Mission Specialists working in the pressurized, shirtsleeves environment provided by SPACEHAB are tasked with moving some 750 items to the ISS from the cargo carrier’s racks, lockers and other stowage facilities. A number of those items are being stowed aboard the Station for use by crews on future missions, beginning with the addition of Russia’s Service Module:

Items                                  ISS Mission /Year Planned                 ISS Location

Computers, printers,        2R Russian Service Module / 1999                Zarya
cables

Vacuum access                 3A Integrated Truss Z1 / 1999                         Unity
jumper, charcoal
canisters, adapters

Oxygen canisters                4A Integrated Truss P6 / 1999                  Unity

Vacuum access                 5A US Laboratory Module / 2000                 Unity
jumper


Russian hardware that will be placed on the ISS during STS-96 includes:

· Life support systems replacement spares
· Sanitary and hygienic equipment
· Medical support equipment
· On-board computer system replacement parts
· Maintenance repair kits
· Base unit and related components of the Strela ("Arrow") crane
· Zarya sound damping kits
· MIRT repair kits


Priorities

Logistics experts for this mission developed a categorical priority system for moving cargo that puts the highest value on ensuring the safe entry and exit of the crew members as they move between the shuttle and the ISS. These priorities were set in accordance with the most mission critical to the least, while accounting for what would be left undone were the mission to be terminated earlier than planned.

Examples from each category are shown below, starting with the highest priority.

1. Ingress/safety
· ISS oxygen communication assembly
· Atmosphere sampling bottles
· Charcoal filter analyzer element
· Zarya muffler [acoustic damping] hardware

2. Critical spares
· MIRTs
· Sequential shunt unit
· Common Berthing Mechanism seal patch kits
· Early communication command telemetry processor

3. Incremental assembly
· Tools and power equipment
· Tethers and related gear
· Photo-TV cameras, film, tape
· Space suits and associated garments, equipment

4. Crew health maintenance
· Medical support equipment
· Cardiorecorder
· Audio dosimeter biobag
· Formaldehyde monitor kit

5. Pre-position for future missions

6. Resupply
· 2A recovery hardware
· Driver drill charger kit
· Braycote lubricant
· Emergency exit decal

7. Spares/non-assembly equipment
· IMAX 3D movie production hardware, accessories
· Crew provisions
· Clothing
· Sleeping bags

8. Detailed test objectives
· Velcro ties
· Single-sided tape
· Strain gage extension cables
· Flex hose assembly


Cargo Handling

Despite the virtual weightlessness in which the astronauts will work, moving the SPACEHAB's cargo won’t be easy. In carefully choreographed movements not unlike those of research divers retrieving specimens from a coral reef, the Mission Specialists will ease each cargo item out of its individual location and push or pull it to its destination.

En route, the items must be taken through Discovery’s cargo bay tunnel, negotiated around a right-angle turn and into Pressurized Mating Adapter 2, and either deposited in Unity or pushed on into Zarya.


Additional Tasks

If time permits, additional tasks will be performed during the spacewalk and internal transfers.

Space-walking astronauts Jernigan and Barry may have time to survey, for instance, discoloration on Unity, the starboard omnidirectional antenna for the ISS Early Communications System, and the paint on Zarya.

Mission Specialists inside will try to find the time to pressure-check a nitrogen line, inspect Unity’s forward and aft hatch mechanisms and adjust them if necessary, and trouble-shoot a sample delivery system valve. If there is sufficient shuttle propellant following Discovery’s undocking from the ISS, a fly-around visual inspection will be performed prior to de-orbit and landing.