- 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
- External tank loading begins (July 19 at about 3:46 p.m.)
MONDAY, JULY 19, 1999 (12:30 PM EDT)
LAUNCH-1 DAY
STS-93 -- Chandra X-ray Observatory
NOTE: The countdown for Space Shuttle Columbia's launch on mission STS-93 continues on schedule. Late stowage of the flight crew equipment into the orbiter's crew compartment concluded at about 12:30 a.m. today. Engineers completed payload inertial upper stage system checks at about 3 a.m. today and the Rotating Service Structure moved to the park position at about 7 a.m. At about 3:16 p.m. this afternoon, chilldown of the liquid propellant lines begins just prior to external tank loading. Columbia's external tank will be loaded with about 500,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant by about 6:46 p.m.
Weather forecasters indicate a 30 percent probability that weather could prohibit Tuesday's launch attempt. The primary concern is the chance of coastal showers. The launch time forecast calls for clouds to be scattered at 3,000 feet and 25,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles; winds out of the Southeast at 8 knots peaking to 12 knots; temperature at 80 degrees F and a chance of coastal showers. The 24-hour and 48-hour delay forecasts improve to 20 percent chance of weather violation.
STS-93 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
| 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.