STS-104 Fact Sheet

By Cliff Lethbridge

STS-104 – Atlantis

105th Space Shuttle Mission

24th Flight of Atlantis

Crew:

Steven Lindsey, Commander

Charles Hobaugh, Pilot

Janet Kavandi, Mission Specialist

Michael Gernhardt, Mission Specialist

James Reilly, Mission Specialist

Orbiter Preparations:

Tow to Orbiter Processing Facility – March 6, 2001

Rollover to Vehicle Assembly Building – May 29, 2001

Rollout to Launch Pad 39B – June 21, 2001

Launch:

July 12, 2001 – 5:03:59 a.m. EDT. Launch occurred on time with no delays.

Landing:

July 24, 2001 – 11:39 p.m. EDT at Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center. Rollout distance was 10,858 feet. Rollout time was 1 minute, 41 seconds. Mission duration was 12 days, 18 hours, 36 minutes. Landing occurred on the 200th orbit. Landing was postponed one day due to bad weather at the Kennedy Space Center.

Mission Summary:

Atlantis carried the joint airlock module to the International Space Station (ISS). In a series of three spacewalks, the joint airlock module, named Quest, was attached to the Unity module and high-pressure gas tanks were attached. The crew tested nitrogen and oxygen lines for use on future Shuttle missions and installed valves to connect Quest to the ISS environmental control system. They also installed a computer to run the airlock’s systems. There were three spacewalks during the mission.

The first spacewalk was conducted on July 15 and lasted 5 hours, 59 minutes. Astronauts Gernhardt and Reilly removed an insulating cover from the airlock’s berthing mechanism and covers from its seals. They also installed bars on the airlock that act as attaching points for four high-pressure gas tanks and attached heating cables from ISS to the airlock.

The second spacewalk was conducted on July 18 and lasted 6 hours, 29 minutes. Astronauts Gernhardt and Reilly installed three tank assemblies to the airlock with help from the Shuttle’s and ISS robotic arms. The third spacewalk was conducted on July 21 and lasted 4 hours, 2 minutes. Astronauts Gernhardt and Reilly attached a nitrogen supply tank to the airlock.