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, Makai, Glenn
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 310 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Launch pad validations and planned orbiter/external tank base plate modifications are complete. Discovery's main engine flight readiness test is in work.

KSC managers continue to closely monitor the progress of Hurricane Georges and have developed a precautionary plan to roll back Shuttle Discovery into the VAB if needed. At noon, officials declared a Hurricane Condition III and Shuttle managers decided to begin preparations to roll back Shuttle Discovery. About 20 hours of preparation work is required for the Shuttle to be ready for first motion toward the VAB. Consequently, transportation of the Shuttle vehicle could begin as early as 7 a.m. tomorrow. KSC managers plan to meet again at 6 a.m. tomorrow before giving the order to begin rollback.

Hurricane Condition III means forecasters predict about 50 knot winds in the immediate area within 48 hours. Shuttle operational constraints call for rollback procedures if winds at the launch pad are expected to be above 69 mph steady state. Rollback operation must be performed before steady state winds reach 48 mph. Based on the unpredictable nature of hurricanes, KSC managers have made this precautionary decision to minimize risk and to provide appropriate protection to KSC personnel and to the Space Shuttle national asset.

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: With the declaration of Hurricane Condition III at KSC today, workers will begin preparations to secure Endeavour in the OPF today. Preparations for payload bay door closure will be performed in the event that closure becomes necessary.

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

• Integrated orbiter hydraulic testing (Sept. 24)
• Crew Equipment Interface Test (Sept. 25)
• Final payload bay door closing (Oct. 5)
• Orbiter transfer to VAB (Oct. 12)

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
• 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: With the declaration of Hurricane Condition III at KSC today, workers will begin preparations to secure Columbia in the OPF today.

OV-104 Atlantis - Return from OMDP in Palmdale, CA

NOTE: Shuttle Atlantis departed Palmdale, CA today at about 9:45 a.m. EST atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747. Current ferry flight plans have Atlantis stopping at Gray Army Airfield in Ft. Hood, TX, for refueling. The ferry will continue on to Ft. Campbell, KY, for an overnight stay. Depending on weather conditions on the flight path and at KSC, the managers plan to depart Kentucky by noon tomorrow and arrive at KSC Thursday afternoon. These plans are subject to available daylight and weather conditions on the flight path. Shuttle managers will also factor Hurricane Georges' progress and potential threat to KSC into any flight plan decisions. Another overnight stay in Ft. Campbell is possible.

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/