MISSION: STS-94 -- Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (image)
Flight Day 9

Take a Virtual Tour of Columbia and the Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 Payload!

Index of STS-83/STS-94 images

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: on orbit
• OFFICIAL LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 1 at 2:02 p.m. EDT (image)
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 17 at about 6:53 a.m. EDT
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 51 minutes
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: At Hangar AF, open assessments of the STS-94 solid rocket boosters are complete and good. Booster disassembly continues in work. Columbia continues to perform very well on orbit as science investigations continue in the Spacelab module.

The crew of Mission STS-94: Commander Jim Halsell; Pilot Susan Still; Mission Specialists Janice Voss, Michael Gernhardt and Donald Thomas; and Payload Specialists Roger Crouch and Greg Linteris.

MISSION: STS-85 -- CRISTA-SPAS-2 (image)

Index of STS-85 images

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: August 7 at 10:41 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 1 hour, 41 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: August 18 at 7:29 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 20 hours, 48 minutes
• CREW: Brown, Rominger, Davis, Curbeam, Robinson, Tryggvason
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/57 degrees

NOTE: In the VAB, orbiter/external tank mating operations continue with umbilical, electrical and mechanical hook-ups still in work. Functional testing of the 17-inch disconnect on the liquid oxygen umbilical assembly is planned for tonight. The shuttle interface test is scheduled to begin Thursday and conclude Friday. Discovery is slated to roll out to Pad 39A on Monday beginning at about 2 a.m.

The Crista-Spas payload is in the canister awaiting transfer to Pad A tomorrow morning.

STS-85 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Shuttle Interface Test begins (July 10)
• Crista-Spas payload to pad 39A (July 10)
• Orbiter roll out to pad 39A (July 14)
• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (July 22-23)
• Flight Readiness Review (July 24)

MISSION: STS-86 -- 7th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: September 18 at about 1:39 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: September 28 at about 5:19 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 3 hours, 49 minutes
• CREW: Wetherbee, Bloomfield, Parazynski, Titov, Chretien, Lawrence (up), Foale (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Shuttle main engine securing concluded this morning and integrated main propulsion system testing continues through Thursday. Main engine heat shield installation begins tomorrow. Fuel cell No. 2 electrical mates are complete and mechanical mates are in work. Servicing of water spray boiler No. 3 is complete and a 48-hour decay check is underway. Functional checks are also planned for Atlantis' liquid oxygen 17-inch disconnect.

A structural test is typically conducted on a Shuttle orbiter just before its Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP). This week Shuttle managers scheduled Atlantis' structural test for July 21, taking advantage of time gained during the STS-86 processing flow. The three-week long test introduces varying frequencies and loads to an orbiter's structure in order to collect data on the vehicle's structural strength. Because the test requires the orbiter's payload bay doors to be closed for flight, the STS-86 crew members will conduct the mid-body portion of the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) on July 14. The remaining portion of the CEIT will take place on July 26.

STS-86 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Mid-body Crew Equipment Interface Test (July 14)
• Heat shield installation complete (July 15)
• Payload bay doors closed for flight (July 19)
• Orbiter structural testing begins (July 21)

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

• VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: January 15, 1998 at about 12:57 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: January 24, 1998 at about 5:20 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 4 hours, 23 minutes
• CREW: Wilcutt, Edwards, Dunbar, Anderson, Reilly, Wolf (up), Lawrence (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Work to replace window No. 6 and modifications to the orbiter's elevon coves continue in work this week. Preparations to remove the 17-inch disconnect for the liquid oxygen umbilical assembly began today.

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