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

Index of STS-83/STS-94 images

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 1 at 2:37 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 17 at 7:23 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 46 minutes
• CREW: Halsell, Still, Voss, Gernhardt, Thomas, Crouch and Linteris (image)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: In the VAB, orbiter/external tank mating close-outs continue. The Shuttle Interface Test will be completed today and solid rocket booster flight readiness tests are in work. Evaluations of a controller check-out unit on auxiliary power units No. 2 and No. 3 are complete. Columbia is scheduled to roll out to pad 39A beginning at 3 a.m. tomorrow, weather permitting.

Shuttle managers have developed a success-oriented plan to replace about 36 tiles on Columbia's forward reaction control system, located on the nose of the orbiter. The tile work will be performed at the pad and is scheduled to be complete in time for the July 1 launch date.

Shuttle technicians raised the concern of possible cracked tiles two weeks ago during routine inspections of the FRCS. Evaluations of the FRCS tiles on the entire Shuttle fleet helped engineers decide to replace the tiles with stronger ones. The stronger tiles will better sustain the loads associated with thruster removal procedures and on orbit thruster firing, factors that contribute to tile cracking. Of the tiles removed on Columbia, only 7 were cracked.

STS-94 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Roll out to pad 39A (tomorrow at 3 a.m.)
• Flight Readiness Review (June 19)

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

Index of STS-85 images

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: August 7 at 10:39 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 1 hour, 41 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: August 18 at 7:27 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: Heat shield installation continues today and midbody close-outs continue on schedule. Repair work on the lower portion of Discovery's rudder speed brake will be completed today. Waterproofing of the orbiter's thermal protection system is underway and leak checks of the crew hatch are in work.

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

• Crew Equipment Interface Test (June 14)

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: 10 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: September 28 at 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: Removal of fuel cell No. 3 is complete and replacement work will begin today. The orbiter maneuvering system functional check outs are scheduled to begin later this week. Evaluations of Atlantis' FRCS tiles continue with 20 tiles removed to date.

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: Endeavour's payload bay doors were opened yesterday and technicians are gaining access to the orbiter's midbody today. Installation of the radiators in the payload bay is scheduled this week and servicing of the orbiter's freon coolant loop No. 2 is also in work. Evaluations of Endeavour's FRCS tiles have resulted in the removal of 16 tiles to date.

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