KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      SUNDAY, MAY 31, 1998 (11:37 AM EDT)
      Launch minus 2 days

      KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham (fax: 407-867-2692)

      Launch Viewing Information

      MISSION: STS-91 -- 9TH AND FINAL MIR DOCKING, SPACEHAB-SM, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS)

      STS-91 images

      • VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
      • LOCATION: Launch Pad 39A
      • KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: June 2 at about 6:10 p.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 6:05 - 6:15 p.m.
      • MIR DOCKING DATE/TIME: June 4 at about 12:59 p.m. EDT
      • MIR UNDOCKING DATE/TIME: June 8 at about 12:01 p.m. EDT
      • KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: June 12 at about 2:03 p.m. EDT
      • MISSION DURATION: about 9 days, 19 hours, 53 minutes
      • CREW: Precourt, Gorie, Lawrence, Chang-Diaz, Kavandi, Ryumin, Thomas (down)
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: The countdown for launch of mission STS-91 began as scheduled at 9 p.m. yesterday at the T-43 hour mark. All prelaunch activities at Kennedy Space Center continue without problem toward a target lift-off time of 6:10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, from Launch Pad 39A.

      Today at KSC, engineers are preparing the Shuttle Discovery for the loading of cryogenic reactants into the onboard power reactant and storage distribution tanks. Loading is set to begin at about 5 p.m. Prior to this operation, a standard orbiter and solid rocket booster pyrotechnic initiator controller test will be performed. Cryogenic loading operations are expected to conclude by midnight tonight.

      The crew for mission STS-91 arrived at KSC yesterday afternoon and will spend their time before launch reviewing their flight plans, undergoing final medical examinations and flying in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.

      The STS-91 crew are: Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Wendy Lawrence, Janet Kavandi and Valery Ryumin. Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, currently on the Mir space station, will be returning with the rest of the crew following Shuttle/Mir docking operations.

      Air Force weather forecasts have today updated their forecast and are now indicating a zero percent chance that weather could prohibit launch activities Tuesday. The forecast calls for scattered clouds at 4,000 feet and broken clouds at 30,000 feet; visibility of 7 miles; winds from the northeast at 10 - 12 knots; temperature 83 degrees F and relative humidity 63 percent.

      The 24-hour scrub turnaround forecast reveals similar conditions with a zero percent chance of launch commit criteria violation.

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

      • Begin loading cryogenic reactants into onboard storage tanks (May 31 at 5 p.m.)
      • Retract Rotating Service Structure to launch position (June 2 at 12:30 a.m.)
      • Begin loading external fuel tank with cryogenic propellants (June 2 at about 9:14 a.m.)

      SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-91
       T-TIME      LENGTH OF HOLD           HOLD BEGINS       HOLD ENDS 
T-27 hours     4 hours              1:00 p.m. Sun.    5:00 p.m. Sun.
T-19 hours     4 hours              1:00 a.m. Mon.    5:00 a.m. Mon.
T-11 hours    13 hours, 14 minutes  1:00 p.m. Mon.    2:14 a.m. Tues.
T-6  hours     2 hour               7:14 a.m. Tues.   9:14 a.m. Tues.
T-3  hours     2 hours             12:14 p.m. Tues.   2:14 p.m. Tues.
T-20 minutes  10 minutes            4:54 p.m. Tues.   5:04 p.m. Tues.
T-9  minutes  46 minutes            5:15 p.m. Tues.   6:01 p.m. Tues.

      CREW FOR MISSION STS-91
               Commander (CDR):  Charles Precourt 
             Pilot (PLT):  Dominic Gorie
Mission Specialist (MS1):  Franklin Chang-Diaz
Mission Specialist (MS2):  Wendy Lawrence 
Mission Specialist (MS3):  Janet Kavandi
Mission Specialist (MS4):  Valery Ryumin
Mission Specialist (MS5):  Andrew Thomas (down)

      SUMMARY OF STS-91 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES
      Tuesday, June 2 

 7:00 a.m.  Wake up 
 7:30 a.m.  Breakfast
12:00 p.m.  Lunch
*1:09 p.m.  Crew photo
 1:39 p.m.  Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
 1:39 p.m.  Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, MS4
 1:49 p.m.  Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
*2:00 p.m.  Suit up photo
*2:19 p.m.  Depart for launch pad 39A
*2:49 p.m.  Arrive at white room and begin ingress
*4:04 p.m.  Close crew hatch
*6:10 p.m.  Launch

      *Televised events (times may vary slightly)
      All times Eastern

      --end--

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