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 Launch Pad 39B, Discovery's payload bay doors were opened yesterday. Today workers will install the vertical payloads into the orbiter. The new Space-to-Space Orbiter Radio (SSOR) will be installed and tested today. SSOR is being tested for use during the International Space Station (ISS) construction process and will facilitate communication between Shuttle crew members, space walking astronauts and ISS crew members without relying on ground stations for transmission. Preparations are under way for tomorrow's helium signature leak test.

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

• Prelaunch hypergolic propellants loaded into onboard storage tanks (Oct. 5 - 7)
• Flight crew arrival at KSC (Oct. 6 at about 3 p.m.)
• Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Oct. 8-9)

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: Fuel servicing of Endeavour's auxiliary power units was performed yesterday. Auxiliary power converter unit inspections began yesterday and will conclude today. Functional tests on the orbiter's main landing gear are in work. Tomorrow, workers will stow the flight crew equipment in preparation for the Crew Equipment Interface Test on Saturday. Preparations for payload bay door closure are under way.

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

• Crew Equipment Interface Test (Oct. 3)
• Payload bay door closure (Oct. 7)
• Orbiter weight and center of gravity testing (Oct. 10)
• Orbiter transfer to Vehicle Assembly Building (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: Columbia's waste tank leak checks continue today. Preparations for next week's payload premate test are in work. Servicing of the auxiliary power unit fuel lines is in progress. The orbiter's body flap and elevon vertical tiles are being removed to support upcoming structural testing.

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: Orbiter Atlantis was lowered onto hydraulic jacks in the OPF yesterday. Workers are gaining access to the aft engine compartment today and post ferry flight inspections are under way. Technicians will be occupied with efforts to deconfigure Atlantis from its ferry flight setup over the next two weeks. Removal of the simulated forward reaction control pod and orbiter maneuvering system pods begins late next week.

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/