KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1998 (10:21 AM EDT)

      KSC Public Affairs Contact: Joel Wells (fax: 407-867-2692)

      Launch Viewing Information
      MISSION: STS-95 -- SPACEHAB-SM, SPARTAN & HOST

      STS-95 images

      • VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
      • LOCATION: Launch Pad 39B
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. EST
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Nov. 7 at 12:04 p.m. EST
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours and 30 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 22 hours and 4 minutes
      • CREW: Brown, Lindsey, Parazynski, Robinson, Duque, Mukai, Glenn
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 300 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

      NOTE: Over the weekend, the Rotating Service Structure was retracted for Saturday's KSC Open House and extended in place around the Shuttle immediately following the event. On Monday, workers completed the HOST payload Interface Verification Test and HOST end-to-end testing is in work today. Discovery's midbody umbilical connections were made yesterday and leak checks are complete. Technicians have also removed a faulty mass memory unit (MMU) and replacement of MMU No. 2 is slated for Thursday. Tonight, workers will install the astronaut contingency space suits into the orbiter. Payload closeout activities are scheduled through the remainder of the week. Shuttle managers have gathered at KSC today for the STS-95 Flight Readiness Review and are expected to announce Oct. 29 as the official launch date for Shuttle Discovery.

      STS-95 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • Flight Readiness Review (Oct. 13)
      • SPACEHAB early stow (Oct. 16)
      • Orbiter aft compartment closeouts begin (Oct. 19)
      • Payload bay doors closed for flight (Oct. 22)
      • SPACEHAB late stow (Oct. 26)
      • Launch countdown begins (Oct. 26)
      MISSION: STS-88 -- FIRST FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
      UNITY CONNECTING MODULE

      STS-88 images

      • VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 1
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Dec. 3 at 4:45 a.m. EST
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 14 at 11:14 p.m. EST
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 5 - 10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days, 18 hours and 29 minutes
      • CREW: Cabana, Sturckow, Currie, Ross, Newman, Krikalev
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Endeavour's aft compartment doors are installed and the engine compartment is closed-out for flight. Nose landing gear tire pressurization is complete. Final payload bay cleaning and radiator inspections are complete and the payload bay doors were closed last night in preparation for OPF roll out. Tonight, workers will perform the weight and center of gravity test and tomorrow Endeavour will be mounted on the orbiter transfer vehicle. The orbiter is expected to begin first motion to the Vehicle Assembly Building by late Wednesday night. By Thursday, Endeavour will be mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters in VAB high bay 3.

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

      • Orbiter weight and center of gravity testing (Oct. 13)
      • Orbiter transfer to Vehicle Assembly Building for mate to external tank (Oct. 14 at midnight)
      • Shuttle rolls out to Pad 39A (Oct. 21 at about 7 a.m.)
      • Unity payload transferred to Pad 39A (Oct. 27)
      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: Jan. 21, 1999 at 11:26 a.m. EST (under review)
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 26, 1999 at 10:33 a.m. EST
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 47 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 4 days, 23 hours, 7 minutes
      • CREW: Collins, Ashby, Hawley, Coleman, Tognini
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 153 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

      NOTE: Technicians completed fuel line connections for the orbiter's auxiliary power units last week. Shuttle main engine installation begins Thursday and engine heat shield installation follows in two weeks.

      STS-93 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • Shuttle main engine installation complete (Oct. 15)
      • Engine heat shield installation complete (Oct. 28)
      MISSION: STS-101 -- 3rd FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
      SPACEHAB-DM/ICC
      • VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: August 5, 1999
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: August 15, 1999
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 10 days
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Workers have removed the forward reaction control system simulator kit and will transfer it to the Hypergolic Maintenance Facility. The payload bay doors will be opened this week and the ferry flight tail cone will be removed today. Powered orbiter testing continues.

      --end--

      For automatic e-mail subscriptions to these Shuttle status reports 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