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: Following last week's Flight Readiness Review for mission STS-86, managers unanimously approved plans for a Sept. 25 launch of Shuttle Atlantis on the seventh NASA mission to dock with Mir. At pad 39A, the payload Interface Verification Test was completed on Friday. Aft compartment close-outs continue and the aft doors will be installed on Thursday. Leak checks of the crew cabin, orbiter docking system and SPACEHAB module will conclude at about noon today. Because the leak checks continued into this morning, ordnance connection and SPACEHAB early stow will occur tomorrow rather than today.

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

• SPACEHAB early stow activities (Sept. 16)
• Payload bay doors closed for flight (Sept. 18)
• Aft compartment close-outs (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: Columbia's remote manipulator system (RMS) was removed today and will be replaced with the RMS used on Discovery's last mission. The Shuttle's water spray boilers are scheduled for checkout this week. Installation of Columbia's main engines is now slated for Sept. 23.

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

• Shuttle main engine installation begins (Sept. 23)

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: Endeavour's auxiliary power unit No. 1 is installed and interface hookups and securing continue through tomorrow. The left-hand orbital maneuvering system pod is installed and electrical/mechanical connections are in work. Leak and functional tests on the Shuttle's main propulsion system continue. Modifications of Endeavour's fuel cell monitoring system is in work. In the Hypergol Maintenance Facility, replacement of the forward reaction control system's (FRCS) last faulty transducer is slated for midweek.

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

• Tunnel adapter installation (Sept. 18)

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: Auxiliary power unit removal continues through Wednesday and functional tests of Discovery's forward reaction control system are in work through tomorrow. Hydraulic system inspections are planned this week and main propulsion system leak and functional tests began today.

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