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

STS-87 images

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: Pad 39B
• TARGET 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 7:19 a.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 33 minutes
• CREW: Kregel, Lindsey, Scott, Chawla, Doi, Kadenyuk
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 150 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: The Space Shuttle Columbia arrived at launch Pad 39B at about 2:45 p.m. today after traveling 4.2 miles from the VAB atop the crawler transporter. Pad validations are in work and a hot fire test of auxiliary power unit No. 2 is scheduled for later tonight. Vertical payload installation begins Saturday morning.

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

• Install USMP into orbiter (Nov. 1)
• Flight Readiness Review (Nov. 3)
• Crew arrival for TCDT (Nov. 3 at 9:30 a.m.)
• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Nov. 4 and 5)

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: Endeavour's heat shield installation continues through Thursday. Crew module leak checks are set for Sunday. Wiring work continues on the fuel cell monitoring modification. Ku band target tests are in work this week and preparations are under way for the payload premate test. Solid rocket booster stacking operations continue in VAB high bay 1.

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

• Heat shield installation complete (Oct. 30)
• Payload premate test (Oct. 31)
• Midbody Crew Equipment Interface Test (Nov. 7)

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

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building
• 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 is in temporary storage in VAB high bay 2 awaiting transport to OPF bay 2 on Oct. 30 at about 9 a.m. Orbiter processing for mission STS-91 will resume once the orbiter is moved to the OPF.

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: OPF bay 3
• TARGET OMDP FERRY DATE: Nov. 12
• TARGET RETURN TO KSC: August 1998
• NEXT MISSION: STS-92 ISS-03-3A (3rd ISS flight)

NOTE: Removal of fuel cell No. 1 begins tonight. Preparation of Atlantis main propulsion system for the ferry flight to Palmdale, CA, continues. The left and right hand orbiter maneuvering system (OMS) pods were moved to the Hypergol Maintenance Facility earlier this week. Simulated OMS pods or alta pods will be installed tomorrow and Friday. Main landing gear "roll-around" tires are installed on the orbiter and nose landing gear tires will be mounted today to accommodate a move to the Mate-Demate Device. Atlantis is expected to depart the Shuttle Landing Facility atop the Being 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft no later than Nov. 12.

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