STS-92 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
STS-92

Wisoff oversees the Z1 truss (top) being mated with the zenith port of Unity (bottom) during EVA 2
Mission type	ISS assembly
Operator	NASA
Mission duration	12 days, 21 hours, 43 minutes, 47 seconds
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch mass	115,127 kilograms (253,812 lb)
Landing mass	92,741 kilograms (204,459 lb)
Payload mass	9,513 kilograms (20,973 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Brian Duffy Pamela A. Melroy Koichi Wakata William S. McArthur Peter J.K. Wisoff Michael López-Alegría Leroy Chiao
Start of mission
Launch date	11 October 2000, 23:17:00 (2000-10-11UTC23:17Z) UTC
Launch site	Kennedy LC-39A
End of mission
Landing date	24 October 2000, 20:59:47 (2000-10-24UTC20:59:48Z) UTC
Landing site	Edwards, Runway 22
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee	386 kilometres (240 mi)
Apogee	394 kilometres (245 mi)
Inclination	51.60 degrees
Period	92.3 min
Docking with ISS
Docking port	PMA-2 (Unity forward)
Docking date	13 October 2000, 17:45 UTC
Undocking date	20 October 2000, 15:08 UTC
Time docked	6 days, 21 hours, 23 minutes
Left to right - Front: Melroy, Duffy; Back: Chiao, Lopez-Alegria, McArthur, Wisoff, Wakata Space Shuttle program ← STS-106 STS-97 →

STS-92 was an exciting Space Shuttle mission that helped build the International Space Station (ISS). The mission was flown by the Space Shuttle Discovery. It was a special flight because it was the 100th time a Space Shuttle had launched into space! STS-92 lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 11, 2000.

Meet the Astronauts

The STS-92 mission had a crew of seven brave astronauts. They worked together to complete important tasks in space.

Position	Astronaut
Commander	Brian Duffy Fourth and last spaceflight
Pilot	Pamela A. Melroy First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Koichi Wakata, JAXA Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2	William S. McArthur Third spaceflight
Mission Specialist 3	Peter J.K. Wisoff Fourth and last spaceflight
Mission Specialist 4	/ Michael E. López-Alegría Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 5	Leroy Chiao Third spaceflight

Spacewalks: Working Outside the Station

During the mission, astronauts performed four spacewalks, also known as EVAs. These spacewalks were crucial for building the space station.

• Spacewalk 1
  • Astronauts: Leroy Chiao and William S. McArthur
  • Start: October 15, 2000 – 14:27 UTC
  • End: October 15, 2000 – 20:55 UTC
  • Duration: 6 hours, 28 minutes

• Spacewalk 2
  • Astronauts: Michael López-Alegría and Peter J.K. Wisoff
  • Start: October 16, 2000 – 14:15 UTC
  • End: October 16, 2000 – 21:22 UTC
  • Duration: 7 hours, 07 minutes

• Spacewalk 3
  • Astronauts: Leroy Chiao and William S. McArthur
  • Start: October 17, 2000 – 14:30 UTC
  • End: October 17, 2000 – 21:18 UTC
  • Duration: 6 hours, 48 minutes

• Spacewalk 4
  • Astronauts: Michael López-Alegría and Peter J.K. Wisoff
  • Start: October 18, 2000 – 15:00 UTC
  • End: October 18, 2000 – 21:56 UTC
  • Duration: 6 hours, 56 minutes

Mission Highlights: Building the ISS

The launch of Space Shuttle STS-92.

The Space Shuttle Discovery landing at Edwards Air Force Base.

An illustration showing the International Space Station after the STS-92 mission.

STS-92 was a very important flight for building the International Space Station. The shuttle carried several key parts to the station. These included the Z1 truss, Control Moment Gyros, and a special docking port called PMA-3.

The Z1 truss was the first part of the station's outer framework. Think of it like the first big beam in a building. It allowed the first U.S. solar panels to be put on the Unity module. This gave the station early power. The Z1 truss also helped with communications.

The Control Moment Gyros (CMGs) are like giant spinning tops. They weigh about 27 kilograms (60 pounds) each. These gyros help the space station turn and stay in the correct position without using rocket fuel. The PMA-3 (Pressurized Mating Adapter-3) is a docking port. It allows other spacecraft, like the Space Shuttle, to connect to the station. It was also used for installing other parts later.

The mission involved seven days where the Space Shuttle was connected to the ISS. During this time, astronauts performed four spacewalks. They also had two chances to go inside the station.

Installing Key Structures

During the four spacewalks, two teams of astronauts worked together. They used a robotic arm to install the Z1 truss structure. This truss was placed on top of the Unity connecting node of the growing station. They also delivered the third Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA-3) to the ISS. This adapter would be used for future parts of the station and for shuttle dockings.

The Z1 truss was the first permanent "backbone" structure for the ISS. It prepared the way for adding the station's much larger main trusses later on. The Z1 also held many parts for the station's communication system.

The Z1 truss contains four large gyroscopes called Control Moment Gyros (CMGs). These devices help control the space station's direction. They were activated after the U.S. laboratory module was installed.

Testing a Space Jetpack

During the fourth spacewalk, astronauts Wisoff and López-Alegría tested a special jet pack called SAFER. SAFER stands for "Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue." They flew up to 50 feet away from the shuttle while still being connected by a safety rope. This test helped make sure astronauts could move safely if they ever became separated from the spacecraft during a spacewalk.

See also

In Spanish: STS-92 para niños