11.   By the time Discovery takes off with supplies for the international space station in May, shuttles will have flown only four times in the previous year.

12.   The shuttle then will fly around the Mir for picture-taking.

13.   The shuttle also flew to St. John and Puerto Rico.

14.   The shuttle flew last summer and then underwent months of maintenance and modifications.

15.   This was the first mission in which a shuttle flew in formation with two satellites.