KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1998 (11:38 AM EST)
      MISSION: STS-88 -- 1ST FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
      UNITY CONNECTING MODULE
      FLIGHT DAY 7

      STS-88 images

      • VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
      • LOCATION: On orbit
      • KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Dec. 4 at 3:35:34 a.m. EST
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 15 at about 10:56 p.m. EST
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days, 19 hours and 20 minutes
      • CREW: Cabana, Sturckow, Currie, Ross, Newman, Krikalev
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Shuttle Endeavour continues to perform very well on orbit. Inspections of the solid rocket boosters at Hangar AF continue on schedule. Preliminary reports indicate that both boosters are in good shape.

      MISSION: STS-93 -- Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF)

      STS-93 images

      • VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 3
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: no earlier than March 25, time TBD
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: no earlier than March 30, time TBD
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 47 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 5 days
      • CREW: Collins, Ashby, Hawley, Coleman, Tognini
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 153 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

      NOTE: Servicing of Columbia's freon coolant loop No. 2 is now complete. Leak tests of the orbiter's crew compartment are scheduled later today. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, external tank and solid rocket booster closeouts continue on schedule.

      STS-93 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • Payload bay doors closed (Dec. 21)
      • Orbiter weight and center of gravity testing (Jan. 9)
      • Orbiter transferred to VAB for mate to external tank (Jan. 11)
      MISSION: STS-96 -- 2nd U.S. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT
      SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE

      STS-96 images

      • VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 1
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 13, 1999 at 12:33 p.m. EST
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 24, 1999 at 8:47 a.m. EST
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days (+1)
      • CREW: Rominger, Husband, Ochoa, Jernigan, Barry, Payette, Malenchenko
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Leak testing on Discovery's flash evaporator system is complete. Draining of lubrication oil from the orbiter's auxiliary power unit No. 2 concluded yesterday. Preparations to remove the Shuttle main engines continue and heat shield removal is in work. Orbiter pyrotechnic initiator controller testing is in progress today.

      STS-96 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • Shuttle main engine removal (Dec. 10)
      • Forward reaction control system installation complete (Dec. 18)
      • Payload bay doors closed for holiday downtime (Dec. 22)
      MISSION: STS-101 -- 3rd INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT
      SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE/ICC
      • VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: August 5, 1999
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: August 15, 1999
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 10 days
      • CREW: Halsell, Horowitz, Weber, Lu, Williams
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Orbiter maneuvering system bleedline removal has been rescheduled to follow Atlantis' VAB storage. Preparations are also under way to transfer Atlantis to the VAB for temporary storage, making way for Shuttle Endeavour's return from mission STS-88. Atlantis will transfer to OPF bay 3 following Columbia's rollover to the VAB in early January.

      --end--

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      Author: Joel Wells / NASA Public Affairs
      Curator: Kay Grinter (kay.grinter-1@ksc.nasa.gov) / Information Dynamics, Inc.
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