KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1999 (7:15 PM EDT)
      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: Preparation for the launch of Shuttle Columbia on July 20 continues on schedule at Launch Pad 39B. Workers have completed orbiter aft compartment close-outs and are preparing to pickup the launch countdown tonight at 10 p.m. Payload close-outs are in work in preparation for tomorrow's payload bay door closure. Flight crew equipment stowage is on going. The five-member STS-93 flight crew arrived at KSC today at about 7 a.m.

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

      • Orbiter hypergolic system pressurization complete (July 16)
      • 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 functional tests on Endeavour's landing gear. Payload bay close-outs continue and potable water servicing is ongoing. Leak checks of the crew cabin and external airlock are scheduled today. 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: Removal of Discovery's robot arm is complete. Main propulsion system leak checks continue and draining of the right-hand orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine is in progress. Later this week, workers will begin OMS engine disconnects. Discovery's main landing gear is being installed today. Drag chute installation begins Saturday.

      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: Installation of Atlantis' external airlock is under way. Wireless video system modifications resume tomorrow. Technicians are installing orbiter window No. 1 this week and water spray boiler checks are scheduled this week. Freon coolant loop functional testing is in progress.

      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.

      --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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