[Friday, December 1, 2006] The International Space Station crew have been preparing for the planned arrival next week of the Space Shuttle Discovery on a complex mission to rewire the station's electrical system.

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[Monday, December 4, 2006] Some of the people working on the design of NASA's new Ares I launch vehicle want to delete the requirement to recover and reuse the rocket's first stage. The reason: the weight of hardware required to make recovery possible - and practical.

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[Wednesday, December 6, 2006] No technical issues should affect Thursday's planned launch of Space Shuttle Discovery, NASA Test Director Jeff Spaulding announced during a countdown status briefing this morning at Kennedy Space Center

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[Thursday, December 7, 2006]

The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery was scrubbed Thursday after poor weather conditions spoiled the attempt at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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[Friday, December 8, 2006] The Dec. 7 launch attempt of STS-116 was postponed due a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. The next launch attempt is currently scheduled for no earlier than Saturday, Dec. 9, at 8:47 p.m.

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[Friday, December 8, 2006] The intent of this RFI is to obtain information on ISS commercial resupply opportunities in the interim period prior to completion of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Phase I demonstrations and initiation of COTS Phase II.

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[Friday, December 8, 2006] Objective: request information on the full scope of activities, tools, models, and evaluation criteria used to optimize integrated processes in order to improve the long-term operability and life-cycle affordability of the overall Constellation Program.

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[Friday, December 8, 2006] The following areas are of interest: Systems Engineering and Integration, Test and Verification, and Advanced Projects Offices.

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[Saturday, December 9, 2006] NASA officials have set the next launch attempt for tonight at 8:47 p.m. EST. Shuttle weather forecasters anticipate that a cold front will linger in the area this evening, limiting chances for liftoff to 30 percent.

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[Saturday, December 9, 2006] Space Shuttle Discovery and a crew of seven astronauts lifted off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B at 8:47 p.m. EST, kicking off the most complicated and challenging mission to the International Space Station to date.

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[Saturday, December 9, 2006] The Space Shuttle Discovery rocketed into a dark Florida sky at 7:47 p.m. CST today, the third shuttle launch in five months, but the first night launch in more than four years.

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[Sunday, December 10, 2006] The Space Shuttle Discovery crew, Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Bill Oefelein, and Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick, Joan Higginbotham, Bob Curbeam, Sunita Williams and Christer Fuglesang, are beginning a busy first full day in space.

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[Sunday, December 10, 2006] If you look carefully at the large version of this image you will see an iPod attached to a Belkin external battery pack on the equipment rack directly in front of Thomas Reiter.

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[Sunday, December 10, 2006] The Space Shuttle Discovery crew spent much of its first full day in space using the shuttle's robotic arm and an extension boom-mounted sensor system to inspect heat shielding on Discovery's wing leading edges and nose.

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[Monday, December 11, 2006] The Space Shuttle Discovery continues its pursuit of the International Space Station, a chase that should culminate in the docking of the two spacecraft at 4:05 p.m. CST today.

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[Monday, December 11, 2006] Space Shuttle Discovery's arrival this afternoon sets the stage for a change aboard the International Space Station. Discovery, which docked at 5:12 p.m. EST, delivered a new crew member to the station.

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[Monday, December 11, 2006] "Welcome to your first transfer activities! Today you'll be moving some items around in Spacehab to access the ETVCG hardware required for today's ETVCG assembly. "

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[Monday, December 11, 2006] "Even with the night launch there was some good imagery available during ascent due to SRB and SSME plumes as well as the RCS jet firings during ET SEP. The preliminary characterization is that the debris environment was nominal."

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[Monday, December 11, 2006] Astronauts on the Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station were united today, and the joint crew immediately began the complex work associated with installing a new truss section and rewiring the station's power grid.

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[Tuesday, December 12, 2006] The first spacewalk by Discovery's crew members, an excursion that will install a new, two-ton segment on the port side of the International Space Station's girder-like truss, will highlight today's work on mission STS-116.

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[Tuesday, December 12, 2006] If you look at the left hand side of this image, dated Monday, 11 December, you will see an iPod and a Belkin external battery pack velcroed to a panel next to the Discovery's toilet located in the Shuttle's middeck.

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[Wednesday, December 13, 2006] "Welcome to another day of transfer ops! We were fortunate enough yesterday to see you on downlink video already transferring items...you're looking good up there! "

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[Wednesday, December 13, 2006] The International Space Station is now two tons heavier, with the installation today of its newest truss segment during the flight's first spacewalk.

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[Wednesday, December 13, 2006] "After October 1, I emailed the administrative assistant in the astronaut office to find out what I needed to do in order to get a new badge. I was told that I could not get one."

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[Wednesday, December 13, 2006] Retracting a solar array wing that has been extended in space for six years will highlight the activities aboard the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle Discovery today.

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[Wednesday, December 13, 2006] The geomagnetic field is expected to reach major to severe storm levels. Activity from the CME observed early on 13 December is expected to impact the geomagnetic field by mid to late UTC on day 1 (14 December) of the forecast period.

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[Thursday, December 14, 2006] The first phase of the electrical and thermal makeover of the ISS was completed tonight as the outpost's newest solar arrays began rotating to follow the sun and ammonia flowed into the station's permanent cooling system for the first time.

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[Thursday, December 14, 2006] The second spacewalk for Discovery's crew members is scheduled for this afternoon. During the spacewalk, set to start about 2:12 p.m. CST, Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang will begin to rewire the station?s power system.

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[Thursday, December 14, 2006] "Good morning Joanie, Nick, and STS-116 & Increment 14 crews! Great job yesterday! We really appreciate your efforts to get ahead of the curve. You never know, one of these days you may find a reward for the hard work!"

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[Thursday, December 14, 2006] Channel 2/3 Power Reconfig Charts

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[Thursday, December 14, 2006] Two spacewalking electricians completed half of STS-116's rewiring today, and when flight controllers threw the switch, the lights inside the International Space Station turned on again without a hitch.

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[Thursday, December 14, 2006] Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to range from active to major storm levels for 15 December. This activity is due to the CME observed on 13 December. Unsettled to active conditions are expected for 16 and 17 December.

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[Friday, December 15, 2006] With half the International Space Station's electrical system rewired, the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery gets half a day off today before they finish the job during a third spacewalk set for Saturday.

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[Friday, December 15, 2006] "The main topic of discussion at today’s MMT was the P6 solar array retract problems, a review of the SSME, SRB, and ET performance, and several minor orbiter issues."

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[Friday, December 15, 2006] The crews of Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station tried again to refold an accordion-like solar array with help from engineers and flight controllers on the ground, but none of the techniques succeeded in clearing the jam.

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[Saturday, December 16, 2006] The third spacewalk of Discovery's mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to begin at 1:37 p.m. CST to complete the rewiring of the orbiting laboratory's power system.

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[Sunday, December 17, 2006] "The main topic at the MMT was a status of the Team Four activities with respect to a dedicated P6 retract EVA or potential simple get ahead tasks for P6 retract activities during EVA 3."

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[Sunday, December 17, 2006] During a spacewalk partially choreographed as it happened, Bob Curbeam and Sunita Williams finished rewiring the International Space Station and shook loose a balky solar array so their crewmates inside could retract it almost two-thirds of the way.

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[Sunday, December 17, 2006] "Big Picture for Robotics Ops during FD9 and FD10 FD9 the SSRMS procedure to setup for EVA4 can be found in OCA MSG 14-0608 (MSG 89) and contains a single joint table to "unstow" the SSRMS after the MT translation from Worksite 3 to Worksite 5."

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[Sunday, December 17, 2006] On Saturday, Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam and Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Sunita Williams finished rewiring the International Space Station during a 7-hour, 31-minute spacewalk.

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[Sunday, December 17, 2006] The STS-116 crew completed the rewiring of the ISS power system. Robert Curbeam and Sunita Williams relocated debris shield panels, attached a grapple fixture and performed a test on the partially retracted solar array before concluding the excursion.

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[Sunday, December 17, 2006] The ISS grew Tuesday when the STS-116 crew installed the P5 integrated truss segment. The construction work was performed by STS-116 spacewalkers Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang and robot arm operators Joan Higginbotham and Sunita Williams.

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[Sunday, December 17, 2006] Flight controllers today put the finishing touches on plans for the fourth spacewalk recently added to the mission. On board the Space Shuttle Discovery and the ISS astronauts finished transferring the bulk of supplies between the two spacecraft.

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[Monday, December 18, 2006] Discovery and International Space Station crew members will conduct their fourth spacewalk of the week today, an excursion aimed at freeing a snagged, partially retracted station solar array so it will fully fold properly.

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[Monday, December 18, 2006] Space Shuttle Discovery Astronauts Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang guided the port overhead solar array wing neatly inside its blanket box during a 6-hour, 38-minute spacewalk.

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[Monday, December 18, 2006] "The FD9 MMT was brief today. The main focus was the EVA 4 strategy and a discussion of whether the EVA should still be performed based on what was learned with the P6 array during EVA 3."

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[Tuesday, December 19, 2006] Space Shuttle Discovery astronauts will leave the orbiting laboratory today after four successful spacewalks, delivery and installation of a new segment of the International Space Station's main truss and reconfiguring the station's power system.

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[Tuesday, December 19, 2006] "The MMT convened today for a short 35 minute meeting. The discussion centered on the remaining agenda as the mission activities get closer to undocking and entry. The orbiter systems continue to perform well with no new anomalies to consider."

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[Tuesday, December 19, 2006] The STS-116 crew’s stay at the International Space Station came to an end Tuesday when Space Shuttle Discovery undocked at 5:10 p.m. EST.

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[Wednesday, December 20, 2006] Crews aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station bid one another farewell at 4:10 p.m. CST today, wrapping up eight days of docked operations.

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[Wednesday, December 20, 2006] Discovery crew members will make a final check of the shuttle's heat shields today, using a sensor-equipped 50-foot extension of the shuttle's robotic arm.

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[Wednesday, December 20, 2006] Aboard the International Space Station, the newly comprised Expedition 14 crew, Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineers Mikhail Tyurin and Suni Williams, enjoyed their first full day together after Discovery's departure yesterday.

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[Thursday, December 21, 2006] "Congratulations on your fourth successful EVA! The team was very proud of your accomplishment. It was an awesome sight to see the P6 solar array fully retracted and latched."

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[Thursday, December 21, 2006] "Today the MMT met for an hour and primarily discussed the entry strategy as well as landing weather. Overall, the orbiter continues to perform well and there were no significant orbiter issues discussed."

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[Thursday, December 21, 2006] Fuglesang and Higginbotham will deploy the third of three small satellites from Discovery's cargo bay today. The first two were successfully pushed into space Wednesday

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[Thursday, December 21, 2006] Commander Mark Polansky and his crew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery will complete their 13-day mission to the International Space Station Friday, Dec. 22. NASA will choose one of three potential landing sites based on weather conditions.

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[Friday, December 22, 2006] Discovery's astronauts completed preparations for a planned return to Earth on Friday and received word from Mission Control that their final inspection showed the shuttle's heat shield is in good shape.

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[Friday, December 22, 2006] All three U.S. landing sites will be activated today. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the preferred shuttle landing site, will be the first opportunity, which would see a landing at 2:56 p.m.

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[Friday, December 22, 2006] Below are the questions received regarding RFI NNJ07ISSBG and NASA's response. The Due Date for responses is 4 pm cst Monday, January 8, 2007.

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[Friday, December 22, 2006] The crew of Space Shuttle Discovery made it home in time for Christmas, gliding to a perfect landing as the sun set over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery touched down on Runway 15 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at 4:32 p.m. CST.

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[Friday, December 29, 2006] The three residents of the International Space Station spent a busy week unpacking, inventorying and stowing more than two tons of equipment and supplies left by the Space Shuttle Discovery.

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