KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 1999 (4:30 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: No earlier than July 20, 1999 at 12:36 a.m. EDT (under review)
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 24, 1999 at 11:31 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: Repair work on the payload ground handling mechanism at Launch Pad 39B was successfully completed over the weekend and that system is ready to support payload operations at the pad. However, workers encountered problems with the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) last night and were unable to move it away from the vehicle. The Chandra/IUS payload was not transferred to the launch pad today as planned and remains in the transportation canister at KSC's Vertical Processing Facility.

      Following successful RSS troubleshooting today and tomorrow morning, the payload will be delivered to the pad Thursday morning. With an early Thursday morning payload arrival at the pad, managers plan to install the Chandra/IUS payload into Columbia's payload bay no earlier than Sunday. A hot fire test of auxiliary power unit No. 2 has also been postponed to either Wednesday or Thursday. Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities continue, but Thursday's dress rehearsal may start two hours late to accommodate additional work and pad clearance requirements. Columbia's launch remains targeted for no earlier than July 20.

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

      • Chandra payload arrives at Pad 39B (NET June 24)
      • Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test complete (June 24)
      • Auxiliary Power Unit No. 2 hot fire test (June 24)
      • Payload installed inside payload bay (NET June 27)
      • Flight Readiness Review (July 8)
      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: Modifications to the final section of line on freon coolant loop No. 2 are complete and routine leak checks are in work. Installation of Endeavour's window No. 1 is also complete. Workers are preparing to install the orbiter's external airlock this week. Payload premate test efforts are also scheduled this week.

      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 main engines began last night with engines No. 2 and No. 3. Forward reaction control system checks concluded yesterday and orbital maneuvering system pod functional tests are ongoing. Removal of the transfer tunnel adapter is scheduled this week.

      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' left-hand orbital maneuvering system is complete and checks are in work. TACAN antenna installation, wireless video modifications, and mass spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's fuel cell power plant continue.

      --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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