MISSION: STS-89 -- 8th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM

STS-89 images

• VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
• LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 20, 1998 at 10:31 p.m. EST (under review)
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• MIR DOCKING DATE/TIME: Jan. 22 at about 3:28 p.m. EST
• MIR UNDOCKING DATE/TIME: Jan. 27 at about 12:08 p.m. EST
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 29, 1998 at 7:18 p.m. EST
• MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 20 hours and 47 minutes
• CREW: Wilcutt, Edwards, Dunbar, Anderson, Reilly, Sharipov, Thomas (up), Wolf (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: In the Vehicle Assembly Building, the Shuttle interface test continues through this afternoon. Sanding operations on a thin layer of the STS-89 external tank foam insulation began early this morning and is proceeding on schedule. Managers expect the work to be complete in time for Endeavour to roll to Pad 39A on Friday.

The SPACEHAB payload and the payload canister remained in the Payload Changeout Room overnight due to high winds at the launch pad. The canister will be lowered today and returned to the Canister Rotation Facility today weather permitting. Once the Shuttle arrives at the pad, Endeavour’s cargo bay doors will be opened and payload installation will follow on Dec. 20.

STS-89 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Shuttle transferred to pad 39A (Dec. 19)
• SPACEHAB installed into orbiter (Dec. 20)
• Payload Interface Verification Test (Jan. 4-5)
• Flight Readiness Review (Jan. 7)
• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Jan. 8-9)

MISSION: STS-90 -- NEUROLAB

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: OPF bay 3
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: April 2, 1998 at 1:19 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 18, l998 at 12:09 p.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes
• CREW: Searfoss, Atlman, Linnehan, Williams, Hire, Buckey, Pawelczyk
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 150 nautical miles/39 degrees

NOTE: Last night, technicians completed work to off load Columbia’s residual hypergolic propellants. Functional tests on the forward reaction control system and remote manipulator system check-outs are in work today. Post-flight inspections continue on Columbia’s thermal protection system (TPS), with more than 70 percent of the inspections complete. Managers expect to have an assessment on total tile damage and replacement requirements this week.

STS-90 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Removal of remote manipulator system (Dec. 17)

MISSION: STS-91 -- 9th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB-SM

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: OPF bay 2
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 28 at 8:33 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: June 7 at about 12:17 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 3 hours, 44 minutes
• CREW: Precourt, Gorie, Lawrence, Chang-Diaz, Kavandi, Thomas (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Functional tests on the orbiter maneuvering system continue on schedule and radiator functional checks begin today. Fuel cell monitoring modifications continue, water spray boiler servicing and body flap corrosion repairs also continue. Preparations are in work for aft flight deck reconfiguration and Modular Auxiliary Data System verifications.

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