International Space Station: Building for the Future Book

Preface

List of figures

Resources

Conversion table

1 Early construction 1

What is the International Space Station? 1

Partners 13

America 14

Russia 16

Canada 20

Europe 22

Japan 26

Brazil 28

2 The ISS Management and Cost Evaluation Task Force 29

ISS Management and Cost Evaluation Task Force 30

Special findings 31

Special recommendations 31

"Pioneer the future" 33

3 Commencing the Integrated Truss Structure 35

STS-108 begins Expedition-4 35

Expedition-4 43

Progress M1-8 51

European commercialisation 52

Words of warning 52

NASA's costings criticised 53

STS-110 delivers the Starboard-0 ITS 53

Soyuz TM-34 delivers a fresh Crew Return Vehicle 62

STS-111 delivers Expedition-5 and repairs the SSRMS 65

Expedition-5 73

Shuttle fleet grounded 74

The International Partners have problems 75

Progress M-46 75

More criticism 78

Revival of the Crew Return Vehicle 79

In orbit, life goes on 79

Progress M1-9 83

STS-112 delivers the Starboard-1 ITS 83

Soyuz TMA-1, first of a new class 91

STS-113 installs the Port-1 ITS 95

ISS, the future 103

Expedition-6 103

4 Triumph and tragedy 109

"Columbia is lost-there are no survivors" 109

Progress M-47 114

Continued operations 118

Soyuz TMA-2 delivers Expedition-7, the first "caretaker crew" 122

ESA moves ahead 126

Expedition-7 126

Progress M1-10 128

Theory tested, and confirmed 132

Columbia Accident Investigation Report 135

Progress M-48 139

China joins the spacefaring nations 141

ISS, safe haven for Shuttle crews 142

Soyuz TMA-3 delivers the Expedition-8 crew 142

Expedition-8 147

"Let us continue the journey" 154

Progress M1-11 157

Soyuz TMA-4 deliversthe Expedition-9 crew 161

Expedition-9 163

Progress M-49 166

Russia calls for 12-month Expedition flights 166

Progress M-50 171

Hurricane Francis visits Cape Canaveral 171

Soyuz TMA-5 delivers the Expedition-10 crew 174

Expedition-10 177

A new Russian launch schedule 180

NASA's budget approved 181

Soyuz TMA-5 relocated 181

Progress M-51 182

Progress M-52 186

Michael Griffin takes over at NASA 187

Soyuz TMA-6 delivers the Expedition-11 crew 190

Expedition-11 192

Progress M-53 197

Return to flight 198

STS-114: a temporary return to flight 200

Expedition-11 continues 210

Progress M-54 211

Soyuz TMA-7 delivers the Expedition-12 crew 212

Expedition-12 214

Progress M-55 217

Soyuz TMA-8 delivers the Expedition-13 crew 223

Expedition-13 225

Progress M-56 227

Progress M-57 230

5 Recovery and restructuring 231

STS-121 returns the Shuttle to flight 231

Return to three Expedition crew members 240

STS-115 delivers the port-3/4 ITS 243

Soyuz TMA-9 delivers the Expedition-14 crew 251

Expedition-14 254

Progress M-58 256

STS-116 delivers "Puny" 258

Continuing the routine 266

Progress M-59 268

The Lisa Nowak affair 270

More extravehicular activity 271

OKA-T module 274

Soyuz TMA-10 delivers the Expedition-15 crew 274

Expedition-15 276

Progress M-60 278

New schedules and new funding 280

STS-117 delivers the starboard-3/4 ITS 282

Planning the end 294

More computer tests 295

Progress M-61 298

STS-118 delivers "Stubby" 298

Alone again 311

Soyuz TMA-11 delivers the Expedition-16 crew 314

STS-120 delivers Harmony, "the piece that makes the rest possible" 317

Preparing for the International Partner modules 331

6 Project Constellation 339

Ares-I Crew Launch Vehicle 339

First stage 339

Second stage 341

"Orion" Crew Exploration Vehicle 341

The Moon's place in a US-led international initiative to explore the solar system 347

7 Postscript 349

Appendices

A List of abbreviations 353

B International Space Station Flight Log 365

C Extravehicular activity 373

Index 377