DATE=9/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SHUTTLE-DOCKING WRAP (L)
NUMBER=2-266311
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
INTERNET=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-S space shuttle Atlantis has docked with
the International Space Station on a mission to make
the outpost livable for permanent habitation. V-O-A
Science Correspondent David McAlary reports.
TEXT: Atlantis commander Terry Wilcutt guided the
shuttle slowly to the docking port on the U-S-built
Unity module high above western Kazakhstan.
/// WILCUTT - MISSION CONTROL ///
[WILCUTT:] Houston, we have a capture light.
[MISSION CONTROL:] We copy.
/// END ACT ///
The mating occurred without the benefit of a key
navigation device. One of the shuttle's two star-
trackers had failed - the first such failure since
shuttles took to orbit 20 years ago. But a quarter
turn of the orbiter pointed a second star tracker
toward the station, providing all the navigation data
the crew needed to reach its target.
The five U-S astronauts and two Russian cosmonauts are
to spend five and possibly six days turning the
Russian Zvezda module into a home for the first long-
duration crew to come aboard in November. The lead
shuttle flight director, Phil Engelauf, says the extra
day is more and more likely to be granted because the
commander and pilot have been using less fuel and
power than planned.
/// ENGELAUF ACT ///
We managed to make some gains on our propellant
margins and have continued to make some small gains on
our cryogenic or power production margins, which give
us a little bit more confidence in being able to add
the day to the mission.
/// END ACT ///
Soon after docking, Commander Wilcutt struggled to
open the balky hatch door to the tunnel leading to the
station. He was to gather air samples for analysis on
Earth to see how well the station's air filters work,
but could not get in at first.
/// WILCUTT ACT ///
It's frozen in position. We're pushing on it and we
can't get it open.
/// END ACT ///
The crisis was momentary, however, as he reported to
Mission Control.
/// WILCUTT - ACT ///
[WILCUTT:] Houston we just got the hatch open. We're
inside.
[MISSION CONTROL:] Thanks, Terry. Lots of sighs of
relief. We appreciate that.
/// END ACT ///
But when Commander Wilcutt tried to use the air-
sampling device, it fell apart in his hands.
Nevertheless, lead station flight director Mark
Ferring says the test was not critical.
/// FERRING ACT ///
It really has zero impact on our ability to accomplish
this mission and even the air sample itself wasn't
required. It was primarily to make sure that the
models that people have developed here that look at
the quantities of outgassing and that kind of thing
are as accurate as they can possibly be.
/// END ACT ///
The Atlantis crew will not go all the way into the
outpost until Tuesday, when they begin transferring
equipment and supplies into Zvezda. Before that -- on
Monday -- astronaut Ed Lu and cosmonaut Yuri
Malenchenko will conduct a spacewalk to connect power
and data cables to Zvezda, which doubled the size of
the space station when it arrived in July. (SIGNED)
NEB/DEM/PLM
10-Sep-2000 07:22 AM EDT (10-Sep-2000 1122 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
