KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1999 (4:24 PM EDT)
      MISSION: STS-96 -- 2nd U.S. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT - SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULE
      • VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
      • LOCATION: Launch Pad 39B
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 20, 1999 at 9:32 a.m. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 30, 1999 at 5:27 a.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
      • ISS DOCKING DATE: May 22, 1999 at 4:01 a.m. EDT
      • ISS UNDOCKING DATE: May 27, 1999 at 10:07 p.m. EDT
      • MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 19 hours and 55 minutes
      • CREW: Rominger, Husband, Ochoa, Jernigan, Barry, Payette, Tokarev
      • ADDITIONAL PAYLOADS: ICC, STARSHINE, SVF AND IVHM
      • ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

      NOTE: The SPACEHAB tunnel has been mated to Discovery inside the payload bay and leak checks are complete. The orbiter’s prelaunch propellant loading began yesterday and will continue through Saturday. Tomorrow, auxiliary power unit No. 2 will be hot-fired as part of planned launch preparations. This coming weekend, workers will complete SPACEHAB payload testing and drag chute door installation. During yesterday’s Flight Readiness Review, Shuttle managers confirmed plans to use a functional drag chute and strengthened drag chute door assembly on the upcoming flight. Inconel hinge-pins will replace the aluminum pins that failed during the STS-95 flight, allowing the drag chute door to fall off during liftoff.

      STS-96 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

      • Orbiter midbody umbilical unit mate (May 10)
      • Payload bay doors closed for flight (May 11)
      • Ordnance installation complete (May 13)
      • Orbiter aft compartment close-outs complete (May 14)
      • Launch countdown begins (May 17 at noon)
      MISSION: STS-93 -- Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly AXAF)

      STS-93 images

      • VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
      • LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
      • TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 9, 1999 at 1:19 a.m. EDT (under review)
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 14, 1999 at 12:20 a.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: Payload bay radiator inspections concluded yesterday. Final inspection of Columbia’s thermal protection system is under way and auxiliary power unit lubrication oil servicing resumes tomorrow. Tomorrow, Columbia’s drag chute door will be installed. The orbiter’s nose and main landing gear is slated for installation next week.

      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 Endeavour’s main engine dome heat shields continue. Freon coolant loop No. 2 modifications are in work also. Next week, fuel cell voltage testing begins. Orbiter docking system harness installation continues.

      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: Atlantis continues to undergo wireless video modifications. Engine dome heat shield removal begins tonight. Navigation system wiring efforts are in work today and tomorrow. Payload bay liner modifications proceed on schedule.

      --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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