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: Orbiter Columbia is performing very well as the STS-87 mission approaches the midway point of a 16-day duration. Last night the flight crew successfully completed retrieval of the Spartan-201 satellite. Today they will resume their focus on the USMP experiment activities and enjoy some free time aboard the Shuttle.

Inspections of the STS-87 solid rocket boosters at Cape Canaveral Air Station's Hangar AF were completed yesterday and booster disassembly begins today. Solid rocket motor nozzles are slated for removal on Nov. 30.

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: Over the weekend, the STS-89 flight crew completed Crew Equipment Interface Test activities in Endeavour's crew compartment. Technicians have completed the midbody close-out work necessary to support transfer-tunnel installation early tomorrow morning. Endeavour's airlock close-outs continue. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, preparations continue on schedule for next week's orbiter mate to the external tank.

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

• Transfer-tunnel installation (Nov. 26)
• Payload bay door closure (Nov. 29)
• Orbiter towed to VAB for mate to external tank (Dec. 5)
• Shuttle transferred to pad 39A (Dec. 10)
• SPACEHAB payload moved to pad 39A (Dec. 11)
• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Dec. 15-16)

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 completed removal of the orbiter's external airlock yesterday to allow access for fuel cell monitoring modifications in the midbody. Fit checks of Discovery's thermal protective "chin panel" are in work. Aft flight deck configuration is under way.

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

• Fuel cell measurement system modifications begin in midbody (Nov. 26)

• 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. Removal of the orbiter's body flap is complete and shipment to KSC is planned for corrosion repair work.

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