ISS (Part 8|2006 - 2007)

-= P3 & P4 =-

September 9, 2006

STS-115 Atlantis carried the solar array for the Port (Left) side of the truss segment.

The segments would serve to provide electric power and heat control for the ISS with its solar array and radiators.

They were installed during EVA with the assistance of the Canadarm.

-= P5 =-

December 10, 2006

STS-116 Discovery carried the final section for the Port side of the Inegrated Truss Structure.

Following the nominal timeline, EVAs were performed to install the segment and organise the wiring for the solar array. Repairs for the station were also done.

-= S3 & S4 =-

June 8, 2007

Once the port side was assembled, the next was the other side. STS-117 Atlantis carried the next segments to the ISS after some delays after the launch vehicle was damaged due to a hailstorm in February.

Although a small tile damage in the shuttle's orbital engines was found, he shuttle made it to the ISS without big problems.

The first two Spacewalks were dedicated to assembling the segments with the assistance of the Canadarms.

The third Spacewalk was for repairing the damaged tiles on the shuttle.

After another spacewalk for station maintenance, the crew of STS-117 departed from the ISS with a new space endurance record for female astronauts.

-= S5 =-

August 8, 2007

STS-118 Endeavour carried more truss components and supplies up to the station in August as planned.

Once they arrived, they installed the S5 component of the station and a external storage platform.

There was a concern of the tiles damaged near the landing gears, but after evaluation, they have decided it would be fine to return without repairs.

Overall, it was a very successful mission.

-= Harmony =-

October 27, 2007

STS-120 Discovery carried the next pressurised module of the the station, Node 2 or "Harmony".

Node 2 serves as a utility module, managing power and resources as well as providing huge space for the Astronauts to live in, it had 4 sleeping quarters and would provide places for more laboratory modules to be docked to. It was also manufactured by Italy as collaboration with NASA and ESA.

The installation was a bit more complicated than the previous modules, a few modules had to be shuffled around including the shuttle but it went as planned.

During the mission, they also observed a small tear in the station's solar s and was repaired during an EVA.

With the successful return of Discovery, ISS has grown a lot during the year and the shuttle began to regain its reputation after the Columbia disaster. And it was prepared to receive more laboratory modules from Europe and Japan next year.

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