KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1999 (1:55 PM EST)
      MISSION: STS-93 -- Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF)

      STS-93 images

      • VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 3
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: No earlier than mid-May 1999 (under review)
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: TBD
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 46 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 5 days
      • CREW: Collins, Ashby, Hawley, Coleman, Tognini
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 153 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

      NOTE: Friday, workers completed efforts to pressurize Columbia's reaction control system manifold. A system of temporary sensors have been installed inside the orbiter's drag chute compartment to help engineers better understand the structural stress the vehicle is exposed to preflight. The Chandra payload remains scheduled to arrive at KSC Thursday evening. Orbiter rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building is currently under review.

      MISSION: STS-96 -- 2nd U.S. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT
      SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE
      • VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
      • LOCATION: OPF bay 1
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 20, 1999 (under review)
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 31, 1999 (under review)
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days (+1)
      • CREW: Rominger, Husband, Ochoa, Jernigan, Barry, Payette, Malenchenko
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Discovery's orbital maneuvering system thruster replacement is complete and workers are now replacing the thruster bellows. Orbiter window replacement efforts continue. Heat shield modification efforts and sensor work on the main propulsion system continue.

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

      • Androgynous peripheral docking system (APDS) installation begins (Feb. 9)
      • Payload premate test (Feb. 15)
      • APDS checkout (Feb. 19)
      • Robot arm replacement (Feb. 19)
      • Shuttle main engine installation (Feb. 23)
      MISSION: STS-101 -- 3rd INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT
      SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE/ICC
      • VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
      • LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: August 5, 1999 at 2:15 a.m.
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: August 15, 1999 at 9:09 p.m.
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 10 days
      • CREW: Halsell, Horowitz, Weber, Lu, Williams
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Atlantis remains in VAB high bay 2 awaiting Columbia's move out of OPF bay 3. Installation of Atlantis' onboard tactical air and navigation system (TACAN) is in progress and aft compartment leak checks are in work. Atlantis is scheduled to undergo orbiter processing for STS-101 in OPF bay 3. The date for Atlantis' transfer from the VAB to the OPF will be determined after Shuttle managers assess the impact of Shuttle Columbia's STS-93 delay.

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

      NOTE: Endeavour's main engines were removed last week. Forward reaction control system removal also concluded last week. Preparation for tomorrow's removal of the external airlock is under way. Verification of the robot arm's pyrotechnic initiator controllers is scheduled this week.

      --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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