Space Station Stage 4A
Welcome to Spaceflight Now's comprehensive coverage of the international space station, its first full-time crew and plans for the next shuttle assembly mission, flight STS-97/ISS-4A. NASA refers to STS-97 and the Expedition One crew's on-going work as "Stage 4A" in the space station assembly matrix. This page incorporates that approach. We will post data on upcoming shuttle assembly flights as each stage is completed. E-mail us your comments, suggestions and corrections!
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Top Stories |
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Station crew awaits spare parts for air scrubber
The international space station's air purification system is working smoothly, NASA's lead flight director said Friday. But unexpected equipment failures during the crew's first six weeks in space have left the astronauts just one failure away from a possible forced evacuation.
 FULL STORY
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Shuttle delay extends voyage of first station crew
The first expedition aboard international space station got a little longer on Wednesday when NASA announced a delay from February to March in launching space shuttle Discovery to ferry the three-man crew back to Earth.
FULL STORY
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Booster inspections keep shuttle Atlantis parked
Engineers began inspections of electrical cable connectors in the solid rocket boosters of space shuttle Atlantis on Tuesday in the wake of a problem during the launch of sistership Endeavour two weeks ago.
FULL STORY
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Endeavour returns to Earth with nighttime landing
The space shuttle Endeavour glided to a smooth Florida touchdown Monday evening just minutes after the international space station sailed overhead, closing out a successful flight to equip the outpost with the most powerful solar arrays ever launched.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR TOUCHES DOWN
VIDEO: ONBOARD CAMERA VIEW OF LANDING
VIDEO: LANDING IN INFRARED
TODAY'S TIMELINE LEADING TO LANDING
GROUND TRACKS
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Atlantis rollout delayed for booster inspections
Rollout of shuttle Atlantis to pad 39A to ready the ship for launch next month will be delayed at least two days -- from Monday to Wednesday -- because of ongoing work to determine why an explosive booster separation bolt failed to fire during the Endeavour's launch Nov. 30.
FULL STORY
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Endeavour undocks from space station Alpha
The Endeavour astronauts undocked from the international space station today, beaming back spectacular video showing Alpha's huge new solar arrays as it slowly pulled away. Mission accomplished, the shuttle crew is scheduled t6o land Monday at the Kennedy Space Center.
FULL STORY
VIDEO: UNDOCKING ANIMATION
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Alpha crew says station workload improving
Learning from experience, U.S. and Russian flight planners are
slowly zeroing in on more realistic schedules for the international
space station's hard-working crew. But the commander says there's
still plenty of room for improvement and in the meantime, patience is
the watchword.
FULL STORY
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Endeavour crew boards the international space station
Following full navy tradition the space shuttle Endeavour astronauts boarded the international space station at 1436 GMT (9:36 a.m. EST). They are the first visitors to the complex since the arrival of the station's first crew just over a month ago.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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Engineers assess shuttle booster problem
During launch of shuttle Endeavour November 30, one of two explosive
cartridges used to separate a strut holding the base of the orbiter's
left-side solid-fuel booster to the ship's external fuel tank failed
to fire.
FULL STORY
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Spacewalkers fix space station's slack solar array
After four days of around-the-clock analysis, testing and planning
on Earth, two astronauts working nine stories above the shuttle
Endeavour have successfully repaired a loose solar array blanket
on the international space station's $600 million power system.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live coverage
EARLIER STORY
AUDIO: REASON FOR REPAIR
VIDEO: CREW LEARN OF TRICKY TASK
SPACEWALK STATISTICS
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Astronauts complete flawless spacewalk; set sights on array repair
Two spacewalkers connected the new P6 solar power tower to the international space station Tuesday. Engineers, meanwhile, are perfecting plans for a solar array repair job Thursday.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER
SPACEWALK STATISTICS
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Second space station solar array wing deployed
The astronauts aboard space shuttle Endeavour successfully extended the port solar array wing from the international space station Monday, completing a two-day effort to spread the new power-generating arrays for the orbiting complex. The starboard wing remains slack, however.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER
EARLIER STORY
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NASA engineers evaluate solar array problems
Two spacewalking astronauts bolted a $600 million solar power tower to the international space station Sunday and one of two huge solar wings was successfully unfurled after several false starts. But deployment of a second wing was put on hold after engineers determined the two solar cell blankets making up the first wing were not as taut as expected after the wing was fully extended.
FULL STORY
SPACEWALK PREVIEW STORY
ANIMATION: TRUSS ASSEMBLY
ANIMATION: ARRAY UNFURLS
SPACEWALK STATISTICS
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Shuttle Endeavour docks with the space station
After a two-day orbital chase, the shuttle Endeavour's crew successfully linked up with the international space station today in a tricky, off-kilter
maneuver that sets the stage for a spacewalk Sunday to attach a
$600 million set of solar arrays to the space outpost.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER
DOCKING PREVIEW
DOCKING TIMELINE
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR DOCKS
VIDEO: STATION'S VIEW OF ENDEAVOUR
VIDEO: ANIMATION OF DOCKING
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Shuttle crew prepares for linkup with space station
The Endeavour astronauts closed in on the international space station Friday, checked out the ship's robot arm, inspected a $600 million set of solar arrays in the payload bay and tested the spacesuits two astronauts will wear during an excursion Sunday to attach the arrays to the orbital outpost. Docking is set for Saturday at 2:59 p.m. EST.
FULL STORY
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Progress cargo freighter undocks from station
An unmanned resupply ship undocked from the international space station Friday to make room for space shuttle Endeavour's planned Saturday afternoon arrival at the orbiting complex. The Progress cargo craft delivered two tons of supplies and equipment to the station. It will remain in space until officials decide on a possible redocking.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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Shuttle Endeavour launches on station mission
The space shuttle Endeavour lifted off Thursday night on a high-stakes mission to attach a $600 million set of solar arrays to the international space station that will make the outpost one of the brightest "stars" in the night sky. See the mission status center for continuous updates.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 30]
PHOTO: WORKERS ON CRANE
PHOTO: LOOSE BRACKET
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Shuttle Mission Preview |
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Daring high wire act to mount space station arrays
The shuttle Endeavour is poised for launch on a dramatic mission to attach a huge set of solar arrays on the international space station, a $600 million addition that will provide the power needed to finally begin scientific research. Read our six-part mission preview report.
FULL REPORT [Posted: Nov. 24]
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Recent Stories |
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Communications remain a challenge for space station
Improving communications between U.S. and Russian flight controllers remains a major challenge for the international space station team as both sides struggle to iron out differences in operational philosophy, not to mention coping with a language barrier and the physical distance.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 28]
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Endeavour astronauts fly to Cape, countdown begins
Space shuttle Endeavour's five-man crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center Monday afternoon and the launch team started the countdown just hours later in advance of Thursday night's blastoff to deliver a set of power-generating solar arrays to the international space station.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 27]
COUNTDOWN EVENTS CHART
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Cosmonaut docks cargo ship in dramatic fashion
The automatic guidance system of an unmanned Progress supply ship failed during final approach late Friday, forcing cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko to take over manual control for a dramatic, remotely piloted docking with the international space station.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 18]
VIDEO: PROGRESS WILDLY GYRATES
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Space station crew awaits arrival of cargo ship
NASA managers are holding open the option of delaying launch of the next space station assembly flight if the lab's on-board crew is unable to completely unload a Progress supply ship in time. The craft is due to dock at the station Friday night.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 16]
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Russians launch supply ship to space station
An unmanned Progress spacecraft loaded with equipment and supplies for the international space station's three-man crew is on its way after an on-time launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 15]
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Alpha crew completes first week in orbit
Keeping tabs on a solar flare sending sheets of radiation toward
Earth, the Alpha astronauts Thursday completed their first full week
aboard the international space station and set their sights on three
well-earned days off after a grueling start to their four-month stay.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 9]
VIDEO: STORM WARNING
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Earlier Coverage |
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Mission control to station: Bush wins... perhaps not
Like millions of his fellow Americans, space station commander Bill Shepherd was told early Wednesday that George W. Bush was his new President, only to learn hours later that the election was in fact too close to call.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 8]
VIDEO: BUSH WINS
VIDEO: MISSION CONTROL RETRACTS
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Station crew complains of grueling schedule
Despite complaints by space station skipper William Shepherd early Friday about the crew's heavy workload, a senior NASA flight director says the schedule will improve within a week or so as equipment gets stored and critical life support systems are activated.
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 3]
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First residents arrive at international space station
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying the international space station's first full-time crew successfully docked with the orbital outpost early Thursday in a historic milestone in humanity's bid to establish a permanent foothold on the final frontier. Commander William Shepherd then promptly proposed naming the complex "Alpha."
FULL STORY [Posted: Nov. 2]
RUSSIAN ECONOMICS STILL A CONCERN
VIDEO: SOYUZ DOCKS TO STATION
VIDEO: SPACE STATION NAMED 'ALPHA'
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Progress cargo freighter undocks from space station
The first Russian-made Progress supply delivery ship sent to the international space station undocked from the outpost Wednesday and reentered the atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean. The craft spent three months attached to the station and ferried supplies and equipment for use by the Expedition One crew.
VIDEO: PROGRESS UNDOCKS FROM STATION
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Vanguard crew heads for four-month stay in space
An American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts blasted off early Tuesday from Kazakhstan and set off after the international space station for a docking Thursday to establish what NASA hopes will be a permanent foothold in space.
FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 31]
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS FOR PAD
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Shuttle hauled to pad
The next space shuttle to visit the international space station was rolled from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39B October 31 at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavour will deliver the first U.S. solar arrays to greatly increase the amount of power aboard the station. Liftoff is set for the late evening of November 30.
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Crew meets reporters for final pre-launch briefing
U.S. space station commander William Shepherd said Monday his biggest challenge during his crew's first few days aboard the international outpost will be keeping his two cosmonaut shipmates from working too hard.
FULL STORY [Posted: Oct. 30]
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Historic next step in human spaceflight comes Tuesday
Nearly 17 years after President Ronald Reagan first proposed building an international space station, an American commander and two Russian cosmonauts are finally poised for blastoff to become the first full-time occupants of what has become a $60 billion project.
SPECIAL REPORT [Posted: Oct. 29]
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Soyuz for first station crew rolls to launch pad
A Russian Soyuz booster that will carry the first space station crew to their new home on Tuesday has been rolled to the launch pad. The rocket began its journey through the cold mist at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 7 a.m. local time on Sunday.
VIDEO: ROCKET ROLLOUT
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Related coverage |
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Building a space outpost
The crew of space shuttle Discovery carried out a complex four-spacewalk construction mission in October to mount a truss structure with gyroscopes and communications gear to the international space station and add another docking port.
FULL COVERAGE
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Zvezda module docks to space station
The international space station gently docked with the new Zvezda command module July 25 as the two spacecraft sailed high above Kazakstan, ending two years of delays and setting the stage for arrival of the lab's first permanent crew in November.
FULL STORY
LAUNCH REPORT
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As NASA launched the 101st space shuttle flight on Thursday, we looked back to the past 20 years of blastoffs in a special gallery feature.
Commander Bill Shepherd and NASA Administrator Dan Goldin agree to name the international space station "Alpha" for the Exedition One crew.
The Russian Soyuz capsule with the three-man Expedition One crew docks to the Zvezda module of the international space station.
The Progress 1P cargo freighter undocks from the international space station after nearly three months attached to the outpost as seen by a camera mounted on the vessel.
The Russian Soyuz rocket lifts off from Baikonur Cosmodrome with the Expedition One crew.
The three-man Expedition One crew departs quarters for the launch pad to board the Soyuz rocket.
Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev undergoes a check of his spacesuit before heading to the launch pad for blastoff.
The Soyuz rocket that will launch the Expedition One crew is transported from its assembly hangar to the launch pad on Oct. 29.
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