KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998 (12:08 PM EDT)

      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: At the completion of yesterday’s Flight Readiness Review, Shuttle managers announced Oct. 29 as the official launch date for STS-95. At the pad, workers installed the astronaut contingency space suits last night. The HOST payload end-to-end test is complete and payload closeout activities continue this week. Verification tests of the onboard Space-to-Space Radio communication system are scheduled today. Technicians will also perform standard crew cabin leak checks today. Replacement of mass memory unit No. 2 begins Thursday.

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

      • 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 final structural leak checks were completed yesterday. Workers are completing orbiter weight and center of gravity tests, and today at noon, Endeavour will be mounted on the orbiter transfer vehicle. The orbiter is expected to begin first motion to the Vehicle Assembly Building as early as 6 a.m. tomorrow. Thursday afternoon, efforts begin to mate the orbiter to the external tank and solid rocket boosters in VAB high bay 3.

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

      • Orbiter transfer to Vehicle Assembly Building for mate to external tank (Oct. 15 at 6 a.m.)
      • 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: Columbia’s main engine installation begins Thursday and engine heat shield installation follows in two weeks. The AXAF payload is now expected to arrive at KSC in early January and the payload premate test will move accordingly to mid-November. Shuttle managers are reviewing the possible impact to the STS-93 major milestones.

      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: Technicians are gaining access to Atlantis’ midbody compartment. Receiving inspections continue on schedule and electrical system validation is in work. Payload bay door opening occurs this week and the ferry flight tail cone removal continues.

      --end--

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