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STS-135: Atlantis with Raffaello |
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Station resupply flight punctuates shuttle program
The shuttle Atlantis made a final trip into orbit in July 2011, hoisting a vast load of logistics to the International Space Station and closing out a storied 30-year era of America's iconic winged spaceships.
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STS-134: Endeavour with AMS |
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Endeavour launches world-class physics experiment
The penultimate flight of the space shuttle program, and the final mission of the shuttle Endeavour, spent 11 days outfitting the International Space Station with supplies and attached the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an experiment to detect signs of antimatter and dark matter in cosmic rays.
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STS-133: Discovery with Leonardo |
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Discovery ends stellar career with station delivery
The last flight of the shuttle Discovery left the International Space Station with a new storage module and ample supplies to keep the manned lab running in an uncertain post-shuttle era.
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STS-132: Atlantis with Rassvet |
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Flawless shuttle visit to station a thing of beauty
The May 2010 flight of shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station expanded the outpost by installing a new Russian module and renewed the oldest section of the electrical power system by replacing a half-dozen giant batteries.
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STS-131: Discovery with Leonardo |
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Another cargo run carrying science and supplies
Discovery's April 2010 trek to the International Space Station brought literally tons of new research equipment, life-supporting provisions and spare hardware to stock the shelves of the orbiting outpost.
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STS-130: Endeavour with Tranquility |
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Space station gets a new room with a view
The space shuttle Endeavour's February 2010 flight brought Tranquility to the International Space Station, a utility room to house air and water recycling systems, exercise equipment and seven windows on the world.
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STS-129: Atlantis with cargo platforms |
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Fortifying future of the International Space Station
Space shuttle Atlantis flew in November 2009 to mount a pair of large pallets outside the International Space Station holding vital spare parts that will keep the outpost flying for many years to come.
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STS-128: Discovery with Leonardo |
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Discovery launches on silver anniversary mission
Exactly 25 years after its maiden voyage, shuttle Discovery soared back into orbit for a new mission to deliver equipment and research gear to the International Space Station.
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STS-127: Endeavour with Exposed Facility |
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Astronauts install station's new external science deck
Shuttle Endeavour and crew completed a thrilling spaceflight in July 2009 that mixed delicate robotics with the muscle of spacewalkers to continue constructing and maintaining the International Space Station.
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STS-125: Atlantis on HST-SM 4 |
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Astronauts breathe new life into Hubble observatory
Astronomy's iconic orbital observatory -- the Hubble Space Telescope -- underwent a final servicing mission by the space shuttle in May 2009. The dramatic five-spacewalk flight aboard Atlantis should allow the spacecraft to continue probing the mysteries of the Universe for several more years.
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STS-119: Discovery with S6 truss |
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Shuttle delivers power
payload to space station
Shuttle Discovery performed an orbital construction mission in March 2009 that installed the final section of the space station's truss structure, unfurled two giant solar wings that finished assembly of the outpost's electrical grid and boosted the international science laboratories to full power.
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STS-126: Endeavour with Leonardo |
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Space station's interior prepped for bigger crews
On cargo-delivery run to the space station in November 2008, shuttle Endeavour brought up critical equipment that remodeled the interior of the international outpost in preparation for doubling the size of its resident crews. The 16-day mission also featured four spacewalks that cleaned and lubricated the space station's damaged starboard-side solar array paddle wheel joint and performed preventive maintenance on the port-side joint.
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STS-124: Discovery with Kibo lab |
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Japan's science laboratory module added to station
Space shuttle Discovery blasted into orbit May 31 for a two-week, three-spacewalk mission that attached Japan's huge Kibo science laboratory module to the space station and relocated a logistics module brought the outpost on the previous mission.
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STS-123: Endeavour with JLP & Dextre |
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Shuttle flies up to station for international delivery
A 16-day marathon mission in March 2008 by Endeavour, the 25th shuttle assembly flight to the space station, delivered Japan's first module and constructed Canada's Dextre handyman robot.
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STS-122: Atlantis launches Columbus |
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A new voyage of Columbus
The centerpiece contribution to the space station by the European Space Agency -- the Columbus science research module -- was added to the outposted in February 2008 by the shuttle Atlantis crew.
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STS-120: Discovery launches Harmony |
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Complexity of station construction redefined
The Harmony connecting module was launched to the station in October 2007 to serve as the gateway to future the international science laboratories. Discovery's mission also featured the dramatic relocation of the Port 6 power truss and redeployment of its solar wings, which required emergency repairs after one blanket ripped.
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STS-118: Endeavour launches S5 truss |
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Morgan soars to space on the wings of a legacy
Fresh from a major tune-up for its first flight in nearly five years, Endeavour soared to space in August 2007 with the Starboard 5 truss segment and teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan, Christa McAuliffe's backup in the original Teacher in Space program.
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STS-117: Atlantis launches S3/S4 truss |
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Expanding the space station's power grid
Space shuttle Atlantis brought more power to the space station via another set of solar wings during the June 2007 launch of the Starboard 3/Starboard 4 truss. The other wing on the P6 truss was folded up in preparation for that structure's later relocation.
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STS-116: Discovery launches Port 5 truss |
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Crew performs electronic bypass surgery on station
Preparing the station to power the pursuits of international science was the goal of Discovery's mission in December 2006. Spacewalkers rewired the outpost's electrical system, retracted one of the P6 truss arrays and installed the Port 5 truss.
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STS-115: Atlantis launches P3/P4 truss |
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Restarting station assembly
Construction of the space station resumed in September 2006 when shuttle Atlantis delivered the Port 3/Port 4 solar array truss and the astronauts unfurled the structure's two giant power-generating wings.
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STS-121: Discovery on another test flight |
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Star-Spangled start for mission to space station
After a frustrating year of fuel tank foam redesign, testing and controversy, a spectacular Fourth of July launch in 2006 sent Discovery on the second of two test flights ordered in the wake of the Columbia disaster.
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STS-114: Discovery returns shuttle to flight |
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Shuttle rises again
The shuttle Discovery, carrying critical space station supplies and the hopes of a nation, rocketed into orbit in July 2005 in a nerve-wracking bid to revive America's human space program two-and-a-half years after the Columbia disaster. But more foam was lost during launch, again grounding the shuttle program.
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STS-107: The Columbia tragedy |
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Space shuttle and crew lost
In a devastating tragedy that took the lives of seven astronauts, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated in the skies over Texas on Feb. 1, 2003 as the ship was heading back to Earth. Our comprehensive coverage of the disaster and its aftermath has been archived.
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STS-113: Endeavour with Port 1 truss |
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Endeavour mounts P1 truss, rotates station crews
Delivering a 14.5-ton solar array truss segment and a fresh three-man crew to the orbiting international space station, space shuttle Endeavour blasted off November 23, 2002 for a mission that was ultimately extended a record three days by bad weather at the landing site.
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STS-112: Atlantis with Starboard 1 truss |
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Station backbone grows
Space shuttle Atlantis launched the outward expansion of the space station's truss backbone with delivery of the S1 segment in October 2002 during a successful 11-day mission that spanned 4.5-million miles.
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STS-111: Endeavour with arm mobile base |
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Shuttle Endeavour returns station crew to Earth
Endeavour's June 2002 mission to the International Space Station upgraded the lab's robot arm and fixed what amounted to a broken wrist. The shuttle also exchanged the outpost's resident crews, bringing a trio of weary space station fliers home after a U.S. record 196 days in space.
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STS-110: Atlantis with Starboard 0 truss |
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Space station grows with addition of new truss
The 27,000-pound S0 truss -- the central section of the station's backbone structure -- was delivered to the International Space Station and brought to life during the April 2002 flight of shuttle Atlantis.
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STS-109: Columbia on HST-SM 3B |
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Columbia services Hubble Space Telescope
Space shuttle Columbia and her crew of seven astronauts flew in March 2002 on a highly successful mission to service and extend the scientific reach of the NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
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STS-108: Endeavour on Utilization Flight 1 |
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Endeavour shuttles station crew back to Earth
The shuttle Endeavour glided back to Earth December 17, 2001, bringing three space station astronauts back to a starkly different post Sept. 11 world and leaving a fresh crew behind in orbit for a nearly six-month tour of duty.
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STS-105: Discovery with Leonardo |
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Changing of the guard aboard space station Alpha
The Expedition Two astronauts capped their 167-day stay in space and left the international space station in the hands of Expedition Three during shuttle Discovery's crew exchange mission in August 2001.
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STS-104: Atlantis launches Quest airlock |
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Quest airlock added to international space station
The Joint Airlock Quest was delivered to the international space station in July 2001 by space shuttle Atlantis, giving the outpost a new doorway for American and Russian spacewalkers.
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STS-100: Endeavour launches Canadarm 2 |
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Station gets an arm and first tourist
The crew of space shuttle Endeavour delivered the Canadian-built robotic arm to the international space station in April 2001. The shuttle visit was immediately followed by Dennis Tito's historic joyride to the outpost.
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STS-102: Discovery on ISS crew exchange |
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Station pioneers back on Earth after historic voyage
Launching the International Space Station's Expedition Two resident crew and bringing the first full-time crew back to Earth after a 141-day space odyssey was the mission of shuttle Discovery in March 2001.
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STS-98: Atlantis launches Destiny |
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2001 began with flawless lab delivery
The shuttle Atlantis delivered the $1.4 billion U.S. Destiny laboratory module to the international space station in February 2001 during a highly successful mission.
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STS-97: Endeavour launches Port 6 truss |
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Station's power-generating solar wings spread
In December 2000 the astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour bolted a $600 million solar power tower to the international space station and unfurled the most powerful solar wings ever launched.
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STS-92: Discovery launches Zenith 1 truss |
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Building a space outpost
The crew of space shuttle Discovery carried out a complex four-spacewalk construction mission in October 2000 to mount a truss structure with gyroscopes and communications gear to the international space station and add another docking port.
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STS-106: Atlantis on mission 2A.2b |
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Making the station a home
Following the Russian Zvezda service module's long-awaited launch to the International Space Station to serve as the outpost's living quarters, the shuttle Atlantis pays a visit in September 2000 to prepare the complex for arrival of the first resident crew.
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STS-101: Atlantis on mission 2A.2a |
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A service call to the station
An impromptu maintenance mission to the new International Space Station was flown by space shuttle Atlantis, fresh from a major overhaul and installation of a glass cockpit, in May 2000. Ongoing delays in assembling the station prompted NASA to stage the STS-101 flight to deliver supplies and perform repairs aboard the spacecraft.
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Spaceflight Now feature |
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Spaceflight Now visited shuttle Columbia in March 2000, during its year-long, routine maintenance and modification period at Boeing's shuttle plant in Palmdale, California.
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