The flight of the US Destiny laboratory module to the International Space Station (ISS) can proceed on 18 January following the successful deployment of a solar array during the STS 97 mission earlier this month.
STS 97 astronauts completed the third and final spacewalk on 7 December, to tighten two loose tension cables on a slack solar array. Deployment cables on the station's starboard solar array were returned to their pulley tracks to eliminate slackness that could have resulted in array damage. The astronauts also installed probes to measure the electrical potential of plasma around the ISS. As the initial tasks were completed ahead of schedule, the crew also performed "get-ahead" tasks planned for future assembly missions. These included deploying a video cable and temperature sensors outside the ISS.
STS 97 Endeavour docked with the ISS on 2 December. The 17t, 32m (105ft) high mast holding the solar arrays was moved from the Shuttle using a remote manipulator system and docked to the Z1 truss on top of the Unity module.
The array comprises four $600 million flexible panels, arranged in a pair of wings extending on either side. These were deployed at the top of the tower, while two radiator panels were installed from the lower side. The arrays complement limited power provided by the Zvezda and Zarya modules.
The arrays, containing 35,800 solar cells creating 23kW (31shp) of power, will later be moved to the P5 truss on assembly flight 13A.
Three other array sets will be attached in 2002, 2003 and 2006 to provide 64kW of electricity.
Source: Flight International
