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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1995 (11:34 AM EDT) LAUNCH - 3 DAYS MISSION: STS-73 -- U.S. MICROGRAVITY LABORATORY-2 VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: Pad 39B TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 28 at 9:40 a.m. EDT LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 14 at 7:35 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes CREW SIZE: 7 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 172 statute miles/39 degrees NOTE: The countdown for launch of Columbia began at 4 a.m. today for a 2 1/2 hour launch window opening at 9:40 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5. This is the second launch attempt of mission STS-73. It follows last week’s launch scrub during tanking operations due to a leaking main fuel valve on main engine no. 1. The valve was successfully replaced at the pad, tested and checked for leaks over the weekend. Forecasters are currently predicting a 70 percent chance of weather violating launch commit criteria on Thursday. This is due primarily to clouds and rain associated with Hurricane Opal, currently located in the Gulf of Mexico and headed in a eastward direction. The STS-73 crew will arrive at KSC later today in two waves. The Red Team (Bowersox, Rominger, Thornton and Sacco) is scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m. The Blue Team (Coleman, Lopez-Alegria and Leslie) is scheduled to arrive at about 10:30 p.m. IN WORK TODAY: · Final vehicle and facility close-outs for launch · Aft engine compartment close-outs · Stowage of flight crew equipment WORK COMPLETED: · Replace, test and leak check of main fuel valve on main engine no. 1 · Countdown preparations · Begin launch countdown (4 a.m. today) KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES: · Crew arrival at Shuttle Landing Facility (today at 4 and 10:30 p.m.) · Spacelab final stowage operations (Tuesday) · Begin cryogenic loading of external tank for flight (1:20 a.m. Thursday) NOTE: For additional details regarding STS-73 countdown milestones, please refer to KSC Release No. 99-95. SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-73 (Run 2) T-TIME LENGTH OF HOLD HOLD BEGINS HOLD ENDS T-27 hours 4 hours 8:00 p.m. Monday 12 midnight Monday T-19 hours 8 hours 8:00 a.m. Tuesday 4:00 p.m. Tuesday T-11 hours 19 hours, 20 minutes 12:00 a.m. Wednesday 7:20 p.m. Wednesday T-6 hours 1 hour 12:20 a.m. Thursday 1:20 a.m. Thursday T-3 hours 2 hours 4:20 a.m. Thursday 6:20 a.m. Thursday T-20 minutes 10 minutes 9:00 a.m. Thursday 9:10 a.m. Thursday T-9 minutes 10 minutes 9:21 a.m. Thursday 9:31 a.m. Thursday CREW FOR MISSION STS-73 Ken Bowersox Commander (CDR) Red Team Kent Rominger Pilot (PLT) Red Team Catherine Coleman Mission Specialist (MS1) Blue Team Michael Lopez-Alegria Mission Specialist (MS2) Blue Team Kathryn Thornton Mission Specialist (MS3) Red Team Fred Leslie Payload Specialist (PS1) Blue Team Albert Sacco Payload Specialist (PS2) Red Team SUMMARY OF STS-73 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES Wednesday, Oct. 4 7:00 p.m. Wake up (Blue Team) 7:30 p.m. Breakfast (Blue Team) Thursday, Oct. 5 12:30 a.m. Lunch (Blue Team) 4:00 a.m. Wake up (Red Team) * 5:15 a.m. Breakfast/Dinner and Crew Photo 5:45 a.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2) 5:45 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, PS1, PS2) 5:55 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2) * 6:10 a.m. Crew suiting photo * 6:25 a.m. Depart for Launch Pad 39B * 6:55 a.m. Arrive at white room and begin orbiter ingress * 8:10 a.m. Close crew hatch * 9:40 a.m. Launch * Televised events (times may vary slightly) All times Eastern MISSION: STS-74 -- 2nd MIR DOCKING (Docking Module) NOTE: Atlantis, scheduled for launch on Nov. 1, will be rolled to the Vehicle Assembly Building later this afternoon. In the VAB, Atlantis will be mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters and then rolled to Pad 39A on Oct. 9.