KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1999 (12:14 PM EST)
      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 at 9:32 a.m. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 31, 1999 at 5:12 a.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 5-10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 19 hours and 40 minutes
      • CREW: Rominger, Husband, Ochoa, Jernigan, Barry, Payette, Malenchenko
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Technicians have completed checks of Discovery's recently replaced orbital maneuvering system (OMS) thrusters. Workers have completed preparations to install the orbiter's new docking system and installation efforts are ongoing. Installation of the integrated vehicle health monitoring system for the orbiter's main propulsion system is in progress and base heat shield modifications continue.

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

      • Robot arm replacement (Feb. 19)
      • Payload premate test (Feb. 22)
      • APDS checkout (Feb. 23)
      • Shuttle main engine installation (Mar. 2)
      MISSION: STS-93 -- Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF)

      STS-93 images

      • VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
      • LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 2
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 9, 1999 at 1:19 a.m. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 14, 1999 at 12:26 a.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 46 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 4 days, 23 hours and 7 minutes
      • CREW: Collins, Ashby, Hawley, Coleman, Tognini
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 153 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

      NOTE: Yesterday, Columbia rolled out of OPF bay 3 and into VAB high bay 2 for temporary storage. Shuttle Atlantis will be the next occupant in OPF bay 3, following a week of open bay preparation. Columbia will remain in the VAB until mid-April, when Shuttle Discovery rolls out of OPF bay 1. Columbia will then be transferred to OPF bay 1 to complete STS-93's orbiter preparations.

      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. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Sept. 27 at 12:55 p.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours and 30 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 11 days, 4 hours and 8 minutes
      • CREW: Kregel, Gorie, Kavandi, Voss, Mohri, Thiele
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 126 nautical miles/57 degrees

      NOTE: Removal of the SAC-A payload from Endeavour's cargo bay is complete. Deservicing of the orbiter's freon coolant loop No. 1 is complete and valve modification is now in work. Technicians are conducting post-installation inspections on water spray boiler No. 3. Efforts to upgrade the main propulsion system's 17-inch disconnect valve actuator continue.

      STS-99 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • Forward reaction control system installed (Feb. 23)
      • Left-hand OMS pod removal (Feb. 25)
      MISSION: STS-101 -- 3rd INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT
      SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE/ICC
      • VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
      • LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building transfer aisle
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: October 14, 1999 about 9:30 p.m. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: October 25, 1999 about 4:30 p.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 5-10 minutes
      • MISSION DURATION: 10 days and 19 hours
      • CREW: Halsell, Horowitz, Weber, Lu, Williams
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: Atlantis remains in the north end of the VAB transfer aisle. The orbiter waits in the transfer aisle while preparations are made for its arrival in OPF bay 3 on Feb. 17. A majority of the orbiter's tactical air and navigation system (TACAN) modification is complete. Only two weeks of TACAN work remains. Workers also completed about half of the required orbiter leak checks while in the VAB.

      --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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