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: The Chandra/IUS payload arrived at Launch Pad 39B today at about 3 a.m. and transfer into the Payload Changeout Room began at about 6 a.m. Managers are now targeting Sunday for payload installation into Shuttle Columbia's payload bay. Later today, workers begin calibrating the orbiter's inertial measurement units and will conduct leak checks on the orbiter midbody umbilical unit.

The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test concluded today with the five-member flight crew participating in a launch day dress rehearsal. After a simulated main engine cutoff at 1 p.m., crew members practiced emergency egress procedures from Columbia's crew module. The astronauts will return to Houston, TX later today and resume their final preflight training.

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

• Payload installed inside payload bay (NET June 27)
• Payload Interface Verification Test (June 29)
• Flight Readiness Review (July 8)
• Orbiter aft compartment closeouts begin (July 9)

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: Endeavour's external airlock was installed yesterday. Leak checks on freon coolant loop No. 2 continue. The payload premate test is ongoing and later today technicians will connect the orbiter's auxiliary power unit drain lines.

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: Discovery's orbital maneuvering system is undergoing functional tests. Functional checks of the orbiter's forward reaction control system are also under way and the FRCS is slated for removal early next week. Workers are preparing to remove all three of Discovery's fuel cells.

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' TACAN antennas is complete. Checks on the left-hand orbital maneuvering system pod continue. Wireless video modifications and mass spectrometer leak checks on the orbiter's fuel cell power plant continue. Managers plan to install the orbiter's external airlock early next week.

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/