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: Columbia continues to provide a stable platform for microgravity, life science and other secondary experiments. Flight controllers are pleased with the orbiter’s performance and are not working any major problems.

The two solid rocket booster recovery ships returned to Cape Canaveral Air Station’s Hangar AF at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. today. Initial reports reveal no significant damage to the boosters and more detailed inspections begin on Monday.

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: Reinstallation of Endeavour’s main engine No. 2 is complete and securing efforts are under way. Close-out work on the orbiter’s airlock continues. Preparations are in work for the crew equipment interface test on Saturday and for transfer-tunnel installation set for Monday. Significant work in the orbiter’s midbody has lead managers to a decision to move Endeavour’s OPF roll-out date to Dec. 5 rather than Dec. 1. This change is not expected to impact the planned launch date.

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. 5)

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. Workers are disconnecting external airlock lines in preparation for the airlock’s removal on Nov. 24. Due to upgrade activities in KSC’s Firing Room No. 2, no power will be supplied to the orbiter until Dec. 1.

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

• 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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