On May 27th, 1999, space shuttle mission STS-96 launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. This mission was a historical milestone in the assembly of the International Space Station, as it marked the first time a Space Shuttle docked with the ISS. Flying aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, a multinational crew of seven astronauts delivered nearly two tons of logistical supplies to prepare the USS for its first permanent inhabitants. The mission also featured a grueling nearly eight-hour spacewalk by Tamara Jernigan and Daniel Barry, who installed American and Russian cargo cranes to the space station's exterior. Also, the crew replaced malfunctioning batteries inside the station, and established early communication systems, while also deploying the STARSHINE satellite, which was meant to be tracked by students on Earth. This mission effectively turned the ISS into a habitable structure, which set the stage for the first long-term crew in 2000.
