MISSION: STS-93 -- Chandra X-ray Observatory

STS-93 images

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: Launch Pad 39B
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 20, 1999 at 12:36 a.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 24, 1999 at 11:32 p.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: At Launch Pad 39B, workers completed ordnance installation this morning and close-outs are in work. Retests of the recently replaced audio central control unit in Columbia's crew compartment were successfully completed yesterday. Orbiter aft compartment and airlock close-outs continue. Preparations are under way in the Launch Control Center to start the countdown clock at 10 p.m. tomorrow. The STS-93 flight crew arrives at KSC tomorrow at about 7 a.m.

STS-93 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Orbiter aft compartment close-outs complete (July 16)
• Orbiter hypergolic system pressurization complete (July 16)
• Flight crew arrives at KSC (July 16 at about 7 a.m.)
• Launch countdown clock begins (July 16 at 10 p.m.)
• Close payload bay doors for flight (July 17)

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: Technicians have completed leak checks on Endeavour's external airlock interface line and airlock checks follow today. Payload bay close-outs continue and gaseous nitrogen servicing is ongoing. Auxiliary power unit controller checks continue and potable water servicing proceeds on schedule. Preparations are under way to receive the SRTM payload into the OPF and then install it into the orbiter's payload bay next Tuesday. The orbiter/payload interface verification test begins next week.

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

• SRTM payload installed into orbiter (July 20)
• Crew Equipment Interface Test (July 28)
• Orbiter rolls to VAB (Aug. 11)

MISSION: STS-103 -- 3rd HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SERVICING MISSION (HST-3)

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: OPF bay 1
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 14, 1999 at 5:42 a.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 24, 1999 at 3:20 a.m. EDT
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 42 minutes
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 21 hours and 38 minutes
• CREW: Brown, Kelly, Smith, Foale, Grunsfeld, Nicollier, Clervoy
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 317 nautical miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Servicing of Discovery's waste management system is complete. Retests of the orbiter's three fuel cells are complete and good. Main propulsion system leak checks continue and orbital maneuvering system pod functional testing is in progress. Today, workers are removing Discovery's robot arm. This week technicians will install the orbiter's main landing gear. The right-hand orbital maneuvering engine is still being drained of residual fuel in preparation for next week's planned replacement.

STS-103 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Forward reaction control system installed (July 29)
• Robot arm reinstalled (Aug. 3)

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: Preparation is under way to install Atlantis' external airlock tomorrow. Wireless video system modifications continue. Technicians are installing orbiter window No. 1 this week and water spray boiler checks are slated this week.

Next week, workers will begin preparing Atlantis for a brief storage period in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to VAB high bay 2 on July 23 and remain there until it transfers to OPF bay 2 on Aug. 16. Atlantis is leaving OPF bay 3 to make room for orbiter Columbia's return from STS-93.

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/