Flight STS 97 (ISS-4A) is carrying a crew of five to the International Space Station (ISS) and the first of four solar arrays which will be installed on the station. The solar array cargo was too heavy to allow the carrying of the normal complement of astronauts. The initial orbit was 74 by 325 km (40 x 176 nmi). Docking is planned at 1957 UTC on December 2 at an altitude of 324 km (175 nmi) and an inclination of 51.6 degrees. Subsequent pairs of arrays will be delivered on shuttle flights currently scheduled for 2002, 2003, and 2006.

When ISS is completed a total of eight flexible, deployable solar array wings will generate power for the on-orbit operation of space station systems. The eight array wings were designed and built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, under a US$450 million contract. Each of the eight wings consists of a mast assembly and two solar array blankets. Each blanket has 84 panels, of which 82 are populated with solar cells. Each panel contains 200 solar cells. The eight photovoltaic arrays thus accommodate a total of 262,400 solar cells. When fully deployed in space, the active area of the eight wings, each 11.6 x 32.6 m (38 by 107 ft), will encompass an area of 3,025 sq-m (32,528-sq. ft), and will provide power to the ISS for 15 years. Each wing weighs 1089 kg (2,400 lbm) and is made of 32,800, 76.2 cm (3 in) square silicone cells and thin Kapton layers. Once open, the arrays will span 73 m (240 ft), or about the same wingspan of a 747 passenger jet.

Three spacewalks are planned during the 11-day mission. The first and second EVA’s will be dedicated to installing the solar array tower. The third walk will involve setting up a devise to gauge whether the solar arrays will create an electrical shock hazard for astronauts working outside the station.

Endeavour's crew is to venture inside the space station on the fifth day of the mission, but only for a short time. After unloading some supplies inside Unity, the crew is to return to the shuttle without seeing the three station residents. However, two days later, both crews will get-together. It will be the first face-to-face human contact the Expedition One crew will have since their Oct. 31 launch.

The STS 97 crew is made up of Cmdr. Brent Jett (USN) will command the mission; pilot Lt. Col. Michael Bloomfield (USAF); and Mission Specialists Joe Tanner; Lt. Col. Carlos Noriega (USMC) and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Marc Garneau.