STS-100 Status Report #17 – Apr 2001 – 5:30 a.m. CDT

Flight controllers

worked successfully overnight troubleshooting computer problems on board

the International Space Station and plan to continue a recovery of full

computer operations on the complex today. The station and shuttle crews

awoke this morning to find most of the station’s computers operating well

and on line, although efforts are continuing to bring up the orbiting

outpost’s backup computers.

The crew today will

assist with bringing the remaining station computers on line, including

swapping a backup payload computer for one of the station’s three command

and control computers. Of the three station command and control computers,

one is on line and fully functional, providing full computer operations

aboard the station. The other two, which should serve as backups to the

primary computer, are off-line. Today’s activities are planned to bring

them on line as well. The swap of one of those off-line command and control

computers with the backup payload computer will correct what is believed

to be a failed hard drive in that unit. The other off-line command and

control computer has been loaded with new software from the ground that

should correct its operating problems, although flight controllers have

not yet rebooted the unit.

In addition to the

station computer troubleshooting, the station and shuttle crews today

will continue to concentrate on the transfer of supplies and equipment

from the shuttle to the station. They also plan to close the Raffaello

logistics carrier’s hatch and later detach that module, using the shuttle’s

robotic arm to reberth it in Endeavour’s bay for a return to Earth. Almost

4,000 pounds of equipment and supplies were unloaded from Raffaello onto

the station. Yesterday, the crew completed reloading it with items bound

for Earth. The shuttle is planned to boost the station’s altitude by about

2.5 statute miles today as well, the second such boost during the mission

thus far.

Managers have added

an extra day to Endeavour’s mission and are now planning to have the shuttle

remain docked to the station until Sunday with a landing on Tuesday. A

further extension of the mission also may be considered. The crew of Endeavour

was awakened this morning to the song “Buckaroo,” sung by Don

Cain of Dubuque, Iowa, father of STS-100 Ascent and Entry Flight Director

Leroy Cain. Except for the station computer problems now being resolved,

flight controllers have identified no significant problems with any of

the station or shuttle systems. The next mission status report will be

issued later today.