• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Pad 39B
• KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 12 at about 4:27.22 a.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: about 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 countdown for launch of Atlantis on mission STS-81 continues on schedule today. Launch remains set for Sunday, Jan. 12, at about 4:27 a.m. at the opening of a seven-minute window. The exact time of launch will be announced about 90 minutes prior to lift-off, following final computation of the location of the Mir space station.

The orbiter's mid-body umbilical unit was demated and retracted into the fixed service structure yesterday. At about 10 a.m. today, the rotating service structure was moved to launch position. Loading of the external tank with cryogenic propellants is scheduled to begin at about 7 p.m. tonight. Prior to cryogenic loading operations, the Mission Management Team will meet to discuss tomorrow's launch weather outlook. A final decision to proceed with operations is expected at about 6:30 p.m., although there are no outstanding issues known at this time that would preclude a launch attempt tomorrow. The management team is working no hardware issues or concerns.

Today, the crew will sleep until about 5:30 p.m. When they are awakened they will spend about 6 hours preparing for tomorrow's early morning launch before being seated for their final pre-launch meal at about 11:27 p.m. They depart for the pad about 12:42 a.m.

Air Force weather forecasters continue indicating a 30 percent probability of weather prohibiting launch on Sunday. A cold front will remain well east of KSC over the Atlantic Ocean, curving southwestward over southern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The only concern tomorrow is for a possible low cloud ceiling. There is no concern for weather violations at the time of tanking tonight.

During Sunday's seven minute launch period, the temperature at the pad is expected to be about 48 degrees; relative humidity about 93 percent; clouds scattered at 3,000 feet and broken at 25,000 feet; pad winds from the north at 7-10 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.

SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-81

  T-TIME            LENGTH OF HOLD          HOLD BEGINS        HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours            4 hours             11:00 p.m. Thurs.  3:00 a.m. Fri.
T-19 hours            4 hours             11:00 a.m. Fri.    3:00 p.m. Fri.
T-11 hours           13 hours, 37 min.    11:00 p.m. Fri.   12:37 p.m. Sat.
T-6  hours            2 hours              5:37 p.m. Sat.    7:37 p.m. Sat.
T-3  hours            2 hours             10:37 p.m. Sat.   12:37 a.m. Sun.
T-20 minutes         10 minutes            3:17 a.m. Sun.    3:27 a.m. Sun.
T-9  minutes   about 40 minutes            3:38 a.m. Sun.    4:18 a.m. Sun.

CREW FOR MISSION STS-81

         Commander (CDR): Michael Baker
             Pilot (PLT): Brent Jett
Mission Specialist (MS1): Jeff Wisoff
Mission Specialist (MS2): John Grunsfeld
Mission Specialist (MS3): Marsha Ivins
Mission Specialist (MS4): Jerry Linenger (up)
Mission Specialist (MS4): John Blaha (down)

SUMMARY OF STS-81 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES

Saturday, Jan. 11

   5:30 p.m.    Wake up
   6:00 p.m.    Breakfast
* 11:27 p.m.    Lunch and crew photo
  11:57 p.m.    Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)


Sunday, Jan. 12

  12:12 a.m.    Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, MS4)
  12:22 a.m.    Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
* 12:30 a.m.    Crew suiting photo
* 12:42 a.m.    Depart for launch pad 39B
*  1:22 a.m.    Arrive at white room and begin ingress
*  2:37 a.m.    Close crew hatch
*  4:27 a.m.    Launch

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

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