fourth mission second docking space shuttle atlantis lifted kennedy space center launch pad november mission ended days later landing atlantis kennedy second series seven straight missions station flown atlantis shuttle delivered pair solar russian built docking module allow docking station space shuttle moving module day docking russian canadian american crew transferred supplies equipment atlantis moved long term experiments upgraded station new equipment particularly installation docking module crew mission background crew preparation mission begun thirteen months earlier crew trained operation space shuttle mating docking procedures required atlantis approached later mission management scientific experiments carried mission preparation atlantis mission began replacement atlantis right hand maneuvering system pod bay august installation atlantis completed september operations russian docking module november engineers determined additional work needed verify solid rocket flight following discovery small cracks hold posts attached flown earlier year close stack determined cracks present mission pad cleared november preparation loading onboard tanks oxygen hydrogen provided electricity onboard fuel cells water flight product initial launch attempt scheduled november est utc postponed poor weather site original launch window min countdown begun schedule crew board called minus minute mark approximately est utc mission timeline november launch flight day following poll mission management team est stations exception shuttle range officer returned launch eventual clearance range launch est atlantis raced sky beginning minute second launch window following flawless countdown holds shuttle lifted pad est main engines shut est minutes launch minute second engine firing changed shuttle path nautical mile circular orbit orbit crew members began atlantis orbit operations atlantis bay doors opened minutes flight followed orbit operations approximately hours flight commander fired reaction control series rendezvous burns refined atlantis path shortly burn canadian mission specialist activated russian built docking module housed shuttle bay ready docking module atlantis docking system flight day november flight day member crew aboard space shuttle atlantis spent bulk day space november mating russian docking module docking system advance november docking module docking system located atlantis bay mission specialists inspected don necessary mating docking operations following space suit inspection mission specialist powered robot arm preparation day transfer docking module atlantis docking system systems affiliated robot arm operated expected ready support mating crew members checked precise alignment system robot arm tested mating operation consisted series large dots placed exterior docking module docking system day schedule included installation alignment centerline camera centre docking system camera later assisted commander final tasks atlantis moved docked utc day atlantis statute miles closing space station rate statute miles orbit cameron available crew members spent morning answering questions posed canadian reporters located montreal toronto astronaut fourth canadian astronaut fly shuttle systems russian docking module place flight day link checked ready crew settled hours sleep afternoon november flight day flight day crew members successfully foot russian built docking module shuttle docking system problems reported mating operation astronaut mission specialist shuttle robot arm docking module aft portion bay rotated vertical position moved inches docking system point shuttle fired downward steering jets moved shuttle docking module spacecraft locked docking ring docking system retracted series hooks engaged ensure seal spacecraft mating confirmed atlantis eastern europe 30th orbit shortly capture commander expressed crew appreciation training prepared docking module installation crew received ground flight controllers robot arm docking module shortly crew members raised cabin pressure pounds square inch psi cabin pressure lowered event problem mating process necessitated emergency crew members mounted centerline camera hatch docking module camera later provided primary visual cue cameron atlantis docking flight day est atlantis trailing statute miles closing rate statute miles orbit series rendezvous jet later refined closing rate leading docking utc november november flight day docking atlantis finally docked module docking module unit flight day tension high aboard atlantis cameron shuttle atlantis docked utc following set maneuvers required checks completed opened shuttle moved ready carry days combined operations resident crew russian carrying expedition astronaut flying expedition crews greeted carrying traditional gift exchange flowers swapped crews november flight days days combined shuttle operations atlantis crew transferred items shuttle space station including water supplies equipment new solar russian jointly developed upgrade crew transferred experiment samples equipment repair analysis products manufactured atlantis transfer earth flying orbit aboard previous years flying aboard atlantis consisted experiments experiment managed studied earth dynamics studied spacecraft interactions atmosphere observing shuttle glow shuttle engine water fuel cell located cargo bay recorded structural response data solar docked phase mission data later analyzed ground verify use techniques characterize structural dynamics array demonstrating technology result cost risk reduction utc november atlantis docking module unit leaving docking module permanently attached module provided clearance shuttle solar subsequent november flight day landing flight day consisted primarily preparations landing landing atlantis burn performed orbit est utc leading landing kennedy space center florida runway main landing gear touched est utc november mission time met days hours minutes seconds nose gear touched days hours minutes seconds est utc atlantis wheels stopped met days hours minutes seconds est utc bringing space shuttle mission close second landing opportunity planned case bad weather landing est burn orbit required
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