International Space Station (ISS) Diary
Expedition 3

This section of the diary covers the period between 2001 August and 2001 December. Frank Culbertson, Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin see the further kitting-out of the ISS interior and oversee the addition of Russia’s ‘Pirs’ combined docking unit and airlock.

 

Date and Time (GMT)

Event

2001 Aug 10

21:10

Space Shuttle Discovery launched from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-105 into orbit of 155 x 233 kilometres at 51.6 degrees inclination with crew consisting of Col Scott J Horowitz, USAF (commander), Lt-Col Frederick W Sturchow, USMC  (pilot), mission specialists Dr Daniel T Barry and Lt-Col Patrick G Forrester, USN - Discovery also carries the ISS Expedition 3 crew consisting of Capt Frank L Culbertson USN rt'd (station commander), Lt-Col Vladimir Dezhurov, Russian Air Force and Mikhail Tyurin of Rosaviakosmos

2001 Aug 12

18:42

Discovery docks with PMA-2 on the forward-facing end of Destiny while over the Indian Ocean - orbit is 384 x 399 kilometres

2001 Aug 12

19:05

After a short delay due to a problem with the docking mechanism, Discovery is properly connected to the ISS

2001 Aug 12

20:41

The hatch between Discovery and the ISS is opened

2001 Aug 13

15:55

Logistics module Leonardo is attached to the downward-facing common berthing mechanism on Destiny after it has been lifted out of the Discovery cargo bay using Discovery's manipulator arm

2001 Aug 13

18:47

Hatches between Destiny and Leonardo are opened

2001 Aug 13

19:13

The crew completes transfer of the Expedition 3 contoured seats into Soyuz TM-32, the Station is then officially "handed over" to Expedition 3

2001 Aug 14

-

The crew works on unloading Leonardo and uploading new software into Zvezda's computer system

2001 Aug 14

-

A series of thruster firings by Discovery raises the ISS orbit by 3 kilometres

2001 Aug 15

21:52

Hatches between Discovery and the ISS are closed in order to lower the air pressure inside the Shuttle prior to a space walk

2001 Aug 15

12:10

The Expedition 3 crew delivers speeches to commemorate Zarya's 1000th day in orbit

2001 Aug 15

13:56

Barry and Forrester start a space walk to attach an ammonium coolant reservoir the Station’s cooling systems to the ISS hull, and to attach an experiment containing 750 material samples for studying the effects of long exposure to space

2001 Aug 15

20:12

Barry & Forrester complete their space walk after 6 hrs 16 min

2001 Aug 17

-

A series of thruster firings by Discovery over a one hour period raises the ISS orbit further - it is now 391 x 402 kilometres

2001 Aug 18

13:42

Barry and Forrester start a space walk to lay out heater cables and install handrails on the outside of Destiny - this in preparation for installation of a new truss on a later mission

2001 Aug 18

19:11

Barry & Forrester complete their space walk after 5 hrs 29 min

2001 Aug 19

19:15

Leonardo is returned to Discovery's cargo bay after being lifted away from Destiny using the Shuttle's remote manipulator arm

2001 Aug 19

01:00

Progress M-45 and its launching rocket are rolled-out to the launch pad at Baikonur

2001 Aug 20

12:00

Hatches between Discovery and the ISS are closed

2001 Aug 20

14:52

Discovery undocks from the ISS and begins a fly-round

2001 Aug 20

18:29

A "Getaway Special" payload - Simplesat is deployed from Discovery's cargo bay - its purpose is to demonstrate Global Positioning System attitude control and pointing in free flight

2001 Aug 22

17:15

Discovery fires its OMS engines to initiate re-entry

2001 Aug 22

18:22

Discovery lands on the Kennedy Space Center runway

2001 Aug 22

18:23

Wheel stop - Discovery's mission is over and the ISS crew exchange between Expedition 2 and Expedition 3 has been completed

2001 Aug 20

-

The ISS crew activates Progress M1-6 prior to its departure and seals the hatch from the ISS

2001 Aug 21

09:23

Progress M-45 cargo supply ship launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Launch Complex 1 by Soyuz rocket into orbit of 188 x 218 kilometres - it carries 1.73 tonnes of cargo and 890kg of propellant (most of which is for replenishing Zvezda's tanks)

2001 Aug 22

06:01

Progress M1-6 undocks from the ISS, leaving Zvezda's rear port available for further dockings

2001 Aug 22

-

Progress M1-6 fires its onboard engine and re-enters the Earth's atmosphere to burn up over the Pacific Ocean

2001 Aug 23

09:51

Under ground control - Progress M-45 docks with the rear port of Zvezda, seven minutes earlier than planned

2001 Sep 13

-

Progress M-SO1 and its launching rocket are rolled out to the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome

2001 Sep 14

23:35

Progress M-SO1 launched from Baikonur by Soyuz-U rocket into an orbit of 189 x 214 kilometres at 51.6 degrees inclination - Progress M-SO1 consists of a standard Progress Instrument Unit and control systems with the ISS Pirs (Pier) combined docking unit and airlock replacing the usual tanker and orbital modules

2001 Sep 15

06:00

Progress M-SO1 orbit is 244 x 262 kilometres

2001 Sep 17

01:05

Progress M-SO1 docks with Zvezda's downward-facing port and, in the process, attaches Pirs to the ISS - orbit is 384 x 395 kilometres

2001 Sep 26

15:30

The Instrument Unit of Progress M-SO1 detaches from Pirs, leaving the docking/airlock module attached to the ISS

2001 Sep 26

23:30

After firing its rocket motor, the Progress M-SO1 Instrument Unit re-enters the atmosphere above the Pacific Ocean and burns up

2001 Oct 8

14:23

About half an hour later than planned, Dezhurov and Tyurin begin a space walk from Pirs to fit it with external hand rails, connect cables to an EVA communications system, install a 'Strela' crane similar to the one used on Mir, and to install a 'Kurs' rendezvous unit on Zarya to allow its use for future docking by Soyuz and Progress vehicles - they have to avoid touching the insulating blankets around Zarya's thrusters due to contamination by propellant exhaust

2001 Oct 8

19:21

Dezhorov and Tyurin complete their space walk after 4 hr 58 min, about 45 minutes longer than originally planned - it is the 100th space walk involving a Soviet or Russian crew

2001 Oct 10

-

An orbital boost using the Progress M-45 engines is postponed

2001 Oct 11

10:31

The ISS orbit is 377 x 388 kilometres - Progress M-45's engines are fired for the first time in a two-part manoeuvre to boost the ISS orbit

2001 Oct 11

15:54

Progress M-45's engines are fired for a second time to boost the ISS orbit further - the orbit is now 392 x 404 kilometres but the overall increase in orbit height is slightly less than intended

2001 Oct 15

15:09

Dezhorov and Tyurin complete their space walk after 5 hr 52 min - they have difficuly closing the hatch on Pirs

2001 Oct 19

01:00

Soyuz TM-33 and its launching rocket are rolled out to the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome

2001 Oct 19

10:48

After configuring the ISS for a possible period on non-occupation, the Expedition 3 crew undocks Soyuz M1-32 from Zarya in order to move it to the new docking port on Pirs (docking latches are released at 10:45 GMT)

2001 Oct 19

11:04

Afer moving about 30 metres away from the station and moving along the hull of the ISS, Soyuz M1-32 docks with the Pirs module - the crew then re-enters the Station and reconfigures it for crew operations

2001 Oct 21

08:59

Soyuz TM-33 spacecraft launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome by Soyuz-U rocket into an orbit at approximately 185 x 205 kilometres at 51.6 degrees inclination, carrying a Soyuz "Taxi" crew consisting of Viktor Afanasiev (commander), Claudie Haigneré of ESA (Flight Engineer no 1), and Konstantin Kozeyev of the Energia Space Corporation (flight engineer no 2)

2001 Oct 21

15:30

Soyuz TM-33 orbit is 247 x 301 kilometres

2001 Oct 23

10:44

Soyuz TM-33 docks with the downward-facing port of Zarya - the approach is slightly offline from that intended due to the 'Kurs' rendezvous system misinterpreting control signals, and the ISS crew moves the station's remote manipulator arm to give the approaching craft a better view, orbit is 388 x 399 kilometres at 51.6 degrees inclination

2001 Oct 23

12:16

Hatches between Soyuz TM-33 and the ISS are opened and the Soyuz TM-33 crew enters the Station led by Claudie Haigneré - after a welcoming ceremony by ISS commander Culbertson, the new crew exchanges the individual contoured couches between Soyuz TM-33 and Soyuz TM-32

2001 Oct 25

-

Culbertson and Tyurin spend several hours testing the ISS Remote Manipulator System

2001 Oct 29

07:21

The ISS crew conducts a hot firing test of Soyuz TM-32's thrusters prior to departure

2001 Oct 30

22:50

Approximate time - hatches between the ISS and Soyuz TM-32 are sealed

2001 Oct 31

01:38

With the Soyuz TM-33 crew aboard, Soyuz TM-32 undocks from Pirs

2001 Oct 31

04:04

Soyuz TM-32 fires its retro rockets for 253 seconds to initiate re-entry

2001 Oct 31

04:32

Soyuz TM-32 descent module separates from its orbital module and its instrument unit

2001 Oct 31

04:44

Soyuz TM-32's main parachute opens

2001 Oct 31

04:59

Soyuz TM-32 lands 180 kilometres south-east of Dzhezhkazghan in Kazakhstan

2001 Nov 12

21:41

After a thirty minute delay in order to check a hatch seal for leaks, Culbertson & Dezhurov start a space walk from Pirs in order to connect seven telemetry cables for the'Kurs' radio-guided approach and docking system, to inspect a solar panel on Zvezda that had not unfolded properly after launch (though there is no significant impact on power supplies), and to test 'Strela'

2001 Nov 13

02:46

Culbertson and Dezhurov complete their space walk after 6 hr 5 min

2001 Nov 16

07:39

A close pass of the ISS (at 8.2 kilometres) of a Russian rocket stage that launched Cosmos 2098 into orbit poses no threat to the Station - a possible avoidance manoeuvre earlier in the day has been cancelled

2001 Nov 22

-

Progress M-45 undocks from Zvezda and later fires its rocket motor in order to re-enter and burn up over the Pacific Ocean

2001 Nov 26

18:24

Progress M1-7 cargo supply ship launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Soyuz-FG rocket into an orbit of 190 x 226 kilometres at 51.6 degrees inclination - it carries 2.4 tonnes of supplies, including propellant for replenishing Zvezda's tanks, the ISS crew observes the burning of its final-stage rocket

2001 Nov 27

01:00

Progress M1-7 orbit is 270 x 317 kilometers

2001 Nov 28

19:43

Under the control of Mission Control Centre - Moscow, Progress M1-7 docks with the rear-facing port of Zvezda, recently cleared by the departure of Progress M-45, but the docking does not produce a seal between the two spacecraft - ISS orbit is 386 x 397 kilometres

2001 Nov 30

-

NASA decides to delay launch of the STS-108 mission until Progress M1-7 is properly docked

2001 Nov 30

-

Russian engineers identify an obstruction in the Zvezda docking port from a tv recording made during departure of Progress M-45 - it a sealing ring that has detached from the the Progress M-45 docking unit

2001 Dec 3

13:20

Ten minutes ahead of schedule, Dezhurov and Tyurin begin space walk from Pirs to remove the obstruction to the Progress M1-7 docking - they cut away the offending seal and pull it free

2001 Dec 3

14:54

Docking of Progress M1-7 is completed and the docking interface seals properly

2001 Dec 3

16:06

Dezhurov and Tyurin complete their space walk after 2 hr 46 min - the operation has taken about three hours less than planned

2001 Dec 4

22:40

Endeavour is ready to launch at the T-5 minute hold point pending weather checks

2001 Dec 4

22:39

Five minutes before it is due to list off, Endeavour's launch is postponed for one day - lift-off is not possible because of weather conditions in the event of a Return-To -Launch-Site abort

2001 Dec 5

22:19

Space Shuttle Endeavour launched from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-108 into orbit of 225 x 230 kilometres at 51.6 degrees inclination with crew consisting of Capt Dominic L Gorie, USN (commander), Lt-Cdr Mark E Kelly, USN  (pilot), mission specialists Dr Linda M Godwin and Daniel M Tani - Endeavour also carries the ISS Expedition 4 crew consisting of Col Yuri I Onufrienko, Russian Air Force (station commander), Col Carl E Walz, USAF and Capt Daniel W Bursch, USN

2001 Dec 6

02:00

Endeavour's orbit is 234 x 384 kilometres

2001 Dec 7

20:03

Endeavour docks with the PMA-2 Adaptor at the forward-facing end of Destiny but the vehicles do not latch because of a slight misalignment in the docking units

2001 Dec 7

20:51

Endeavour's docking with the ISS is completed - orbit is 370 x 383 kilometres

2001 Dec 7

22:43

Hatches are opened between Endeavour and the ISS - Endeavour's cargo include 6,000 US flags for distribution to heroes and families involved in the 2001 Sep 11 attack on the World Trade Center

2001 Dec 8

17:01

Logistics module Rafaello is unberthed from Endeavour's cargo bay using the Shuttle's remote manipulator system

2001 Dec 8

17:55

Rafaello is docked with the Common Berthing Mechanism on the underside of Destiny

2001 Dec 8

22:11

The crew completes transfer of the Expedition 4 contoured seats into Soyuz TM-33, the Station is then officially "handed over" to Expedition 4

2001 Dec 9

01:30

The hatch between Destiny and Rafaello is opened and the crew begins transferring equipment

2001 Dec 9

-

A series of thruster firings by Endeavour over a one hour period raises the ISS orbit - it is now 374 x 385 kilometres

2001 Dec 10

00:43

Hatches between the ISS and Endeavour are sealed in order to allow the shuttle's air pressure to be reduced prior to a space walk

2001 Dec 10

17:52

Godwin & Tani start a space walk to install insulation around the top of the ISS truss structure, they also made an attempt to secure one of four legs that brace the starboard station array but were unable to close the latch (open since the array was installed) - they retrieved an errant electrical cover (lost during 2001 Apr 24 during the STS-100 mission), and positioned two switches to be retrieved and installed during the upcoming STS-110 mission

2001 Dec 10

22:04

Godwin and Tani complete their space walk after 4 hr 12 min

2001 Dec 10

23:55

Hatches between the ISS and Endeavour are re-opened after the space walk

2001 Dec 11

-

Mission managers inform the crew of Endeavour that their mission has been extended by one day in order to assist with additional maintenance tasks on the station, including work on a treadmill and air compressor in Zvezda

2001 Dec 11

15:25

A second hour-long series of thruster firings by Endeavour raises the ISS orbit - it is now 378 x 386 kilometres

2001 Dec 12

15:20

A third series of thruster firings by Endeavour raises the ISS orbit - it is now 388 x 390 kilometres

2002 Dec 14

15:00

A handover ceremony is held between the Expedition 3 and Expedition 4 crews

2002 Dec 14

16:00

Approximate time - hatches between Destiny and Rafaello are sealed

2002 Dec 14

20:00

Approximate time - Rafaello is undocked from Destiny using Endeavour's Remote Manipulator System

2001 Dec 14

22:44

Rafaello is re-berthed in Endeavour's cargo bay

2001 Dec 15

-

A fourth, minor engine firing by endeavour increases the miss distance from an orbiting Russian rocket stage that was predicted to pass with 4.8 kilometres of the Station

2001 Dec 15

13:16

Hatches between the ISS and Endeavour are closed prior to the shuttle's departure

2001 Dec 15

14:55

A 20 minute firing sequence using Endeavour's thrusters raises the ISS orbit by 1 kilometre and ensures that a thirty year old spent Russian rocket increases its predicted miss distance from 5 kilometres to 40 kilometres

2001 Dec 15

17:28

Endeavour undocks from the ISS and begins a fly-round - Endeavour then fires its thrusters and moves away

2001 Dec 16

15:02

Endeavour deploys a "Getaway Special" satellite Starshine 2 from its cargo bay

2001 Dec 17

16:50

Endeavour fires its OMS engines to initiate re-entry

2001 Dec 17

17:55

Endeavour lands on the Kennedy Space Center runway

2001 Dec 17

17:56

Wheel stop - Endeavour's mission is over and the ISS crew exchange between Expedition 3 and Expedition 4 has been completed

 

 

Expedition 2

ISS Index

Expedition 4