• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Pad 39B
• KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 12 at about 4:27 a.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7 minutes
• DOCK WITH MIR: Jan. 14 at about 10:50 p.m. EST
• UNDOCK FROM MIR: Jan. 19 at about 9:12 p.m. EST
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 22 at about 7:57 a.m. EST
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 3 hours, 30 minutes
• CREW: Baker, Jett, Grunsfeld, Ivins, Wisoff, Linenger (up), Blaha (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE:The six-member crew for mission STS-81 arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility last night at 10 p.m. and the countdown for launch began as scheduled at 7 a.m. today at the T-43 hour mark. No technical issues are being worked at this time and Atlantis is on schedule for launch at 4:27 a.m. Sunday.

At the pad, aft engine compartment and solid rocket booster close-outs are complete. Today, preparations are under way to load cryogenic reactants into the power reactant storage and distribution system onboard the orbiter. The pad will be cleared at midnight and cryogenic loading will commence at about 3:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Weather forecasters are currently indicating only a 30 percent chance of weather violations on launch day. The primary concern is for possible low ceilings or fog. There is no concern for weather violations at the time of tanking at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The temperature at the pad at launch time is expected to be about 44 degrees; relative humidity about 89 percent; clouds possibly as low as 500 feet, then scattered at 3,500 feet and 10,000 feet and broken at 25,000 feet; pad winds from the north at 3-5 knots; and no precipitation is forecast.

The 24-hour delay forecast indicates a 70 percent chance of violation. The 48-hour delay forecast shows an 80 percent chance of violation.

KEY STS-81 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Begin loading cryogenic reactants into Atlantis' onboard storage tanks (3:30 a.m. Fri.)
• Move Rotating Service Structure to launch position (10 a.m. Saturday)
• Begin external tank cryogenic loading (7 p.m. Saturday)
• Crew walk-out (12:42 a.m. Sunday)

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: February 13 at 2:59 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 61 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: February 23 at 1:35 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 22 hours
• CREW: Bowersox, Horowitz, Lee, Hawley, Harbaugh, Smith, Tanner
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 360 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Final close-outs in the payload bay are complete and the doors will be closed tonight. Airlock and aft engine compartment close-outs are also set to be completed later today. Roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building is targeted for late Saturday afternoon. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, Discovery will be mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters.

KEY STS-82 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Roll to VAB (6 p.m. Saturday)
• Roll out to Pad 39A (Jan. 17)
• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Jan. 22-23)

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 27 at 2:19 p.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 12 at 7:47 a.m. EST
• MISSION DURATION: 16 days
• CREW: Halsell, Still, Voss, Thomas, Gernhardt, Linteris, Crouch
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Preparations continue for removal of the Space Shuttle main engines this weekend. Pressure checks of fuel cell No. 2 and payload bay door radiator functional tests are complete. Stacking of the solid rocket boosters in the Vehicle Assembly Building continues.

KEY STS-83 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Begin removal of main engines (Saturday)
• Remove right hand orbital maneuvering system pod (Jan. 16)
• Install Microgravity Science Laboratory into orbiter's payload bay (Jan. 24)
• Install Space Shuttle main engines (Jan. 26)

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