MISSION: STS-83 -- Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (image)

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 (image)
• LOCATION: Pad 39A
• LAUNCH DATE/TIME: April 4 at 2:00 p.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 20 at about 7:36 a.m. EDT
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 36 minutes
• CREW: Halsell, Still, Voss, Thomas, Gernhardt, Linteris, Crouch (image)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: The countdown resumed at 2 a.m. today at the T-19 hour mark following the 24-hour postponement of launch due to the requirement to add additional insulation to water coolant lines in the payload bay. (image) Launch is set for 2 p.m. EST Friday, April 4, at the opening of a 2 1/2 hour window.

Yesterday, the payload bay doors were opened and platforms installed for workers to reach the forward bulkhead in the payload bay where the water lines are located. Installation of the insulation was completed by late morning and the doors closed for flight by mid-afternoon. The 12-hour operation to load the cryogenics into Columbia's storage tanks began at 4 p.m. yesterday and was completed by 4 a.m. today.

Following cryogenic loading, the orbiter's mid-body umbilical unit was demated and retracted into the Fixed Service Structure. Final vehicle and facility close-outs are now underway.

The Rotating Service Structure will be moved into launch position at about 8 p.m. today and loading of the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen will begin at about 5:10 a.m. tomorrow.

Today, the seven-member astronaut crew will be briefed on tomorrow's weather outlook at KSC and at the Transoceanic Abort Landings sites in Spain and Africa.

Air Force weather forecasters are currently indicating only a 10 percent probability of weather prohibiting launch of Columbia on April 4. The only concern is for a slight chance of rain showers generated by sea breezes.

During Friday's launch window, the winds at Pad 39A are expected to be from the east-southeast at 7-12 knots; temperature 77 degrees F; visibility 7 miles; humidity 52 percent; and clouds scattered at 3,500 feet. The 24-hour-delay forecast reveals similar conditions and a 30 percent chance of violation. Please refer to KSC Release No. 47-97 for more information on Shuttle weather launch commit criteria.

 T-TIME       LENGTH OF HOLD            HOLD BEGINS        HOLD ENDS
T-19 hours     32 hours                6:00 p.m. Tues.    2:00 a.m. Thurs.
T-11 hours     13 hours, 40 minutes   10:00 a.m. Thurs.  11:40 p.m. Thurs.
T-6  hours      1 hour                 4:40 a.m. Fri.     5:40 a.m. Fri.
T-3  hours      2 hours                8:40 a.m. Fri.    10:40 a.m. Fri.
T-20 minutes   10 minutes              1:20 p.m. Fri.     1:30 p.m. Fri.
T-9  minutes   10 minutes              1:41 p.m. Fri.     1:51 p.m. Fri.

         Commander (CDR):  Jim Halsell		(Red Team)
             Pilot (PLT):  Susan Still	 	(Red Team)
Mission Specialist (MS1):  Janice Voss	 	(Blue Team)
Mission Specialist (MS2):  Michael Gernhardt 	(Blue Team)
Mission Specialist (MS3):  Donald Thomas	(Red Team)
Mission Specialist (PS1):  Roger Crouch 	(Blue Team)
Mission Specialist (PS2):  Greg Linteris 	(Red Team)

Friday, April 4

  1:30 a.m.  Wake up (Red Team )
  3:30 a.m.  Breakfast (Red Team)
  8:30 a.m.  Lunch (Red Team)
  9:05 a.m.  Wake up (Blue Team)
  9:35 a.m.  Breakfast (Blue Team)
* 9:40 a.m.  Crew Photo (All)
 10:05 a.m.  Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
 10:05 a.m.  Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, PS1, PS2)
 10:15 a.m.  Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
*10:30 a.m.  Crew suiting photo
*10:40 a.m.  Depart for launch pad 39A
*11:15 a.m.  Arrive at white room (image) and begin ingress
*12:30 p.m.  Close crew hatch
* 2:00 p.m.  Launch

*Televised events (times may vary slightly)
All times Eastern

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