[sarex] DISCOVERY ALMOST AT THE ISS

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

The STS-116 crew inspected Space Shuttle Discovery’s exterior Sunday and 
prepared for docking with the International Space Station.

Crew members used the robotic arm to grapple a boom extension sensor 
system to check the heat shield’s health following Saturday’s launch. 
After the completion of the inspections of the heat shield, the crew 
returned the boom to the payload bay and used the arm’s cameras to check 
out the shuttle’s upper surfaces.

Docking preparations included the checkout of rendezvous tools and the 
installation of equipment for use when Discovery links up with the 
station at 5:05 p.m. EST Monday. The astronauts’ activities also 
included a checkout of spacesuits they will use during STS-116’s three 
scheduled spacewalks to install the P5 integrated truss structure and 
rewire the station’s electrical system.

Discovery began its two-day chase of the station when it launched 
Saturday night from Kennedy Space Center, Fla. In addition to the P5, 
the STS-116 mission is also delivering a new crew member to the station.

*STS-116 Resources*
+ STS-116 TV Schedule 
<http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/mission_schedule.html>
+ Certificate of Flight Readiness 
<http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/163551main_116-CoFR.pdf>
+ News and Media Resources 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/index.html>

*STS-116 Mission*
+ The crew 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/index.html>
+ The mission 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/mission_overview.html>
+ The Integrated Truss Structure 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html>