July 18, 1999 Space Shuttle Status Report

NOTE: Operations continue on schedule for the launch of Shuttle Columbia at 12:36 a.m. Tuesday, July 20. Columbia's payload bay doors have been closed for flight and no additional pre-launch work on the Chandra X-ray Observatory is scheduled.

Loading of the on-board cryogenics was concluded earlier this morning, and off-loading of the extra cryogenics not needed for use in the orbiter's fuel cells during the mission will continue until early afternoon today. Following this, the orbiter mid-body umbilical unit will be retracted and final pre-launch preparations of the three Shuttle main engines will commence. Activation of the orbiter's communications system will begin at about 11 p.m. today. Also, work to complete final stowage of the flight crew's equipment will begin soon after midnight tonight, as will preparations for the retraction of the rotating service structure at 4 a.m. tomorrow.

The three-hour operation to load the external tank with 500,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will begin at about 3:46 p.m. Monday. Following this operation, the crew will be awakened at about 7 p.m., they will be seated for their pre-launch meal at 7:30 p.m., and depart for Launch Pad 39B at 8:51 p.m.

Weather forecasters continue to indicate a 30 percent probability that weather could prohibit Tuesday's launch attempt. The single concern is for a chance of coastal showers. The forecast calls for clouds to be scattered at 3,000 and 25,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles; winds out of the east at 8 knots peaking to 12 knots; temperature at 80 degrees F and humidity 86 percent.

SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-93
T-TIME	LENGTH OF HOLD	HOLD BEGINS	HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours	4 hours	2 p.m. Sat.	6 p.m. Sat.
T-19 hours	8 hours	2 a.m. Sun.	10 a.m. Sun.
T-11 hours	14 hours, 46 minutes	6 p.m. Sun.	8:46 a.m. Mon.
T-6 hours	2 hours	1:46 p.m. Mon.	3:46 p.m. Mon.
T-3 hours	2 hours	6:46 p.m. Mon.	8:46 p.m. Mon.
T-20 minutes	10 minutes	11:26 p.m. Mon.	11:36 p.m. Mon.
T-9 minutes	40 minutes	11:47 p.m. Mon.	12:27 a.m. Tues.

CREW FOR MISSION STS-93
POSITION	NAME
Commander (CDR)	Eileen Collins
Pilot (PLT)	Jeff Ashby
Mission Specialist (MS1)	Catherine Coleman
Mission Specialist (MS2)	Steven Hawley
Mission Specialist (MS3)	Michel Tognini

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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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