[sarex] TRAINING CONTINUES FOR THE STS-117 MISSION

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468


  	*Training Continues for Mission STS-117*

  Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester (left) and Atlantis Commander 
Frederick Sturckow, attired in the training version of the launch and 
landing suit, prepare for flight in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at 
Johnson Space Center. Trainer Robert H. Tomaro (far right) assisted the 
astronauts. Photo credit: NASA/JSC + View High-res Image 
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/168170main_training.jpg>

The flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station 
on mission STS-117 has been targeted for March 15, a day earlier than 
originally planned.

Final vehicle closeouts are under way and the orbiter is scheduled to 
roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space 
Center in Florida for mating with the external tank and solid rocket 
boosters on Feb. 7.

Meanwhile, the canister that holds the S3/S4 solar arrays has been "fit 
tested" and is scheduled to be transported to the pad on Feb. 18.

On the next space shuttle flight to continue constructing the station, 
the Atlantis crew will install a new truss segment, retract a set of 
solar arrays and unfold a new set on the starboard side of the station. 
Lessons learned from two previous missions will provide the astronauts 
with new techniques and tools to perform their duties.

Commanding the Atlantis team is Frederick Sturckow, a veteran of two 
shuttle missions (STS-88, STS-105), while Lee Archambault will be making 
his first flight as the shuttle's pilot. Mission Specialists James 
Reilly (STS-89, STS-104) and Patrick Forrester (STS-105) will be 
returning to the station. Steven Swanson and John Olivas, both mission 
specialists, join the crew for their first flight into space.

The mission astronauts will return to Kennedy a few weeks before liftoff 
to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. During this 
time they will practice launch activities, safety exercises, inspect the 
payload and conclude with a simulated main engine cut-off exercise.

*STS-117 Mission*
+ The Crew 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/index.html> 

+ The Mission 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/mission_overview.html> 

+ The Integrated Truss Structure 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html>

**
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