The crew of the International Space Station continued their preparations for two incoming missions in as many weeks: the next Russian Progress 22 automated supply spacecraft, due to arrive next Monday, and the NASA shuttle Discovery, scheduled to dock with the station July 3.
The shuttle mission will deliver ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter to the station as an addition to the crew – the first time the ISS complement has totaled three since May 2003.
Pavel Vinogradov, the station commander, and Jeff Williams, the flight engineer, undocked the Progress 20 cargo vessel Monday morning. Russian mission controllers then deliberately burned up the craft in Earth's atmosphere.
Progress 20's departure was necessary to make room for Progress 22. The Progress 21 craft continues to be docked to the station.
Vinogradov and Williams have completed tests of the manual docking system, designed to be used in the event the automated docking system is unable to bring Progress 22 to the Pirs docking port.
The duo also is continuing with science experiments and routine maintenance aboard the orbiting laboratory, NASA announced in a station update Tuesday.
