International Space Station becomes larger

HOUSTON, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- The International Space Station was larger Wednesday morning than it was 24 hours earlier, with the installation of the P5 integrated truss segment.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said space shuttle Discovery's STS-116 crew members Christer Fuglesang and Bob Curbeam successfully attached the truss segment Tuesday during the first of three scheduled spacewalks.

NASA said the P5 spacer segment's attachment to the P4 sets the stage for the relocation of the P6 and its set of solar arrays. During the remaining two spacewalks -- scheduled for Thursday and Saturday -- astronauts are to reconfigure and redistribute power generated by the station's solar arrays.

In addition to the spacewalks, the ISS and shuttle crews will transfer cargo between the vehicles. NASA mission controllers in Houston said Discovery and its crew will leave the station Monday and begin the return journey to Earth.