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International Space Station (ISS), Space Shuttle Program, NASA

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International Space Station (ISS), Space Shuttle Program, NASA

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Summary

Headed toward Earth orbit and a link up with the International Space Station (ISS), the Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on June 8, 2007. Aboard were STS-117 astronauts James F. Reilly II, Steven R. Swanson, Patrick G. Forrester and John D. “Danny” Olivas, all mission specialists; Frederick W. (Rick) Sturckow, commander; Lee J. Archambault, pilot; and Clayton Anderson, mission specialist who joined the Expedition 15 crew. The crew members along with the Expedition 15 crew spent 8 days resuming construction on the ISS with the installation of the second and third starboard truss segments (S3 and S4) with Photovoltaic Radiator (PVR), and retracted the P6 starboard solar array wing and radiator for later use.

The International Space Station (ISS) is a habitable space station in low Earth orbit with an altitude of between 330 and 435 km (205 and 270 mi). It completes 15.54 orbits per day. Its first component launched into orbit in 1998, and the ISS is now the largest man-made body in low Earth orbit. The ISS consists of many pressurized modules, external trusses, solar arrays, and other components. ISS components have been launched by Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, and American Space Shuttles. The ISS is a space research laboratory, the testing ground for technologies and systems required for missions to the Moon and Mars. The station has been continuously occupied for 16 years and 201 days since the arrival of Expedition 1 on 2 November 2000. This is the longest continuous human presence in low Earth orbit, having surpassed the previous record of 9 years and 357 days held by Mir. The station is serviced by a variety of visiting spacecraft: the Russian Soyuz and Progress, the American Dragon and Cygnus, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle, and formerly the Space Shuttle and the European Automated Transfer Vehicle. It has been visited by astronauts, cosmonauts and space tourists from 17 different nations.

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Date

08/06/2007
place

Location

Marshall Spaceflight Center, Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, United States, 3580834.63076, -86.66505
Google Map of 34.6307645, -86.665052
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Source

NASA
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Copyright info

Public Domain Dedication (CC0)

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