MISSION: STS-86 -- 7th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM

STS-86 images

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Pad 39A
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 25 at about 10:34 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• MIR DOCKING TIME: Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. EDT
• UNDOCKING TIME: Oct. 3 at 11:46 a.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 5 at 6:56 p.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 20 hours, 19 minutes
• CREW: Wetherbee, Bloomfield, Parazynski, Titov, Chretien, Lawrence, Wolf (up), Foale (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Engineers are evaluating the possibility of replacing two sector seals on Atlantis' rudder speed brake. Borescope inspections revealed small cracks in the seals, but managers do not consider this to be a safety concern. In preparation for Friday's Spacehab installation, the Rotating Service Structure at pad 39A will be retracted at about 8 p.m. today weather permitting. The payload canister is expected at the pad early tomorrow morning.

STS-86 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Spacehab payload transfer to Pad 39A (Sept. 4)
• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Sept. 9-10)
• STS-86 Flight Readiness Review (Sept. 12)

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

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Nov. 19 at 2:18 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 5 at 6:51 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: Leak checks continue on freon coolant loop No. 2 and servicing activities begin Friday. Work to connect the oxidizer cross-feed line to the orbiter maneuvering system continues. Fuel cell monitoring modifications continue in Columbia's midbody and window polishing is ongoing. Shuttle main engines No. 1 and No. 2 are slated for installation on Monday and engine No. 3 will be installed in late September.

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

• Shuttle main engine installation begins (Sept. 8)

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, Wolf (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Ku-band and radar testing continues through Friday. Final securing of fuel cell No. 2 continues and preparations for validation are in work. Electrical connection of the Shuttle's docking mechanism concludes today and functional testing begins next week. Friday, auxiliary power unit No. 1 will be installed. In the Hypergol Maintenance Facility, technicians will replace five faulty transducers in Endeavour's forward reaction control system, tomorrow.

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

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: OPF Bay 3
• 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: TBD
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Retests on the replaced display electronic unit are in work. Testing of Discovery's forward reaction control system occurs later this week. Work to remove the Shuttle's main engines continues through Tuesday.

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