MISSION: STS-83 -- Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (image)

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 (image)
• LOCATION: Pad 39A
• 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:Loading the hypergolic propellants into the orbiter’s reaction control system is complete and the pad has been reopened. Aft engine compartment close-outs and launch countdown preparations are underway. Ordnance installation is scheduled for tonight. The countdown will begin at the T-43 hour mark at 2 p.m. Monday, March 31.

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

* Ordnance installation (March 26)

* Begin launch countdown (2 p.m. March 31)

* Crew arrival (2:30 p.m. March 31)

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: The forward reaction control system has been removed from Atlantis to allow for additional checks of the thruster seal savers. X-rays of the FRCS will continue today. Securing of main engine No. 3 also continues. In the VAB, the external tank was mated to the solid rocket boosters yesterday.

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

* 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, Rominger, Davis, Curbeam, Robinson, Tryggvason
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/57 degrees

NOTE: Space Shuttle main engines No. 1 and 3 have been removed. Engine No. 2 will be removed today. The forward reaction control system functional checks continue today. Work to remove and replace fuel cell No. 2 will begin Thursday.

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

* Remove and replace fuel cell No. 2 (March 27)

* Install main engines

NOTE ON ENDEAVOUR: During yesterday’s attempts to mate the orbiter Endeavour to the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) at Palmdale, CA, a problem developed on the carrier plate covering the orbiter’s liquid hydrogen 17-inch disconnect umbilical attach points. The orbiter was lowered back to the ground and technicians entered the main engine compartment to replace the fasteners that hold the carrier plate in place. Departure from Palmdale is now estimated to be no earlier than 4 or 5 p.m. EST today. A two-day ferry flight is still scheduled with a possible stopover at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, TX, and Ellington Field in Houston, TX, weather permitting. The orbiter will continue on to KSC as early as Wednesday afternoon. A weather briefing will be conducted this afternoon to determine the most likely route for the orbiter/SCA to take.

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/