MISSION: STS-94 -- Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (image)
Flight Day 15

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)
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 17 at about 6:47 a.m. EDT
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 51 minutes
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Mission managers are targeting Thursday for Columbia's return home and are evaluating weather conditions at KSC and Edwards Air Force Base. KSC has two landing opportunities on Thursday - one at 6:47 a.m. and another at 8:23 a.m. Though Edwards Air Force Base will not be called on to support a Thursday landing, Edwards does provide a single opportunity on Friday at 9:45 a.m EDT. KSC's Friday opportunities are at 6:45 a.m. and 8:20 a.m.

Forecasters expect high pressure to dominate Florida's weather on Thursday. For the first KSC opportunity, light and variable surface winds and moisture will cause fog patches to develop near sunrise. The second KSC opportunity is expected to provide better weather conditions.

Clouds:			Few at 2,000 feet and scattered at 25,000 feet 
Visibility:		7 miles with a chance for 1/2 mile if fog is predominate
Wind:			West at 4 knots
Temperature:		73 degrees F		
Dewpoint:  		73 Degrees
Relative Humidity:  	100%  
Precipitation:		Showers offshore beyond 30 nautical miles

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: Pad 39A
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: August 7 at 10:41 a.m. (under review)
• 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: At pad 39A, the Rotating Service Structure is in place around Discovery. Pad validation activities are underway and integrated hydraulic operations are slated for tomorrow. Preparations are in work for loading of hypergolic propellants, scheduled for July 24. The payload bay doors were opened last night and vertical payload installation is in work today. The payload Interface Verification Test is scheduled for Thursday.

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

• 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: Lubrication and stowing activities for the orbiter docking system are complete. The STS-86 flight crew completed their midbody Crew Equipment Interface Test last night and will return to KSC on July 26 for crew compartment familiarization. Integrated hydraulic testing is in work on Atlantis and window polishing continues through tomorrow. Installation of the newly fabricated thermal protection tiles for the forward reaction control system is underway and Atlantis' Modal (structural) Test will conclude this weekend.

The payload bay doors are slated for closure later this week. In the VAB, solid rocket booster stacking operations are on schedule for external tank/SRB mate activities on July 24.

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

• Payload bay doors closed for flight (July 19)
• Orbiter Modal Test complete (July 21)
• External tank and solid rocket booster mate (July 24)

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: Modifications to the orbiter's elevon coves are back in work through next week. The ammonia system's leak and functional testing is complete. Removal of the liquid oxygen 17-inch disconnect continues through tomorrow. While installing Endeavour's docking mechanism yesterday, technicians noticed a damaged seal on the mechanism. A new seal is being installed today and the docking mechanism will be installed tomorrow.

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