MISSION: STS-95 -- SPACEHAB-SM, SPARTAN & HOST

STS-95 images

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Launch Pad 39B
• KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. EST
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Nov. 7 at 11:49 a.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes
• CREW: Brown, Lindsey, Parazynski, Robinson, Duque, Mukai, Glenn
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 300 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: At the pad, workers completed installation and final checks of the astronaut contingency space suits yesterday. Final testing of the new space-to-space radio communication system is also complete. This morning Discovery’s crew cabin and SPACEHAB pressure decay leak checks began. Mass memory unit No. 2 will be installed in the orbiter this afternoon and MMU loading begins tomorrow. SPACEHAB early stow activities begin tomorrow and early next week orbiter aft compartment closeouts occur.

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 at 8 a.m.)

MISSION: STS-88 -- FIRST FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
UNITY CONNECTING MODULE

STS-88 images

• VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
• LOCATION: VAB
• 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 was mounted on the orbiter transfer vehicle yesterday and began first motion to the Vehicle Assembly Building at 6:18 a.m. today. The orbiter is currently located in the VAB transfer aisle and will be mated to the STS-88 external tank and solid rocket boosters in VAB high bay 3 later today. The Shuttle Interface Test will be conducted through Monday and the entire Shuttle stack will roll out to Launch Pad 39A on Wednesday beginning at 7 a.m.

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

• Shuttle rolls out to Pad 39A (Oct. 21 at about 7 a.m.)
• Launch pad validations (Oct. 21 - 22)
• Auxiliary power unit hot fire test (Oct. 22)
• Unity payload arrives at Pad 39A (Oct. 27 at about 2 a.m.)

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: 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.

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: Removal of Atlantis’ ferry flight tail cone is complete. Technicians continue to gain access to the orbiter’s midbody compartment and receiving inspections continue on schedule. Orbiter electrical system validations continue. Preparations are in work for removal of the simulated orbiter maneuvering system pods.

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/