KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1998 (12:44 PM EST)

      Launch Viewing Information
      MISSION: STS-88 -- 1ST FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
      UNITY CONNECTING MODULE

      STS-88 images

      • VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
      • LOCATION: Launch Pad 39A
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Dec. 3 at about 3:59 a.m. EST
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 14 at about 11:48 p.m. EST
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 5 - 10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days, 19 hours and 49 minutes
      • CREW: Cabana, Sturckow, Currie, Ross, Newman, Krikalev
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Yesterday, hypergolic propellant loading operations were successfully completed. Today, the payload bay doors will be opened and final checks of the Unity connecting module will be conducted. Also, the astronauts' spacesuits to be used during the mission's three spacewalks will be installed today and checked out tomorrow. Preparations to purge the external tank are also underway.

      Managers determined today that the drag chute on Endeavour will not be used during landing this mission. Since no definitive determination has been reached as to why the drag chute door fell off during the launch of Discovery last month, the mortar that deploys the drag chute on Endeavour will be removed and the chute door replaced with one that can be bolted to the orbiter. Tests and analysis are continuing regarding Discovery's chute door but no conclusion is expected prior to the launch of Endeavour.

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

      • Orbiter aft compartment closeouts begin (Nov. 19)
      • Ordnance installation (Nov. 23)
      • Flight crew equipment stow (Nov. 24)
      • Crew arrives for launch (12:01 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30)
      • Begin launch countdown (7 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30)
      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 March 18, time TBD
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: no earlier than March 23, 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: Columbia's payload bay doors are being closed today in preparation for this weekend's scheduled structural tests. The tests are being conducted as a part of the final structural checks prior to preparations for rollout to the pad early next year. Solid rocket booster stacking operations in the Vehicle Assembly Building are now complete and close-outs are in work.

      --end--

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      Author: Bruce Buckingham / NASA Public Affairs
      Curator: Kay Grinter (kay.grinter-1@ksc.nasa.gov) / Information Dynamics, Inc.
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