KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1998 (12:48 PM EST)

      KSC Public Affairs Contact: Joel Wells (fax 407-867-2692)
      E-mail: Joel.Wells-1@ksc.nasa.gov

      Launch Viewing Information

      MISSION: STS-90 -- NEUROLAB

      STS-90 images

      • VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
      • LOCATION: Pad 39B
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: April 16, 1998 at 2:19 p.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
      • *TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 3 at 11:07 a.m. EDT
      • *EXPECTED MISSION DURATION: 16 days, 21 hours, 48 minutes
      • CREW: Searfoss, Altman, Linnehan, Williams, Hire, Buckey, Pawelczyk
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 150 nautical miles/39 degrees
        *The mission is currently baselined to last 16 days (MET of 15/21:50). The option to add the 17th day, (MET of 16/21:48) if power margins permit, will be addressed during the flight.

      NOTE: Launch preparations for STS-90 continue on schedule. Flushing of the gaseous nitrogen system lines on the mobile launch platform at Pad 39B concludes today. Loading of prelaunch propellants into Columbia's on-board storage tanks begins tomorrow. Early next week, orbiter aft compartment close-outs and ordnance installation will begin.

      The STS-90 flight crew will conclude their mission familiarization activities at KSC today following a dress rehearsal of a simulated main engine cut-off at the launch pad. They are slated to return to their homes in Houston, TX later this afternoon.

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

      • Prelaunch propellant load (April 1)
      • Flight Readiness Review (April 2)
      • Orbiter aft compartment closeouts begin (April 6)
      • Ordance installation (April 7)
      MISSION: STS-91 -- 9TH AND FINAL MIR DOCKING, SPACEHAB-SM

      STS-91 images

      • VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 28 at 8:05 p.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: June 7 at about 3:36 p.m. EDT
      • MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 18 hours, 31 minutes
      • CREW: Precourt, Gorie, Lawrence, Chang-Diaz, Kavandi, Ryumin, Thomas (down)
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Auxiliary power unit lubrication servicing and orbiter docking system passive docking checks are complete. Payload premate testing is in work through tomorrow and preparations for main engine installation on Thursday are in work. Tunnel adapter installation is in work today.

      External tank and solid rocket booster mating activities will resume tomorrow with no impact expected to Discovery's target launch date. Yesterday, NASA managers discussed the issue of a location marker magnet that was reported missing from the right forward center segment of the STS-91 booster stack last week. Based on thorough inspections and monitoring during stacking operations, KSC officials are confident that the 3/4" wide x 2" long magnet did not fall into the center joint that connects the booster's forward and aft segments.

      Shuttle program managers from Johnson Space Center and Marshall Space Flight Center have determined, after considering all possible scenarios, that even if the magnet were inside the center joint the safety of the flight would not be compromised.

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

      • ET/SRB mate (April 1)
      • Shuttle main engine installation begins (April 2)
      • Crew Equipment Interface Test (April 4)
      MISSION: STS-88 -- FIRST FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
      (NODE-1, PMAs 1 and 2)

      STS-88 images

      • VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 1
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 9, 1998, at 12:44 p.m. EDT (under review)
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 20, 1998 at 8:02 a.m. EDT
      • MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 19 hours, 18 minutes
      • CREW: Cabana, Sturckow, Currie, Ross, Newman
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Torque checks of Endeavour's right wing-to-fuselage attach bolts are in work. Draining of the right-hand orbiter maneuvering system fuel cross-feed lines is in work. Technicians will complete forward reaction control system (FRCS) removal on Wednesday and then begin work to replace a leaky thruster in the Hypergol Maintenance Facility. With installation of the manipulator positioning mechanism complete this week, technicians will install the robot arm next Thursday.

      STS-88 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • Remove right-hand orbital maneuvering system pod (April 2)
      • Forward reaction control system removal (April 8)
      • Remote manipulator system installed (April 9)

      --end--

      For automatic e-mail subscriptions to this daily Shuttle status report or KSC-originated press releases, send an Internet electronic mail message to domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line) type the words "subscribe shuttle-status", or "subscribe ksc-press-release" (do not use quotation marks). The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription.

      To remove your name from the list at any time, send an e-mail address to domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line), type (no quotes) "unsubscribe shuttle-status", or "unsubscribe ksc-press-release."

      Status reports and other NASA publications are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/kscpao.htm

      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/

      Go to the Previous Space Shuttle Status Report
      Go to the Next Space Shuttle Status Report
      Go to the Status Reports Home Page