Launch from Cape Canaveral (
KSC); landing on Cape
Canaveral (
KSC);
ISS-19-12A
ITS-P3 /
ITS-P4.
Docking to
ISS and common
work with the
ISS
expedition 13; the
launch was scrubbed several times because of bad weather and technical
problems; first time in almost four years that a major new space station
component, the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss section, has been
launched.
First
EVA by
Tanner and
Stefanyshyn-Piper on 12.09.2006 (6h 26m) for installation of
power and data cables between the P1 and P3/P4 structures in preparation for
solar array deployment.
Second
EVA by
Burbank and
MacLean on 13.09.2006 (7h 11m) to continue work to prepare
the International Space Stations P3/P4 integrated truss for operation;
MacLean became the first Canadian to perform an
EVA.
Third and final
EVA by
Tanner and
Stefanyshyn-Piper on 15.09.2006 (6h 42m) to perform final
tasks required for activation of the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (
SARJ); the
SARJ is an
automobile-sized joint that will allow the station's solar arrays to turn and
point toward the sun; they also prepared the P3/P4 truss and its solar arrays
for operation by setting the stage for deployment of the truss' radiator;
Tanner has performed than 7
EVA's in his
career; later on the solar arrays were fully unfolded;
Stefanyshyn-Piper retrieved the materials on the
International Space Station Experiment 5; the materials science experiment
tests the effects of the space environment on prospective spacecraft
materials.
Other work of the crew were: a talk of
MacLean with the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and
other press meetings, transferring cargo, including water, between the shuttle
and the space station, removal of the
REBA,
Rechargeable
EVA
Battery Assembly, photo shootings; after undocking from the
ISS, the heat
shield was inspected; additional inspections were necessary, when a video from
cameras aboard the shuttle showed a piece of debris in close proximity to the
vehicle, but engineers found no issues of concern during the survey.