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

STS-87 images

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: On orbit
• OFFICIAL KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Nov. 19 at 2:46 p.m.
• 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 Space Shuttle Columbia is performing very well on the second day of the STS-87 mission. Mission managers are not working any significant orbiter health problems.

The solid rocket booster recovery ships have begun their trip home with both boosters in tow. The first ship is expected to pass through Port Canaveral at about 6 a.m. tomorrow and arrive at Cape Canaveral Air Station Hangar AF by 8 a.m. The second vessel will be visible at the port around 7:30 a.m. and arrive at Hangar AF at 9:30 a.m. Initial reports reveal no significant damage to the boosters and further inspections are set to begin on Monday. Preliminary inspection of launch pad 39B revealed only minimal damage and post-launch securing work is under way.

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: Earlier this week, Endeavour’s main engine No. 2 was removed so technicians could replace the engine’s low pressure fuel turbo pump. The pump had bearings that Shuttle engineers deemed unacceptable. Pump replacement work is complete and engine No. 2 will be reinstalled today. Close-out work on the orbiter’s airlock is ongoing and testing of the orbiter docking system’s pyrotechnic devices is under way. Preparations are in work for transfer-tunnel installation set to occur on Monday.

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

• Crew compartment CEIT (Nov. 22)
• Transfer-tunnel installation (Nov. 24)
• Payload bay door closure (Nov. 29)
• Orbiter transferred to VAB (Dec. 3 under review)

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: Discovery’s body flap continues to undergo corrosion repair. Preparations are in work for external airlock removal on Nov. 24. Managers decided last week to remove the orbiter’s airlock to allow midbody access for fuel cell modifications. While the airlock is out, it will undergo planned reconfiguration work for Discovery’s Mir mission.

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

• Main engine heat shield inspection (Nov. 20)
• External airlock removal (Nov. 24)

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• CURRENT LOCATION: Palmdale, CA orbiter modification facility
• TARGET RETURN TO KSC: August 1998
• NEXT MISSION: STS-92 ISS-03-3A (3rd ISS flight)

NOTE: More than 9 months of major modifications are planned for the orbiter Atlantis at Palmdale, CA. Inspection and refurbishment work is currently under way.

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