International Space Station (ISS)

The Space Shuttle Atlantis and its six-member crew launched at 11:15 a.m. (EDT) on September 9, 2006 to begin the two-day journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on the STS-115 mission. During the 11-day mission, the STS-115 crew of six, along with station crews and ground teams, resumed construction of the ISS with the installation of a girder-like structure, known as the P3/P4 truss. The 35,000-pound piece includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics. The arrays eventually will double the power capability of the Station.