KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 1999 (10:36 AM EDT)
      MISSION: STS-96 -- 2nd U.S. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT - SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE
      • VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
      • LOCATION: Launch Pad 39B
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 20, 1999 at 9:32 a.m. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 30, 1999 at 5:27 a.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
      • ISS DOCKING DATE: May 22, 1999 at 4:01 a.m. EDT
      • ISS UNDOCKING DATE: May 27, 1999 at 10:07 p.m. EDT
      • MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 19 hours and 55 minutes
      • CREW: Rominger, Husband, Ochoa, Jernigan, Barry, Payette, Tokarev
      • ADDITIONAL PAYLOADS: ICC, STARSHINE, SVF AND IVHM
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Last Friday, Shuttle Discovery rolled out to Launch Pad 39B. Over the weekend, workers conducted routine launch pad validations and Shuttle main engine frequency response tests. The SPACEHAB payload is at the pad and will be installed in the payload changeout room later today. The payload will be installed in the orbiter tomorrow morning.

      The STS-96 flight crew arrived at KSC yesterday in preparation for this week's Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The crew will conduct orbiter and payload familiarization activities over the next few days and then participate in a launch dress rehearsal on Thursday.

      STS-96 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • SPACEHAB installed into orbiter (April 28)
      • Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (April 29)
      • Orbiter Helium Signature Leak Test complete (April 30)
      MISSION: STS-93 -- Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF)

      STS-93 images

      • VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
      • LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 9, 1999 at 1:19 a.m. EDT (under review)
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 14, 1999 at 12:20 a.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 46 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 4 days, 23 hours
      • CREW: Collins, Ashby, Hawley, Coleman, Tognini
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 153 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

      NOTE: NASA decided yesterday to postpone mating Chandra with its Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) pending the U.S. Air Force investigation into problems with the April 9 launch of a Department of Defense Satellite that utilized an IUS. This decision will likely delay launch of mission STS-93 beyond its current target launch date of July 9. NASA managers are participating in the Air Force investigation and have determined not to launch Mission STS-93 until the IUS situation is fully understood. Chandra is currently in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility.

      MISSION: STS-99 -- SHUTTLE RADAR TOPOGRAPHY MISSION (SRTM)
      • VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 16, 1999 at 8:47 a.m. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Sept. 27, 1999 at 12:52 p.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours and 30 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days, 4 hours and 5 minutes
      • CREW: Kregel, Gorie, Kavandi, Voss, Mohri, Thiele
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 126 nautical miles/57 degrees

      NOTE: Wiring modifications on Endeavour's radiator isolation valve continued over the weekend. Yesterday, technicians began reservicing the orbiter's repaired freon coolant loop No. 1. Orbiter docking system harness installation continues and external airlock installation concludes May 6.

      MISSION: STS-101 -- 3rd INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT - SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE/ICC
      • VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 3
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: December 2, 1999
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: December 13, 1999
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 5-10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 10 days and 19 hours
      • CREW: Halsell, Horowitz, Weber, Lu, Williams, Malenchenko, Morukov
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Atlantis is undergoing a wireless video modification. Main propulsion system leak and functional tests are in work and standard life support system leak checks continue. Payload bay liner modifications proceed on schedule.

      --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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