STS-96 - Discovery - First Docking Flight to ISS

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STS-96: First Shuttle Docking to the ISS | Mission Highlights (1999)

Feb 12, 2025
STS-96 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission launched on May 27, 1999, aboard Discovery, marking the first-ever docking of a shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew delivered nearly two tons of supplies, including tools, hardware, and logistics for future station crews. Astronauts also performed a spacewalk to install crucial equipment on the ISS exterior. This mission paved the way for long-term habitation of the station. After a successful nine-day mission, Discovery landed safely on June 6, 1999. Watch the highlights of this historic mission and its vital contributions to building the ISS!

Discovery STS-96 Astronaut Crew:
Commander:  Kent Rominger
Pilot: Rick Husband
Mission Specialist 1: Daniel Barry
Mission Specialist 2: Ellen Ochoa
Mission Specialist 3: Tamara Jernigan
Mission Specialist 4: Julie Payette
Mission Specialist 5: Valeri Tokarev

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It was probably the smoothest landing, so soft that neither the pilot nor the passengers realized they had touched down.  "Call the tower and Ask them if we are down."


Pilot’s View of Shuttle Touchdown | STS-96 Night Landing

Feb 13, 2025  #STS96 #SpaceShuttle #NASA
Experience the nighttime landing of Space Shuttle Discovery on June 6, 1999, as seen from the cockpit during STS-96. This incredible footage captures the shuttle's final descent and approach to the runway at Kennedy Space Center, offering a pilot’s-eye view of the glowing runway lights guiding the spacecraft home. After a successful nine-day mission to the International Space Station, Discovery touched down smoothly, completing the first-ever docking to the ISS.

Discovery STS-96 Astronaut Crew:
Commander:  Kent Rominger
Pilot: Rick Husband
Mission Specialist 1: Daniel Barry
Mission Specialist 2: Ellen Ochoa
Mission Specialist 3: Tamara Jernigan
Mission Specialist 4: Julie Payette
Mission Specialist 5: Valeri Tokarev

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STS-96 Shuttle Landing in Infrared | Heat Distribution After Reentry

Feb 15, 2025  #STS96 #SpaceShuttle #NASA
Watch the infrared footage of Space Shuttle Discovery as it lands at Kennedy Space Center on June 6, 1999, following the STS-96 mission. This unique thermal view reveals the intense heat distribution on the shuttle after reentry, with cooler areas appearing black and hotter sections glowing white.

Discovery STS-96 Astronaut Crew:
Commander:  Kent Rominger
Pilot: Rick Husband
Mission Specialist 1: Daniel Barry
Mission Specialist 2: Ellen Ochoa
Mission Specialist 3: Tamara Jernigan
Mission Specialist 4: Julie Payette
Mission Specialist 5: Valeri Tokarev