Hello, and thanks for turning to KSC's coverage of STS-113, the 16th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. I'm Roy Bridges, Kennedy Space Center Director. I'd like to give you a quick overview of this mission's primary objectives.

Shuttle Endeavour and her crew of four are embarking on a busy 11-day mission! The Station's Integrated Truss Structure will grow by another 46 feet with the addition of the P1 truss, the first left-side truss segment to be installed on ISS. The P1 truss and Crew and Equipment Translation Aid, or CETA, cart B are virtually mirror images of the S1 truss and CETA cart A that were recently attached during mission STS-112. The primary function of the P1 truss is to provide heat transport and rejection capabilities for the Station's active thermal control system.

Another highlight of the mission will be the fifth crew rotation on the Station. The Expedition Five crew - astronaut Peggy Whitson and cosmonauts Valery Korzun and Sergei Treschev - will be relieved following a five-month stay on orbit. The Expedition Six crew - astronauts Ken Bowersox and Donald Pettit, and cosmonaut Nikolai Budarin - will begin their work detail on the ISS.

We're glad you've joined us for this exciting mission! Tune in to KSC's coverage throughout the countdown and mission for the latest updates.

Video of Center Director's Message
Part 1 | Part 2