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  • VAB Preps Continue for Discovery
  • VAB Teams Prepare to Welcome Discovery
  • Discovery to be Placed on Transporter
  • Discovery Prepping for Transport Loading
  • Discovery Preps Focus on Landing Gear Tires
  • Tool Stowage Assembly Goes into Discovery Today
  • Discovery's Engines to be Configured Today
  • Discovery's Processing Goes Smoothly Ahead of Rollover
  • Leak Checks Today for Discovery
  • OMS Pod Leak Testing Today

STS-117: Flight Day 5

Tuesday will see joint operations continue between the docked Atlantis-ISS complex.  NASA reports:

P3/P4 Solar Arrays Deploying

Solar array wings
Image above: The forward array of the space station's new solar array wings waits to be fully unfurled. Image credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station’s new solar arrays are stretching to their full length with the assistance of the STS-117 and Expedition 15 crews. The array is on the Starboard 3 and 4 (S3/S4) truss segment that was attached to the station Monday.

Today’s deployment activities began about 11:43 a.m. EDT. The first array that will be deployed to its length of 115 feet is on the forward-facing side of the S3/S4. After the forward array is deployed, the process will repeat for the rear-facing array.

The STS-117 crew will get a few hours of off duty time this afternoon before they begin preparations for the mission’s second spacewalk on Wednesday. Mission Specialists Steve Swanson and Pat Forrester will continue the activation of the S3/S4 and assist in the retraction of the starboard solar array on the Port 6 (P6) truss. Wednesday’s spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 2:03 p.m.

The P6 will move from its current location atop the station to the end of the Port 5 truss during a future mission.

Managers Add Spacewalk, 2 Days to Mission

During a post-mission management briefing Monday, John Shannon, chair of the Mission Management Team, announced NASA will extend the mission two extra days and add a fourth spacewalk. The team extended the mission by two days and added a fourth EVA to provide time to repair the raised thermal blanket on the Orbital Maneuvering System pod. A decision about whether that job will be done on EVA 3 or EVA 4 is expected today.

More mission pics and video are up at the JSC Gallery. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

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