MISSION: STS-83 -- Microgravity Science Laboratory-1

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 (image)
• LOCATION: Pad 39A
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: April 3 at 2:01 p.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 19 at about 7:37 a.m. EDT
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 36 minutes
• CREW: Halsell, Still, Voss, Thomas, Gernhardt, Linteris, Crouch (image)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: The STS-83 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) was completed on Friday and went very well.

Over the weekend workers removed and replaced a low pressure fuel turbo pump on main engine No. 1 and preliminary leak checks are complete. Close-out work is in progress and should be complete by Tuesday morning. Solid rocket booster nozzle plug removal and inspection is complete. Technicians completed minor repair work on the right booster and nozzle installation is scheduled for tonight.

STS-83 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

* Flight Readiness Review (March 20)

* Ordnance installation (March 26)

MISSION: STS-84 -- 6th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM (image)

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 15 at about 4:07 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 24 at about 7:52 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 3 hours, 45 minutes
• CREW: Precourt, Collins, Foale, Noriega, Lu, Clervoy, Kondakova
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Close-outs of Atlantis' aft compartment are scheduled through March 24. Orbiter Docking System functional checks are complete with voltage checks and pyro connections scheduled through Tuesday. In the VAB, preparations are in work for removal and replacement of the SRB nozzle plugs.

STS-84 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

* Remove and replace SRB nozzle plugs in the VAB (March 19-20)

* Crew equipment and interface test (March 22)

* Mate external tank to solid rocket boosters (March 24)

* Close payload bay doors for roll to VAB (March 31)

* Roll over to the VAB (April 9)

MISSION: STS-85 -- CRISTA-SPAS-2

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 17 at 10:06 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 1 hour, 54 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 28 at about 6:54 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 20 hours, 48 minutes
• CREW: Brown, Ashby, Davis, Curbeam, Robinson, Tryggvason
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/57 degrees

NOTE: Borescope inspections of Discovery's main engine low pressure fuel pumps revealed no anomalies. Check-outs of the orbital maneuvering system should be completed today and fuel cell leak checks are in work. Preparations for Shuttle main engine removal continue.

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

* Forward reaction control system functional checks (March 21)

* Remove Space Shuttle main engines (March 28)

For automatic e-mail subscriptions to this daily Shuttle status report or KSC originated press releases, send an Internet electronic mail message to domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line) type the words "subscribe shuttle-status", or "subscribe ksc-press-release" (do not use quotation marks). The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription.

To remove your name from the list at any time, send an e-mail address to domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line), type (no quotes) "unsubscribe shuttle-status", or "unsubscribe ksc-press-release."

Status reports and other NASA publications are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/kscpao.htm

Information about the countdown and mission can be accessed electronically via the Internet at: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/ and at http://shuttle.nasa.gov/