MISSION: STS-89 -- 8th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM

STS-89 images

• VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
• LOCATION: Launch Pad 39A
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 22, 1998 with a preferred time of 9:48 p.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minute window (opens at 9:43 p.m. EST)
• MIR DOCKING DATE/TIME: Jan. 24 at about 3:12 p.m.
• MIR UNDOCKING DATE/TIME: Jan. 29 at about 11:52 a.m.
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 31, 1998 at 5:36 p.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 19 hours, 48 minutes
• CREW: Wilcutt, Edwards, Dunbar, Anderson, Reilly, Sharipov, Thomas (up), Wolf (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: At the conclusion of yesterday's Flight Readiness Review, NASA managers announced Jan. 22 as the official launch date for mission STS-89.

At the launch pad, loading of hypergolic propellants into Endeavour's orbiter maneuvering system pods is complete. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, retraction of the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) in support of auxiliary power unit (APU) hot-fire testing has been postponed. Should weather prohibit this evening's rescheduled APU testing, the hot-fire would be performed late Monday night with no impact to the launch date. Work to repair the thermal blanket on the left payload bay door is under way.

The STS-89 crew arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility yesterday at about 7 p.m. to participate in launch familiarization activities. The crew will take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test on Friday and Saturday.

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

• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Jan. 9-10)
• Payload bay doors closed for flight (Jan. 14)
• Begin launch countdown (7 p.m. Jan. 19)

MISSION: STS-90 -- NEUROLAB

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: OPF bay 3
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: April 2, 1998 at 1:19 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 18, l998 at 12:09 p.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes
• CREW: Searfoss, Atlman, Linnehan, Williams, Hire, Buckey, Pawelczyk
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 150 nautical miles/39 degrees

NOTE: Functional tests of Columbia's orbiter maneuvering system continue and fuel cell replacement work is complete. Post-flight window inspections were completed yesterday. Preparations are in work for remote manipulator system removal slated for Friday. Window polishing efforts are under way and inspections of the forward reaction control system also begin tomorrow.

STS-90 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• FRCS post-flight inspections (Jan. 9)
• Fuel cell voltage tests (Jan. 13)

MISSION: STS-91 -- 9th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB-SM

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: OPF bay 2
• 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: Precourt, Gorie, Lawrence, Chang-Diaz, Kavandi, Thomas (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 160 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Technicians continue to install instrumentation that supports the new Super Lightweight External Tank scheduled to fly on STS-91 for the first time. Preparations are in work for fuel cell No. 2 replacement on Friday. Body flap corrosion repair and fuel cell monitoring modifications continue.

Information about the countdown and mission can be accessed electronically via the Internet at: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/ and at http://shuttle.nasa.gov/