GO TO THE NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT

KSC Contact: George H. Diller

The preparations for the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on Mission STS-79 continue on schedule at Pad 39-A. The L-2 day review was held this afternoon in the Mission Briefing Room and there are no open issues remaining to be resolved by the Mission Management Team before tanking begins tomorrow night. The countdown clock in Firing Room 1 of the Launch Control Center entered a planned built-in hold at 4 p.m. today and will resume counting down at 1:03 p.m. on Sunday.

The updated weather forecast presented to the Mission Management Team this afternoon was unchanged from this morning’s prediction and continues to reflect just a 30% chance of not meeting the launch weather criteria due primarily to a chance of low cloudiness or some fog. At launch time the temperature is expected to be 76 degrees, humidity 77% and Easterly winds at 6 knots.

Underway this afternoon is the activity is to install time-critical experiments and other items designated for late-stowage into the SPACEHAB Double Module in the payload bay. This activity is scheduled to conclude at 8 p.m. At midnight tonight the hatch to the SPACEHAB will be closed for launch.

Overnight last night the orbiter’s cryogenic reactants used for power generation were loaded aboard. This activity was completed on schedule early this morning, and the orbiter mid-body umbilical unit used for loading the reactants has been removed. Yesterday the communications systems of the orbiter were checked out and the navigation and guidance systems tested. Both will be activated for flight Sunday afternoon. A test of the firing chain and the Range Safety systems aboard the Space Shuttle was also performed yesterday.

The astronauts today had a final fit check of their launch and entry suits. The Commander and Pilot flew the Shuttle Training Aircraft early this morning, and the other crew members flew in the T-38 jet trainers. They had their final physical examinations yesterday.

On Sunday at the launch pad the time critical mid-deck experiments will be stowed, the crew’s personal effects will be stowed aboard, and the switches in the cockpit will be configured for launch. The gantry-like rotating service structure which provides the primary access and weather protection for the vehicle is scheduled to be retracted at about 11 a.m.

Loading of fuels into the Space Shuttle external tank is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night. The astronauts will be awakened in the crew quarters at midnight and after breakfast will depart for the launch pad. They will begin boarding Atlantis at about 1:45 a.m. The crew access hatch will be closed and sealed at about 3 a.m.

Launch remains scheduled to occur at 4:54 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, which will begin a 10-day mission planned to end with a landing at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday, Sept. 26 at approximately 8:12 a.m.