- VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
- LOCATION: OPF bay 2
- OFFICIAL KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Dec. 4 at 3:35:34 a.m. EST
- OFFICIAL KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 15 at 10:54 p.m. EST
- MISSION DURATION: 11 days, 19 hours and 18 minutes
- CREW: Cabana, Sturckow, Currie, Ross, Newman, Krikalev
- ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1998 (4:03 PM EST)
STS-88 -- 1ST FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATIONUNITY CONNECTING MODULE
NOTE: Last night, Shuttle Endeavour and the STS-88 flight crew made a safe and successful landing on KSC runway 15. Weather concerns earlier in the week threatened to delay the Shuttle's landing, but in the hours prior to touchdown KSC weather improved dramatically allowing the Endeavour crew to return home on the first opportunity.
| MET | EST | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| MAIN GEAR TOUCHDOWN | 11:19:17:55 | 10:53:29 p.m. | |
| NOSE GEAR TOUCHDOWN | 11:19:18:04 | 10:53:38 p.m. | |
| WHEELS STOP | 11:19:18:47 | 10:54:47 p.m. | |
Following routine safing of the vehicle and preliminary inspections, Endeavour was towed to Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 arriving inside the hangar at about 5:30 a.m. Preliminary reports reveal that the orbiter is in good shape post flight. Endeavour's lower surface sustained 70 total debris hits with 21 of those being 1-inch or larger. Inspections of the orbiter will follow in the OPF along with routine post flight deservicing of the orbiter's main propulsion system, hydraulic power system and other major systems. Endeavour's next flight is on mission STS-99 in September of 1999.
The flight crew will depart the Cape Canaveral Air Station skid strip tomorrow at about 11:30 a.m. bound for their homes in Houston, TX.
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