Table of Contents

Day by day

Shuttle Crew:

Steven W. Lindsey, Commander
Charles O. Hobaugh, Pilot
Michael L. Gernhardt, Mission Specialist 1
James F. Reilly, Mission Specialist 2
Janet L. Kavandi, Mission Specialist 3

ISS Crew

Yury Usachev, Commander
Jim Voss, Mission Specialist
Susan Helms, Mission Specialist

Mission Calendar Flight Days - Click on the desired Flight Day below

Day 1 – Launch

Launched on July 12, 2001 at 05:04 (EDT)

Atlantis’ crew lifted off early in the morning with a five-minute launch window that began the process of rendezvous with the International Space Station. Once in orbit, the shuttle crew powered up and activated heaters on the airlock in the cargo bay to keep it from being damaged by the cold of space. Crewmembers went to sleep about five hours after launch.

View a videoclip of the launch:

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Day 2 – Equipment Checkouts, Canadarm Checkout, Rendezvous Preparations

Atlantis’ crew spent its first full day in space checking out equipment to be used for upcoming major activities -- spacesuits and spacewalking gear; the Canadarm; and the controls and tools used for the final rendezvous and docking with the Station. The crew also powered up and prepared the shuttle’s docking system and performed several engine firings to optimize the rate at which Atlantis’ closed in on the Station.

Day 3 – Rendezvous, Docking, Airlock Installation Dry Run

Atlantis docked with the International Space Station today. The shuttle and Station crews opened the hatches and transferred some equipment and supplies, including water bags. They then closed the hatches and Atlantis’ cabin pressure was lowered to 10.2 pounds per square inch in preparation for the next day’s spacewalk.
The ISS and Shuttle crews also performed a final rehearsal of the Airlock installation, moving both Canadarms in their planned trajectories.

Day 4 – First Task Performed by Canadarm2; Joint Airlock Installation; First Spacewalk

The first spacewalk focused on airlock installation. The spacewalkers helped as Helms, using Canadarm2, lifted the new Station airlock from Atlantis' payload bay and moved it to the Station's Unity module. During much of the 5-hour and 59-minute spacewalk, Reilly worked from a foot platform attached to the end of the Canadarm, operated by Kavandi. After the spacewalk, crewmembers inside the Station attached connections to the Airlock to prevent thermal damage.

View videoclips of the Airlock Installation:

Also, a view of the CSA's
Space Operation Support Center (SOSC):

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Day 5 – Airlock Activation

After an overnight Airlock leak check, the day’s activities were largely devoted to airlock activation. Tasks included removing Common Berthing Mechanism motor controllers and connecting remaining utilities in the vestibule, linking Unity with the airlock. Crewmembers entered the airlock to do more activation tasks, stowed some equipment and checked out the oxygen and nitrogen activities.

Day 6 – Spacewalk Preparation, Additional Airlock Activities

Astronauts checked out spacesuits and other spacewalking equipment and installed a hatch between the equipment lock and the crew lock of the new Airlock. The hatch being located in the endcone of the Airlock during launch. The Airlock’s depressurization pump was checked out and the newly installed hatch’s seal was verified. Both Canadarms were further tested in preparation to the next day’s activities.

Day 7 – Canadarm2 and Canadarm Both at Work; Second Spacewalk

The second spacewalk lasted 6-hours and 29 minutes. The internal hatches between the shuttle and Station were closed at the end of Flight Day 6 so Atlantis’ cabin pressure could be lowered in preparation for the second spacewalk. The main objectivewas to attach and connect oxygen and nitrogen tanks. Helms operated Canadarm2 to lift the 3 gas tanks from the shuttle's payload bay and manoeuver them to the new Airlock. Astronauts Gernhardt and Reilly latched the tanks in place and connected cables and hoses on the Airlock.

View videoclips of the Gas tanks Installation:

Day 8 – Rest and Spacewalk Preparation

Shuttle and Station crews got the first half of the day off. The second half was used to prepare for the third spacewalk. Some equipment and supplies were transferred, including the Protein Crystal Growth – Enhanced GN2 Nitrogen Deware experiment.

Day 9 – Extra Day

Following problems with the Airlock cooling system, an extra day was added to insure the completion of the mission.

Day 10 – Canadarm2 & Canadarm at Work; Third Spacewalk Exiting from the Airlock

The third spacewalk was the first conducted from the new Space Station Airlock. It included a new protocol, developed by former commercial diver Gernhardt, to purge nitrogen from the spacewalkers’ bodies – essentially exercising while breathing oxygen. Primary objective was to install the final nitrogen tank outside of the Airlock. The spacewalk is lasted 4 hours 2 minutes.

Day 11 – Shuttle-Station Hatch Closing, Undocking, Flyaround

The shuttle and Station crews closed the hatches between the spacecraft. Lindsey and Hobaugh undocked Atlantis from the Station. Pilot Hobaugh at the command of the space shuttle did a fly around of the Space Station before departing.

Day 12 – Pre-Landing Checkouts, Cabin Stow

Activities included the standard day-before-landing flight control checks of Atlantis by Astronauts Lindsey and Hobaugh, as well as the normal steering jet test firing. The crew spent most of the day stowing away gear on board the shuttle and preparing for the return home.

Day 13 – Entry and Landing

Space Shuttle Atlantis landed at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Tuesday evening at 11:39 p.m. EDT after a successful mission to the International Space Station. The landing was delayed for 24 hours due to bad weather in Florida.