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

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: Pad 39A (image)
• KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 1 at 2:37 p.m. EDT
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 17 at 7:13 a.m. EDT
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 36 minutes
• CREW: Halsell, Still, Voss, Gernhardt, Thomas, Crouch and Linteris (image)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Operations continue on schedule for the launch of Columbia on mission STS-94 and the Microgravity Science Laboratory. STS-94 is a reflight of the shortened STS-83 mission of April of this year.

Operations to load cryogenics into the orbiter's onboard storage tanks began on schedule at about 11 a.m. today and will be complete by about 11 p.m. The fuel cells generate power for Columbia and the Microgravity Science Laboratory during the 16-day mission. Following cryogenic loading, the orbiter's mid-body umbilical unit will be demated and retracted into the Fixed Service Structure. Final vehicle and facility close-outs will also resume.

Tomorrow, preparations will be made to retract the Rotating Service Structure to launch position at about 8:30 p.m. Loading of the external tank with cryogenic propellants is scheduled to begin at about 5:45 a.m. Tuesday. The astronauts will depart the crew quarters for the launch pad at 11:17 a.m. and begin boarding Columbia about a half hour later. The hatch will be closed and sealed at 1:07 p.m., leading to launch at 2:37 p.m.

Air Force weather forecasters are currently indicating a 90 percent probability of weather prohibiting launch of Columbia on July 1. The concern is for thunderstorms and associated rain, wind and lightning. Given the possibility of severe weather during Tuesday's launch attempt, managers may elect to postpone the opening of the launch window by up to two hours. If this option is selected, the decision will be reached by late Monday afternoon.

During Tuesday's launch window, the winds at KSC are expected to be from the east at 5 knots gusting to 10 knots; temperature 85 degrees F; visibility 7 miles; humidity 72 percent; and clouds scattered at 3,000 feet. The 24-hour delay forecast reveals similar conditions and a 70 percent chance of violation.

  T-TIME       LENGTH OF HOLD           HOLD BEGINS         HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours	 4 hours	      7:00 a.m. Sun.	 11:00 a.m. Sun.
T-19 hours	 8 hours	      7:00 p.m. Sun.	  3:00 a.m. Mon.
T-11 hours	13 hours, 17 mins.   11:00 a.m. Mon.	 12:17 a.m. Tues.
T-6  hours	 1 hour		      5:17 a.m. Tues.	  6:17 a.m. Tues.
T-3  hours	 2 hours	      9:17 a.m. Tues.	 11:17 a.m. Tues.
T-20 minutes	10 minutes	      1:57 p.m. Tues.	  2:07 p.m. Tues.
T-9  minutes	10 minutes	      2:18 p.m. Tues.	  2:28 p.m. Tues.

         Commander (CDR):	Jim Halsell  (Red Team)
             Pilot (PLT):	Susan Still  (Red Team)
Mission Specialist (MS1):	Janice Voss  (Blue Team)
Mission Specialist (MS2):	Michael Gernhardt  (Blue Team)
Mission Specialist (MS3):	Donald Thomas  (Red Team)
Payload Specialist (PS1):	Roger Crouch  (Blue Team)
Payload Specialist (PS2):	Greg Linteris  (Red Team)

Tuesday, July 1

   1:30 a.m.	Wake up (Red Team )
   2:00 a.m.	Breakfast (Red Team)
   8:30 a.m.	Lunch (Red Team)
   9:42 a.m.	Wake up (Blue Team)
  10:12 a.m.	Breakfast (Blue Team)
* 10:12 a.m.	Crew Photo (All)
  10:42 a.m.	Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
  10:42 a.m.	Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, PS1, PS2)
  10:52 a.m.	Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
* 11:00 a.m.	Crew suiting photo
* 11:17 a.m.	Depart for launch pad 39A
* 11:52 a.m.	Arrive at white room and begin ingress
*  1:07 p.m.	Close crew hatch
*  2:37 p.m.	Launch

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

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