KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1998 (2:41 PM EST)
      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 April 8, time TBD
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: no earlier than April 13, 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: Shimming modifications of Columbia's payload bay aft bulkhead are complete. Today closeouts in the payload bay are under way and the payload bay doors will be closed Monday for the holiday down period. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, external tank and solid rocket booster closeouts continue.

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

      • Payload bay doors closed (Dec. 21)
      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: Alcohol flushing of Discovery's auxiliary power units is complete. Workers are replacing the main engine No. 2 pitch actuator and replacing orbiter window No. 7 today. Next week, fuel cell voltage tests will be conducted. Discovery's payload bay doors will also be closed in preparation for the holiday down period.

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

      • 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: Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: August 5, 1999 at 2:15 a.m.
      • 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: Atlantis remains in VAB high bay 2 awaiting Columbia's move to the VAB in early January. OPF bay 3 will house Atlantis throughout the STS-101 processing flow. Workers have gained access to Atlantis' crew module to replace several ceiling panels during the temporary VAB storage period.

      MISSION: STS-99 -- SHUTTLE RADAR TOPOGRAPHY MISSION (SRTM)

      STS-99 images

      • VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 16 at 8:47 a.m.
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Sept. 27 at 12:52 p.m.
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days
      • CREW: Kregel, Gorie, Kavandi, Voss, Mohri, Thiele
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 126 nautical miles/57 degrees

      NOTE: Endeavour is jacked and leveled in the OPF today, undergoing routine post-flight deservicing. Thorough inspections of the orbiter's exterior are complete, and engineers are reporting about 116 debris hits of which 25 are 1-inch or larger. Main engine bearing drying is complete and workers finished off-loading Endeavour's onboard cryogenics last night. Preparations are under way to open the orbiter's payload bay doors.

      --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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