NASA's Mission Management Team met Monday and cleared the shuttle Discovery's nose cap and wing leading edge panels for re-entry as is. An assessment of the shuttle's heat shield tiles is continuing, but there are no signs of any serious problems and engineers hope to wrap up the analysis by Wednesday at the latest.

"We really have a very clean vehicle and the mission's going very well for us," said MMT Chairman LeRoy Cain. "We didn't have too many issues to talk about per se."

Aboard the orbiting shuttle-station complex, meanwhile, astronauts Michael Barratt and Discovery pilot Kevin Ford used the lab's robot arm to carefully pull a 13.5-ton cargo module out of the shuttle's cargo bay for attachment on the Harmony module's Earth-facing port. Unberthing occurred around 4:45 p.m. EDT.

A little more than an hour later, at 5:56 p.m., the Leonardo module was firmly bolted in place. It took several hours to complete leak checks and work to pressurize a vestibule between Harmony and the cargo module, but the astronauts ran ahead of schedule and opened the module at 11:54 p.m., an hour and a half earlier than expected.

The only problem of any significance so far during Discovery's mission is the loss of the shuttle's six vernier steering jets due to a leak in one thruster that was detected after launch.

The vernier jets, two in the shuttle's nose and four in the aft, are normally used during final approach to the space station, to help maneuver the shuttle-station "stack" and maintain the lab's orientation, or attitude. During docking Sunday, commander Frederick Sturckow guided the shuttle to a precision linkup using the ship's larger primary thrusters.

After Discovery's docking to the front end of the station Sunday, however, Russian maneuvering jets were used to yaw the combined 945,000-pound stack 180 degrees, putting the Russian Zvezda command module in the direction of travel and Discovery at the back. The maneuver, normally conducted with the vernier jets, is intended to minimize shuttle heat shield exposure to micrometeoroid impacts.

"The big maneuver that took place after we docked, we had to do that on the Russian segment thrusters because of our loss of verniers," Cain said. "The propellant usage there was more than had been expected or predicted. ... As a result of that, we're going and looking at a lot of the attitude maneuvers and attitude holds we have remaining in the docked mission and seeing what we can do to try and mitigate the use of the Russian thrusters and their propellant."

Russian flight controllers budgeted about 66 pounds of propellant for the entire mission, Cain said, assuming the shuttle's vernier jets would be available.

"We far exceeded that in this one maneuver that we did," he said.

The shuttle's primary thrusters, which generate 870 pounds of thrust when ignited, can be used to maintain the station's orientation when the gyroscopes are not available, but engineers have not yet certified plans to use the big thrusters for the post-docking maneuver or the reverse maneuver before undocking.

"In the simulation runs that were done, there were no issues with structures or contamination of any of the station components or subsystems," Cain said. "The issue with the auto pilot for those larger maneuvers ... was getting into the final attitude. The maneuver would kick off fine, it would proceed fine and progress well. Once it got to the right attitude and was firing thrusters to stop the rates in the various axes is when it was having trouble converging on the final attitude and doing that in a way that was considered controllable."

He said engineers believe the primary jet digital autopilot routines can be fine tuned and "we might end up with a configuration that would be acceptable for us to do this maneuver. Beyond that, there might be an option for us to do the maneuver in this ALT-DAP configuration and when we get close to the final attitude, maybe at that point switch over to one of the other attitude control, attitude hold subsystems."

But that remains to be seen. In the meantime, Cain characterized the shuttle's loss of vernier jets as a relatively minor issue and said that even though more Russian fuel was used than expected after docking Sunday, there was no danger of running out or even running low.

"We have options, and we're looking at the various options because we can," he said. "We're nowhere near any kind of impending issue with the propellant budget on the shuttle or the station in any way at all. It's just we're trying to be smart about what we're doing."

Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: MONDAY NIGHT'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED OVERVIEW OF THE LEONARDO PAYLOAD PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS OPEN UP AND ENTER LEONARDO MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF LEONARDO MODULE'S INSTALLATION PLAY
VIDEO: LEONARDO CARGO MODULE ATTACHED TO STATION PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

VIDEO: HIGH DEFINITION: NICOLE STOTT ABOARD STATION PLAY
VIDEO: HIGH DEFINITION: UNITING STATION AND DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: HIGH DEFINITION: BE AN ASTRONAUT DURING DOCKING PLAY
VIDEO: HIGH DEFINITION: LIFE ON RENDEZVOUS DAY PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY NIGHT'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE CREW WELCOMED ABOARD STATION PLAY
VIDEO: DOCKING RING RETRACTED TO JOIN TWO CRAFT PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF DOCKING FROM CENTERLINE PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE FLIES OUT IN FRONT OF STATION PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY PERFORMS 360-DEGREE BACKFLIP PLAY
VIDEO: BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF DISCOVERY APPROACHING PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE VIEW FROM SHUTTLE DOCKING PORT PLAY
VIDEO: STATION CAMERA CATCHES DISCOVERY'S "TI BURN" PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING PLAY
VIDEO: THE MOON SINKS BELOW TAIL OF DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 2 PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' HOME MOVIES: DAY 1 PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY NIGHT'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SHUTTLE INSPECTIONS PLAY

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: INSIDE MISSION CONTROL ROOM PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAEMRA 070 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAEMRA 071 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA BEACH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD FRONT CAMERA PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: POST-LAUNCH BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THE FULL LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: LIFTOFF OF SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY! PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: COMMANDER RICK STURCKOW BOARDS DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: PILOT KEVIN FORD BOARDS SHUTTLE DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST PAT FORRESTER BOARDS DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST JOSE HERNANDEZ BOARDS SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST DANNY OLIVAS BOARDS DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST CHRISTER FUGLESANG BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST NICOLE STOTT BOARDS DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS LEAVE CREW QUARTERS BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW FINISHES GETTING SUITED UP PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: NARRATED MISSION OVERVIEW MOVIE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MEET SHUTTLE DISCOVERY'S ASTRONAUTS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF SHUTTLE'S PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF PAYLOADS' PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE "COLBERT" TREADMILL PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: MANAGERS EXPLAIN REASON FOR SECOND SCRUB PLAY
VIDEO: WEATHER SCRUBS FIRST COUNTDOWN PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS DEPART QUARTERS FOR PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW GETS SUITED UP FOR LAUNCH ATTEMPT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD SERVICE GANTRY ROLLED BACK PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH RICK STURCKOW PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN FORD PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH PAT FORRESTER PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH JOSE HERNANDEZ PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH DANNY OLIVAS PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTER FUGLESANG PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE STOTT PLAY

VIDEO: AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: THE LAUNCH COUNTDOWN GETS UNDERWAY PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT THE CAPE FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW SETS LAUNCH DATE PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE AND STATION PROGRAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: THE STS-128 MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW BRIEFING ON MISSION'S SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS' PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE PROGRAM MANAGER EXPLAINS FOAM ISSUES PLAY

VIDEO: PAYLOAD BAY DOORS CLOSED FOR FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MISSION CARGO LOADED ABOARD DISCOVERY PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: CREW TOURS PAD'S CLEANROOM PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE EVACUATION PRACTICE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS BOARD DISCOVERY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE LAUNCH DAY SIMULATION BEGINS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PAD BUNKER TRAINING FOR THE CREW PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW BRIEFED ON EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NIGHTTIME APPROACHES IN TRAINING AIRCRAFT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TEST-DRIVING EMERGENCY ARMORED TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: INFORMAL CREW NEWS CONFERENCE AT LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE FOR PRACTICE COUNTDOWN PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE DISCOVERY ROLLS OUT PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ORBITER HOISTED FOR MATING TO TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY MOVED TO ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF DISCOVERY ARRIVING IN VAB PLAY

VIDEO: PAYLOADS DELIVERED TO LAUNCH PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LEONARDO PUT INTO TRANSPORTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: STATION'S NEW AMMONIA TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MPLM HATCH CLOSED FOR FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: INSIDE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINE SHOP PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW EQUIPMENT INTERFACE TEST PLAY | HI-DEF
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