STS-101

STS-101 was a Space Shuttle mission flown by Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2000. It was designated as an ISS assembly flight, specifically ISS Flight 2A.2a. The primary objective of the mission was to resupply the ISS after the Zarya module had developed battery problems and to prepare the station for the arrival of the first permanent crew, Expedition 1.

The mission's main payload was the Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC), which contained a number of supplies, including batteries, equipment, and other necessities for the ISS. A key event during the mission was a spacewalk conducted by astronauts James Voss and Jeffrey Williams. During the spacewalk, they used a Russian Strela crane to transfer equipment and perform maintenance tasks on the exterior of the Zarya module.

In addition to the resupply and maintenance activities, STS-101 also boosted the ISS's orbit, which had decayed slightly since the previous mission. The mission was considered highly successful, as it accomplished all of its primary objectives and paved the way for the continuous human presence on the International Space Station that continues to this day. The crew consisted of Commander James Halsell, Pilot Scott Horowitz, and Mission Specialists Mary Ellen Weber, Jeffrey Williams, James Voss, Susan Helms, and Yuri Usachev.