UPDATES AT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION








FLIGHT CONTROL CENTRE /MOSCOW REGION/, MARCH 14, 2001, /FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT EDUARD PUZYRYOV/ -- As of Wednesday the unloading of the Leonardo module overruns the schedule. Plans call to finish removing the equipment, necessary for the ISS, on Thursday instead of Friday, said Sergey Puzanov, NASA representative to the Russian flight control centre.


	     The unloading is carried out by the joint crew of the ISS and space shuttle Discovery which lifted Leonardo to the orbit last Saturday. 


	     The joint crew consists of 10 astronauts, including three Russians, Sergei Krikalyov, Yuri Gidzenko from the space station's Expedition One crew and Yuri Usachyov, commander of Expedition Two crew.


	     Tomorrow the astronauts will elevate the ISS orbit, since it daily drops dozens meters because of its wight--over 200 tons with the docked shuttle, say mission control centre experts.


	     The unloaded Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module will be filled with waste and other items before it is unhooked on Friday and placed back in Discovery's cargo bay for return to Earth.  


	     On March 18 Discovery will undock from the ISS and with the Expedition One crew onboard, who have been working in space since November 2, 2000, will head for Earth to land on March 20.


	     The Expedition Two crew will replace their fellows at the station. The crew headed by Yuri Usachyov consists of flight engineer Susan Helms and mission specialist James Voss. They all will stay in orbit up to September.