STS-101

STS-101 was Atlantis' May 2000 logistics, maintenance, and assembly flight to the International Space Station. James Halsell commanded the mission, Scott Horowitz served as pilot, and Mary Ellen Weber, Jeffrey Williams, Yury Usachov, James Voss, and Susan Helms flew as mission specialists. Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A on May 19, 2000, docked with the station on May 20, and landed back at Kennedy on May 29 after 9 days, 20 hours, and 9 minutes in orbit. The flight came while the young station still consisted mainly of Zarya, Unity, and connecting hardware, before permanent crews arrived. NASA identifies Zarya as the top priority for the mission: the crew replaced batteries and associated electronics, added cooling fans, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, computer and communications hardware, and moved equipment through the early station modules. They also transferred more than 3,300 pounds of supplies, including tools, clothing, water, exercise equipment, an IMAX camera, and other items needed for later resident crews. STS-101 included one EVA by Williams and Voss, lasting 6 hours and 44 minutes, to work on exterior station hardware. The spacewalkers secured crane equipment, added Strela crane parts, replaced an early communications antenna, installed handrails, and routed a camera cable, while Weber operated Atlantis' robotic arm for EVA support. Halsell and Horowitz also used Atlantis' jets to raise the station's orbit. The mission was an important early outfitting visit between the first ISS assembly flights and the arrival of Expedition 1 later in 2000.