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: The countdown clock entered a scheduled 13-hour, 26-minute hold today at 11 a.m. at the T-11 hour mark. Launch of Columbia remains on schedule for tomorrow at 2:46 p.m. at the opening of a 2-1/2 hour window.

No technical issues or concerns are being worked by technicians or the management team at this time.

Tonight, the Rotating Service Structure will be moved into launch position at about 9 p.m., paving the way for loading of the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Loading operations are expected to begin at about 6 a.m. tomorrow and last for three hours.

Today, the six-member astronaut crew will be briefed on tomorrow's weather outlook at KSC and at the Transoceanic Abort Landings sites in Spain and Africa. All crew members are reported to be healthy and ready for launch tomorrow.

Air Force weather forecasters are currently indicating a 40 percent probability of weather prohibiting launch on Wednesday. The concern is for the possibility of a low, thick cloud ceiling and rain showers.

During Wednesday's launch window, the winds at Pad 39B are expected to be from the northwest at 12-18 knots; temperature 67 degrees F; visibility 7 miles; humidity 78 percent; and clouds scattered at 3,000 feet; broken at 9,000 feet and overcast at 25,000 feet. The 24-hour-delay forecast reveals similar conditions.

         Commander (CDR):  Kevin Kregel
             Pilot (PLT):  Steven Lindsey
Mission Specialist (MS1):  Kalpana Chawla
Mission Specialist (MS2):  Winston Scott
Mission Specialist (MS3):  Takao Doi
 Payload Specialist (PS):  Leonid Kadenyuk

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