a.m. (05:14 GMT) Tuesday. Also, people in southeast Texas and the
upper Gulf Coast may be able to see Atlantis as it re-enters the
atmosphere if the second opportunity is taken.
If weather causes controllers to wave off this opportunity,
Atlantis will have opportunities available Tuesday night and Wednesday
morning. The first one will be at 10:39 p.m. CDT Tuesday (03:39 GMT Wednesday).
Keep watching NASA
TV and check the play-by-plays at right ------>
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| 23 July 2001 - 11:30PM EDT - WAVE OFF! - Did we say
12:30? Make that 2:14! Flight controllers have decided not
to take the first landing opportunity at KSC,
due to advancing
rain showers in the Cape Canaveral area. The next opportunity would be a 2:14AM EDT landing, which means a
de-orbit burn at 1:08AM EDT. NASA has not activated any backup landing sites
for today or tomorrow - they want to bring the Shuttle home to Florida.
Atlantis is wrapping up a nearly-12-day mission to deliver the Joint
Airlock (so named because it allows for both
Russian and American spacesuits to be used) to the ISS.
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| 23 July - Evening Update - Less than 2 hours to go!
NASA reports:
Shuttle Crew Prepares to Land Tonight
During its last scheduled full day in orbit, the five-member STS-104
crew is preparing space shuttle Atlantis for its return home. Commander
Steve Lindsey and Pilot Charles Hobaugh tested Space Shuttle Atlantis'
jets and checked out flight control surfaces while Mission Specialists
Michael Gernhardt, Janet Kavandi and James Reilly stowed equipment. Weather forecasts call
for the possibility of clouds and rain in the vicinity of the space
center.
There are two chances for Atlantis to return to the Kennedy
Space Center tonight. The first opportunity would see Atlantis land at
11:36 p.m. central time [12:36AM EDT Tuesday]. A second opportunity, one orbit later, would see Atlantis streak through
the skies over Houston on its way to Florida. Atlantis, and the plasma
trail created by its high-friction reentry, would be visible at 12:58 a.m.
central time as it passes southeast of Galveston on its way to a 1:14 a.m.
landing in Florida [2:14AM EDT Tuesday], weather conditions permitting.
STS-104's landing will end a successful mission to the
International Space Station during which they conducted three space walks
to install and outfit the Quest
Airlock. Meanwhile, the three members of the Expedition Two crew
aboard the station enjoyed some well-deserved time off after completing
eight days of joint operations with the STS-104 crew. Watch NASA
TV and NASA TV on the
Web for continuing coverage of STS-104.
Rain showers in the KSC area may hamper the first landing attempt.
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| 23 July - Afternoon Update - Atlantis is set to
come
home tonight! NASA reports:
Landing
Day Arrives for STS-104
The five-member crew of Atlantis awoke at 3:04 p.m. for its
final day in orbit, anticipating a landing at the Kennedy Space Center
tonight. Mission Specialist Janet Kavandi and her crew mates were awakened to the
sounds of "Honey, I'm Home" by Shania Twain.
The STS-104 astronauts
are scheduled to wrap up their successful mission to the International
Space Station tonight with a landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Space
Shuttle Atlantis’ first landing opportunity is at 11:37 CDT tonight
(04:37 GMT Tuesday), with a deorbit burn at 10:29 CDT tonight (03:29 GMT
Tuesday). However, there is a chance that weather may delay landing.
Forecasts call for a chance of thunderstorms and rain within 30 miles of
Kennedy. The second opportunity for landing at Kennedy for Atlantis is at
1:14 a.m. CDT (06:14 GMT) Tuesday. If weather forces flight controllers to
pass on both of these opportunities, STS-104 will have opportunities
available Tuesday night and Wednesday morning at Kennedy.
While at the station, the crew conducted three space walks to install and
outfit the Quest Airlock. STS-104 was the 10th shuttle mission to visit the orbital outpost.
Flight
Day 11 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery.
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| 23 July 2001 - The five
astronauts of Shuttle Atlantis are
due to land
tonight (early Tuesday
morning), ending their 12-day
mission to the ISS.
NASA reports:
Shuttle Undocks from Station, Heads Home
Space Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station early
Sunday marking the end of an eight-day stay during which the STS-104 crew
successfully conducted three space walks to install the Quest Airlock onto
the station and to outfit the airlock with four gas tanks. Pilot Charles
Hobaugh performed a flyaround of the station, then made a final separation
burn at 2:14 a.m. EDT that put Atlantis on a course for home. Atlantis'
first landing opportunity is at 37 minutes after midnight EDT on Tuesday
at the Kennedy Space Center, FL.
This morning's Mission Control Status
Report will be here.
|
| 22 July 2001 - Evening Update - Atlantis, having undocked
from the ISS last night, is now getting ready to
return
home. NASA reports:
Shuttle
Crew to Prepare for Landing
During its last scheduled full day in orbit, the five-member STS-104 crew will prepare for
its return home. Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Charles Hobaugh will
test Space Shuttle Atlantis' jets and check out flight control surfaces.
Mission Specialists Michael Gernhardt, Janet Kavandi and James Reilly will
stow equipment.
Atlantis' first landing opportunity is at 11:37 p.m. CDT Monday (04:37 GMT Tuesday)
at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. STS-104's second opportunity at Kennedy is
one orbit later at 1:13 a.m. CDT Tuesday (07:13 GMT). Weather forecasts
call for the possibility of clouds and rain in the Kennedy vicinity.
Forecasters and flight controllers will continue to keep an eye on the
situation.
STS-104 will be returning home to end a successful mission to
the International Space Station. While at the station, the crew conducted
three space walks to install and outfit the Quest Airlock.
Flight
Day 10 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery.
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| 22 July 2001 - The STS-104 crew have separated
from the International Space Station.
NASA reports:
Atlantis
Undocks from Station
Space Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station at
11:54 p.m. CDT Saturday (04:54 GMT Sunday) as the two spacecraft flew over
the northern Atlantic Ocean southeast of Newfoundland. It marked the end
of an eight-day stay in which the STS-104 crew successfully conducted
three space walks to install the Quest Airlock onto the station and to
outfit the airlock with four gas tanks. Pilot Charles Hobaugh performed a
flyaround of the station, then made a final separation burn at 1:14 a.m.
CDT (06:14 GMT) that put Atlantis on a course for home. Atlantis' first
landing opportunity is at 11:37 p.m. CDT Monday (04:37 GMT Tuesday) at
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
The crew of Atlantis will awaken at 4:34 p.m. CDT Sunday to begin
preparing their vehicle for a landing
at the Kennedy Space Center in Fla. at 11:37 p.m. CDT Monday (04:37 GMT Tuesday). The Expedition
Two crew will go to sleep around 11:30 a.m. as they begin to shift
back to their normal schedule.
Landing
Ground Tracks are available.
Answers
for Ask
the MCC are now available. Watch NASA
TV to see continuing coverage of STS-104. NASA TV Schedule
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| 21 July 2001 - Evening Update - The Space Shuttle will
be undocking
from the ISS tonight (Saturday night/Sunday morning) at 12:54AM EDT.
NASA reports:
Atlantis
to Undock from Station
Space
Atlantis and its five-member crew are slated to begin their trip home
tonight after a successful stay at the International Space Station.
Undocking is scheduled for 11:54 CDT tonight (04:54 GMT Sunday). After
undocking and with Pilot Charles Hobaugh at the controls, Atlantis will
perform a flyaround of the station before the final separation burn. While
at the station, the STS-104 crew conducted three space walks in which the
Quest Airlock was installed and outfitted with two oxygen and two nitrogen
tanks.
If undocking occurs on time, the two spacecraft will be flying
over the northern Atlantic Ocean east and a little south of Newfoundland.
The first landing opportunity for STS-104 is at 11:34 p.m. CDT Monday
(04:34 GMT Tuesday) at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
The Flight
Day 9 Crew Activity Report is now available in the NASA Gallery.
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| 21 July - Afternoon Update - The last
of three EVAs is complete for this mission.
NASA reports:
Third
Space Walk Completed
STS-104 Mission Specialists James Reilly and Michael Gernhardt
successfully completed the mission’s third space walk at 3:37 a.m. CDT
(08:37 GMT) today. It was the first space walk to be staged from the International
Space Station’s Quest Airlock and the 24th space walk in the history
of space station assembly. Reilly and Gernhardt, with the help of the
station’s robot arm, attached the high-pressure gas tank to Quest. The
space walk lasted 4 hours and 2 minutes. Space walkers spent a total of 16
hours and 30 minutes outside the orbiting complex during STS-104.
With their major tasks complete, the STS-104 astronauts now turn
their attention toward undocking from the station and beginning their trip
home. Atlantis is scheduled to undock from the station at 11:54 p.m. CDT
today (04:54 GMT Sunday).
With the installation
of the airlock, astronauts aboard the Station will be able to perform
spacewalks without a Shuttle being present.
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| 20 July 2001 - After 2 successful EVAs, the spacewalking
duo of Mike Gernhardt and Jim Reilly will venture out into space once more
tonight (around midnight EDT). NASA reports:
Busy
Weekend for Astronauts, Launch Team
Atlantis'
astronauts docked to the International Space Station will make their final
space walk in the wee hours of Saturday morning and then undock the Space
Shuttle early Sunday morning for a return home. They leave behind the crew
of Expedition Two who can now conduct space walks of their own through the
newly installed airlock, called Quest. Atlantis is expected to land on Tuesday.
It is fitting that the Shuttle crew take a "giant leap" of
their own on the 32nd
anniversary of the first Moon landing. They will use the Station's newly-installed
airlock for the first
time. Today also marks the 25th
anniversary of the first Viking landing on Mars.
Here are the Morning
and Evening
Mission Control Status
Reports.
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| 13 July 2001 - Evening Update - Shuttle Atlantis has
docked with the ISS.
NASA reports:
Atlantis
Arrives at Space Station
Space Shuttle Atlantis
docked with the International
Space Station tonight at 10:08 CDT (03:08 GMT) making STS-104 the 10th
shuttle mission to visit the orbital outpost. Commander Steven Lindsey
docked the shuttle to the station's docking port on the forward end of the
Destiny Laboratory Module. While at the station, the STS-104 crew will
conduct three space walks to assist in the installation of its primary
payload - the Joint Airlock - to the station. Docking occurred over the
northeast coast of South America.
Watch NASA
TV Saturday night and Sunday morning to see coverage of STS-104's
first space walk by Mission Specialists Michael Gernhardt and James
Reilly. The goal of the space walk to install the Joint Airlock Quest onto
the International Space Station. The space walk is slated to begin at 9:09
p.m. CDT Saturday (02:09 GMT Sunday). Airlock installation is scheduled to
occur about 02:04 a.m. CDT (07:04 GMT) Sunday.
The Flight
Day 2 Crew Activity Report is now available in the NASA Gallery.
Check the News page and
the links at right for more mission info.
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| 13 July 2001 - The STS-104
crew is heading
toward tonight's
docking (at 10:53PM
EDT) with Space Station Alpha.
NASA reports:
Atlantis
En Route to Space Station
As Space Shuttle Atlantis continues its chase of the
International Space Station, the STS-104 crew will spend today preparing
for docking and the mission's three space walks.
Watch NASA
TV Friday to see coverage of Space Shuttle Atlantis’ docking with
the International Space Station. Atlantis is slated to dock with the
station at 9:53 p.m. CDT Friday (02:53 GMT Saturday). Then at 11:26 p.m.
CDT Friday (04:26 GMT Saturday), the hatches between the station and
Atlantis are slated to be opened and the STS-104 and Expedition Two crews
will greet each other. NASA TV Schedule
NASA is posting "The
Latest" mission news several times a day - almost a play-by-play!
Of course, official Mission
Control Shuttle Status Reports are released twice daily.
The Flight Day 1 Highlights video is at The Houston
Chronicle.
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| 12 July 2001 - Evening Update - Atlantis is chasing the
ISS, on the way for a Friday night docking.
NASA reports:
STS-104
Crew Prepares for Docking
The
STS-104 crew will spend its first full day in orbit preparing for its
arrival at the International
Space Station. Also, the crew will spend time preparing for the
mission's three space walks that will be conducted by Mission Specialists
Michael Gernhardt and James Reilly. The space walks will be conducted to
assist in the installation of the Atlantis' primary payload, the Joint
Airlock, onto the space station.
Meanwhile, Atlantis continues to close in on the station.
Docking is slated to occur at 9:53 p.m. CDT Friday (02:53 GMT Saturday).
At the time of docking, the two spacecraft will be flying over the
southern Pacific Ocean just off the southern coast of Chile, south of
Santiago, moving southwest to northeast. This would place them at 46
degrees 3 minutes south latitude and 78 degrees 9 minutes west longitude.
The Launch
video is now available in the NASA Gallery.
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| 12 July 2001 - LIFTOFF! - Shuttle Atlantis roared into orbit early
this
morning, carrying a $164-million
airlock, and supplies for the International Space
Station.
NASA reports:
Atlantis
Launches to Begin STS-104
Space
Shuttle Atlantis began STS-104 today when it launched from Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., at 4:04 a.m. CDT (9:04 GMT). Atlantis and its five-member
flight crew are en route to the International Space Station to deliver the
Joint Airlock, which is also known as Quest. During STS-104’s stay at
the station, three space walks will be performed by Mission Specialists
Michael Gernhardt and James Reilly to install the airlock onto the station
and to outfit the airlock. Atlantis is scheduled to dock with the station
Friday at 9:51 p.m. CDT (Saturday at 02:51 GMT).
Riding
the new Block
II engine, the shuttle headed for a docking with the International
Space Station at 10:51 p.m. EDT on Friday (0251 GMT Saturday). After
installation, the airlock will be used to conduct spacewalks from the
Space Station.
Watch NASA
TV Friday to see coverage of Space Shuttle Atlantis’ docking with
the International Space Station. Atlantis is slated to dock with the
station at 9:51 p.m. CDT Friday (02:51 GMT Saturday). NASA TV Schedule
Liftoff occurred right
on time, at 5:04AM EDT. Weather was a concern, but conditions
improved, and the five American astronauts are on their way for an 11-day
mission to Space Station Alpha, with its crew of 2 astronauts and one
Russian Cosmonaut. Preflight
videos are available in the NASA Gallery.
|
| 11 July 2001 - Atlantis is ready to
launch
tonight/early Thursday! The five astronauts will be delivering an airlock
to the ISS, which
will allow both American-
and Russian-design spacesuits to be used for EVAs. NASA reports:
Launch
Day Nears for STS-104
STS-104 launch
preparations continue on schedule at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Space
Shuttle Atlantis and its five-member crew are slated to lift off at
4:04 a.m. CDT (09:04 GMT) Thursday to begin the 10th shuttle mission
to the International
Space Station.
This
morning, the Rotating Service Structure was rolled away from Atlantis.
Loading of Atlantis' External Tank began about 7 p.m. CDT (00:00 GMT)
today. The flight crew will undergo final medical evaluations and eat
a meal together before heading to the pad at 12:13 a.m. CDT (05:13
GMT) Thursday.
The forecast is calling for a 60-percent chance of favorable
weather for launch.
A security
breach at KSC this week was
just one of the many
challenges leading up to the Thursday
launch, scheduled for 5:04AM EDT. A backup
landing site in Morocco
will be closed
due to anti-American terrorist
threats, but 2 other sites
in Spain
will be ready in case the Shuttle has to make an emergency landing.
See the links on the right of this page for more Web coverage of the
STS-104 mission to install an airlock
on the ISS.
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STS-104 Links...
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Play-By-Play:
Spaceflight Now!
Florida Today
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News Coverage:
The Houston
Chronicle
Yahoo!
News
______
STS-104 Photo Galleries:
Johnson
Space Center
Kennedy
Space Center
KSC
Photo File
Florida Today
______
Shuttle Press Kit
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SpaceRef Mission Guide
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Space.com
______
Live video on NASA TV!
(Check schedule here).
Live mission
audio
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