Endeavour with Marc Garneau – Rendezvous with the International Space Station
Saint-Hubert, December 2, 2000CSpace Shuttle Endeavor with Canadian Space
Agency Astronaut Marc Garneau on board, docked with the International Space
Station today. After a succesful launch on November 30th, the STS-97 crew
had spent the last two days slowly closing in on the Station, approaching it
from below and behind, and testing equipment, until the Shuttle could be
manoeuvred to dock.
Immediately after docking, Astronaut Garneau used the Canadarm, the
Shuttle’s 50-foot robotic arm, to lift the 17-ton package containing the
solar arrays that will power the International Space Station. Garneau lifted
the package, called the P6 Integrated Truss Segment, a few feet out of the
shuttle cargo bay where it will park overnight to control its temperature.
The Canadian Space Vision System gave Garneau visual cues as he unberthed
the Truss from the Shuttle. The vision system provided Garneau with a
closed-circuit television view of targets on the Truss and the Station to
enable the manoeuvre.
The 70 metre solar arrays, the longest structure to ever fly in space, will
be attached and unfolded tomorrow during two spacewalks.
The crew also began to stow early supplies in an outer compartment of the
International Space Station, preparing for the moment when they will greet
the first ISS permanent crew, Expedition One.
This is CSA Astronaut Marc Garneau’s third flight into space. He was the
first Canadian to fly in space 16 years ago and the first Canadian to serve
in the critical role of flight engineer.
Canada is one of the international partners working with the United States,
Russia, Japan and 11 nations, members of the European Space Agency, to
construct the largest engineering project ever undertaken, the International
Space Station. Once completed, the Station will cover an area as large as a
football field (108 x 74 metres) and weigh 450 tons. Orbiting at an average
altitude of 400 kilometres, it flies regularly over Canada and is visible to
the naked eye.
The Canadian contribution to the International Space Station, the Mobile
Servicing System, is made up of three elements: a next-generation Canadarm
called the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS); a smaller,
detachable two-armed robot, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator
(SPDM), that can be placed on the end of the SSRMS to perform delicate
operations; and the Mobile Remote Servicer Base System, a movable platform
for the robotic arm and the SPDM, which will slide along rails located on
the Space Station’s main structure to transport the arm to various points on
the Station.
In April 2001, CSA Astronaut Chris Hadfield will become the first Canadian
Astronaut to perfom a space walk when he installs the new Canadian robotic
arm on the International Space Station.
Canada is also contributing the Space Vision System, that provides
information on the exact location, orientation and motion of a specific
target, allowing Astonauts manipulating the SSRMS to handle its payloads
precisely and safely. The Mobile Servicing System Operations Complex, a
Ground Segment located at CSA headquarters in Saint-Hubert, Quebec completes
Canada’s contribution to the ISS and will be used to plan missions, monitor
the health of the robotic arm, and to train astronauts and cosmonauts.
Established in 1989 and situated in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, the Canadian Space
Agency coordinates all aspects of the Canadian Space Program. Through its
ASpace Knowledge, Applications and Industry Development@ business line, the
CSA delivers seven service lines: Earth and the Environment; Space Science;
Human Presence in Space; Satellite Communications; Generic Space
Technologies; Space Qualification Services; and, Comptrollership and
Awareness. The Canadian Space Agency is at the forefront of the development
and application of space knowledge for the benefit of Canadians and
humanity.
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For more information: Caroline Lavallée
Senior Communications Officer
Canadian Space Agency
Tel.: (450) 926-4370
E-mail: caroline.lavallee@space.gc.ca
Marc Garneau STS-97 Mission Website: www.space.gc.ca/sts97-garneau
