MISSION: STS-87 -- U.S. MICROGRAVITY PAYLOAD-4

STS-87 images

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: Pad 39B
• KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Nov. 19 at 2:46 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 5 at about 7:20 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 34 minutes
• CREW: Kregel, Lindsey, Scott, Chawla, Doi, Kadenyuk
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 150 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Functional checks of the space suits onboard Columbia are complete. Ordnance installation is complete and aft compartment close-outs continue. Data could not be loaded into mass memory unit No. 2, so technicians will replace the unit tonight.

STS-87 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Aft engine compartment close-outs complete (Nov. 15)
• STS-87 crew arrives at KSC (Nov. 16 at about 3:30 p.m.)
• Launch countdown begins (Nov. 16 at 3 p.m.)
• Power reactant storage and distribution system loading (Nov. 17)
• Rotating Service Structure retracted (Nov. 18 at 9 p.m.)
• Loading external tank with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen begins (Nov. 19 at 6:26 a.m.)

MISSION: STS-89 -- 8th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM

STS-89 images

• VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 15, 1998 at about 1:03 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 24, 1998 at about 4:47 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 3 hours, 44 minutes
• CREW: Wilcutt, Edwards, Dunbar, Anderson, Reilly, Sharipov, Thomas (up), Wolf (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Testing of the microwave scanning beam landing system is complete. Global Positioning Satellite system wiring work continues. Midbody close-outs are in work and preparations continue for transfer-tunnel installation next week. External tank/SRB mating close-outs are complete in VAB high bay-1.

STS-89 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Transfer-tunnel installation (Nov. 19)
• Crew compartment CEIT (Nov. 22)
• Payload bay door closure (Nov. 24)
• Orbiter transferred to VAB (Dec. 1)

MISSION: STS-91 -- 9th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB-SM

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: OPF bay 2
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 28 at 8:33 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: June 7 at about 12:17 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 3 hours, 44 minutes
• CREW: Precourt, Gorie, Lawrence, Chang-Diaz, Kavandi, Thomas (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Yesterday, Discovery's body flap was removed and transferred to OPF bay 3 for planned corrosion repair. Today, body flap inspections are in work and repair work is scheduled through next week. Cycle tests on the external tank umbilical doors are ongoing. Replacement of windows No. 5 and No. 6 is in work through Friday. Preparations continue for fuel cell monitoring modifications in Discovery's midbody.

STS-91 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Cryogenic controller No. 5 testing (Nov. 14)
• Reconfigure aft flight deck (Nov. 17)
• Main engine heat shield inspection (Nov. 20)

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• CURRENT LOCATION: Tinker Air Force Base, OK
• TARGET RETURN TO KSC: August 1998
• NEXT MISSION: STS-92 ISS-03-3A (3rd ISS flight)

NOTE: Atlantis stayed overnight at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, yesterday because of unacceptable weather conditions en route to Palmdale, CA. Following today's weather briefing, ferry flight managers opted once again to remain over night in Oklahoma City. Though weather conditions at Tinker AFB did improve enough for departure, conditions along the westward flight path remained cloudy and rainy. Ferry flight managers will receive a weather briefing at about 8 a.m. tomorrow and hope to depart Tinker AFB by 10 a.m. Atlantis is being ferried to Palmdale for a scheduled Orbiter Maintenance Down Period that is slated to last through Aug. 1998.

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