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, 22 minutes
• CREW: Wetherbee, Bloomfield, Parazynski, Titov, Chretien, Lawrence, Wolf (up), Foale (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Today at 8:30 a.m. the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) began and the STS-86 crew went through emergency egress training at pad 39A. TCDT activities will conclude tomorrow with a simulated engine cut-off at about 11 a.m. At the pad, Spacehab tunnel mates and leak checks are complete. Technicians will complete installation of the pyrotechnic canister assemblies into Atlantis' aft compartment this week. The STS-86 Flight Readiness Review begins at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Shuttle managers are expected to announce the official launch date at the meeting's conclusion.

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

• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test complete (Sept. 10)
• STS-86 Flight Readiness Review (Sept. 12)
• Payload Interface Verification Test (Sept. 12)
• Payload bay doors closed for flight (Sept. 18)

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: Checks on the remote manipulator system and fuel cell monitoring modifications continue. Insulation removal continues on Columbia's elevons and corrosion repair is in work on the external tank doors. Work to install coolant lines for the USMP-4 payload is under way.

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

• Shuttle main engine installation begins (Sept. 12)

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: Installation of Endeavour's auxiliary power unit No. 1 and fuel cell/power reactant storage and distribution system testing continue through Wednesday. Ku band system testing is in work through next week. Verifications and pyrotechnic checks are in work on the orbiter's docking mechanism. In the Hypergol Maintenance Facility, technicians will drain Endeavour's forward reaction control system oxidizer tank today and then replace the system's last faulty transducer.

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

• Left-hand orbiter maneuvering system installed (Sept. 15)
• Tunnel adapter installation (Sept. 15)

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: Removal of main engines No. 2 and No. 3 is complete and engine No. 1 will be removed today. Inspections of the left and right orbiter maneuvering systems are complete. Leak checks of a replaced quick disconnect on Discovery's freon coolant loop are complete and good. Functional tests of the Shuttle's forward reaction control system continue through Friday.

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