Space Shuttle Program managers today selected Nov. 19 as the launch date for the eighth and final mission of 1997 to deploy and retrieve a sun-studying science satellite, conduct microgravity experiments and test International Space Station assembly and maintenance techniques and tools.
The Flight Readiness Review was held today at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, to evaluate the readiness of the flight crew, vehicle and launch and mission control teams to support the flight.
The launch window opens at 2:46 p.m. EST and closes two and a half hours later at about 5:30 p.m. Following a nominal flight duration of 15 days, 16 hours, 34 minutes, Columbia is scheduled to land at KSC at about 7:20 a.m. EST, Dec. 5.
Columbia's crew is comprised of Commander Kevin Kregel, Pilot Steven Lindsey, Mission Specialists Takao Doi, Winston Scott and Kalpana Chawla, and Ukrainian Payload Specialist Leonid Kadenyuk.
One of the highlights of the flight is a spacewalk by Scott and Doi who will test tools, techniques and hardware that will help in the assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station, both during its construction and subsequent operations. The spacewalk also will test a unique, basketball shaped satellite which is remotely operated from inside the Shuttle to demonstrate the feasibility of remote photography near the Shuttle or station.
"The processing and training teams have done an excellent job getting Columbia and its crew ready for this mission," said George Abbey, Director of the Johnson Space Center, who chaired the Flight Readiness Review.
STS-87 will be Columbia's 24th flight and the 88th Shuttle flight in the program's history.