The countdown includes 25 hours and 48 minutes of built-in hold time leading to the opening of the launch window at 4:18 a.m. (EDT) on Jan. 11. The launch window extends for about 49 minutes. The exact launch time will be announced about 90 minutes prior to liftoff following final computation of the location of the SFU spacecraft.
STS-72 is the first Space Shuttle mission for 1996. It will be the 10th flight of the Shuttle Endeavour and the 74th flight overall in NASA’s Space Shuttle program.
The primary objectives of mission STS-72 are to retrieve the Japanese Space Flyer Unit (SFU) and to deploy and retrieve the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology Flyer (OAST-Flyer).
Endeavour was rolled out of Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 on Nov. 30 and mated with the external tank and solid rocket boosters in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Shuttle stack was then transported to Pad 39-B on Dec. 6. Endeavour last flew in September 1995.
The STS-72 crew are: Commander Brian Duffy, Pilot Brent Jett, and Mission Specialists Leroy Chaio, Winston Scott, Dan Barry and Koichi Wakata, representing the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA).
The crew arrived at KSC at about 9:30 a.m. yesterday. Their activities at KSC prior to launch include equipment fit checks, medical examinations and opportunities to fly in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.
Enter first planned built-in hold at T-27 hours for duration of four hours
(11:30 p.m.)
Resume countdown (3:30 a.m.)
* Begin the 5-hour operation to load cryogenic reactants into
Endeavour's fuel cell storage tanks.
* After cryogenic loading operations, re-open the pad
Enter four-hour built-in hold at T-19 hours (11:30 a.m.)
* Resume orbiter and ground support equipment close-outs
* Begin installation of mission specialists' seats in crew cabin
Resume countdown (3:30 p.m.)
* Demate orbiter mid-body umbilical unit and retract into fixed
service structure
* Start final preparations of the Shuttle's three main engines for
main propellant tanking and flight
* Activate flight controls and navigation systems
* Close-out the tail service masts on the mobile launcher platform
* Perform orbiter ascent switch list in crew cabin
* Install film in numerous cameras on the launch pad
* Activate the orbiter's communications systems
* Activate orbiter's inertial measurement units
Enter planned hold at T-11 hours for 13 hours, 28 minutes (11:30 p.m.)
Resume countdown (12:58 p.m.)
* Start fuel cell flow-through purge
* Install time critical flight crew equipment
* Perform pre-ingress switch list
* Activate the orbiter's fuel cells
* Configure communications at Mission Control in Houston for launch
* Activate the solid rocket booster’s joint heaters
* Clear the blast danger area of all non-essential personnel
* Switch Endeavour's purge air to gaseous nitrogen
* Activate auxiliary power unit heaters
Enter planned two-hour built-in hold at the T-6 hour mark (5:58 p.m.)
* Launch team verifies no violations of launch commit criteria prior
to cryogenic loading of the external tank
* Verify pad is clear of all personnel
Resume countdown (7:58 p.m.)
* Begin loading the external tank with cryogenic propellants (7:58 p.m.)
* Perform inertial measurement unit preflight calibration
* Align Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA) tracking antennas
* Complete filling the external tank with its flight load of liquid
hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants (11 p.m.)
Enter two-hour hold at T-3 hours (10:58 p.m.)
* Perform open loop test with Eastern Range
* Conduct gimbal profile checks of orbital maneuvering system engines
* Close-out crew and Final Inspection Team proceeds to Launch Pad 39-B
* Crew departs Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Pad 39-B
(1:03 a.m.)
* Complete close-out preparations in the white room
* Check cockpit switch configurations
* Flight crew enters orbiter
* Astronauts perform air-to-ground voice checks with Launch Control and
Mission Control
* Close Endeavour's crew hatch
* Begin Eastern Range final network open loop command checks
* Perform hatch seal and cabin leak checks
* Complete white room close-out
* Close-out crew moves to fallback area
* Primary ascent guidance data is transferred to the backup flight system
Enter planned 10-minute hold at T-20 minutes (3:38 a.m.)
* NASA Test Director conducts final launch team briefings
Resume countdown (3:48 a.m.)
* Transition the orbiter's onboard computers to launch configuration
* Start fuel cell thermal conditioning
* Close orbiter cabin vent valves
* Transition backup flight system to launch configuration
Enter final 10-minute hold at T-9 minutes (3:59 a.m.)
* Launch Director, Mission Management Team and NASA Test Director conduct final polls for go/no go to launch
Resume countdown at T-9 minutes (4:09 a.m.)
* Start automatic ground launch sequencer (T-9:00 minutes)
* Retract orbiter crew access arm (T-7:30)
* Start mission recorders (T-5:30)
* Start Auxiliary Power Units (T-5:00)
* Arm SRB and ET range safety safe and arm devices (T-5:00)
* Start liquid oxygen drainback (T-4:55)
* Start orbiter aerosurface profile test (T-3:55)
* Start MPS gimbal profile test (T-3:30)
* Pressurize liquid oxygen tank (T-2:55)
* Begin retraction of the gaseous oxygen vent arm (T-2:55)
* Fuel cells to internal reactants (T-2:35)
* Pressurize liquid hydrogen tank (T-1:57)
* Deactivate SRB joint heaters (T-1:00)
* Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power (T-0:50 seconds)
* Ground Launch Sequencer go for auto sequence start (T-0:31 seconds)
* Ignition of three Space Shuttle main engines (T-6.6 seconds)
* SRB ignition and liftoff (T-0)
T-TIME LENGTH OF HOLD HOLD BEGINS HOLD ENDS T-27 hours 4 hours 11:30 p.m. Monday 3:30 a.m. Tuesday T-19 hours 4 hours 11:30 a.m. Tuesday 3:30 p.m. Tuesday T-11 hours 13 hours, 28 minutes 11:30 p.m. Tuesday 12:58 p.m. Wednesday T-6 hours 2 hours 5:58 p.m. Wednesday 7:58 p.m. Wednesday T-3 hours 2 hours 10:58 p.m. Wednesday 12:58 a.m. Thursday T-20 minutes 10 minutes 3:38 a.m. Thursday 3:48 a.m. Thursday T-9 minutes 10 minutes 3:59 a.m. Thursday 4:09 a.m. Thursday
Brian Duffy Commander (CDR) Brent Jett Pilot (PLT) Leroy Chiao Mission Specialist (MS1) Winston Scott Mission Specialist (MS2) Koichi Wakata Mission Specialist (MS3) Dan Barry Mission Specialist (MS4)
Wednesday, Jan. 10 7:00 p.m. Wake up 7:30 p.m. Breakfast * 11:38 p.m. Lunch and Crew Photo Thursday, Jan. 11 12:08 a.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2) 12:08 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, MS4,) 12:18 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2) * 12:40 a.m. Crew suiting photo * 1:03 a.m. Depart for Launch Pad 39B * 1:33 a.m. Arrive at white room and begin orbiter ingress * 2:48 a.m. Close crew hatch * 4:18 a.m. Launch* Televised events (times may vary slightly)