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: Over the weekend, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test was completed with the STS-89 crew. With the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) retracted on Friday, technicians were able to complete thermal blanket repair work on Endeavour’s left payload bay door. Following aft compartment inspections, managers decided to replace a flex hose on auxiliary power unit (APU) No. 3 and retorque a hose on APU No. 1. APU hot-fire testing was completed successfully this morning.

Orbiter midbody umbilical unit mate and leak checks are slated for this afternoon, and flight crew equipment stow occurs later today. The orbiter’s aft compartment close-outs are in work through Saturday, and the second part of the payload interface verification test begins today. Payload bay doors will be closed for flight on Friday.

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

• Ordnance installation begins (Jan. 13)
• SPACEHAB final stow (Jan. 16)
• Payload bay doors closed for flight (Jan. 16)
• Launch countdown begins (Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.)

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: Removal of Columbia’s remote manipulator system or robot arm is complete. Following inspections of the forward reaction control system, workers are planning to replace three thrusters over the next two weeks. Fuel cell voltage tests will be completed this week.

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

• Fuel cell voltage tests begin(Jan. 13)
• Tunnel adapter installation (Jan 21)
• Payload premate test (Jan. 28)
• Payload installed into orbiter (Jan. 30)
• Shuttle main engine installation (Jan. 30)

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: Draining of Discovery’s orbiter maneuvering system cross-feed fuel lines is complete, and the forward reaction control system has been transported to the Hypergol Maintenance Facility for servicing.

Removal of fuel cell No. 2 is scheduled for today and monitoring modifications continue. Technicians continue to install instrumentation that supports the Super Lightweight External Tank. The new tank is scheduled to arrive at KSC in early February to be processed for the STS-91 launch. Body flap corrosion repairs continue.

STS-91 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Removal of right-hand OMS pod (Jan. 15)
• Fuel cell voltage test (Jan. 20)
• Remote manipulator system installed (Jan. 23)

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/