KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1999 (3:30 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 27, 1999 at 6:48 a.m. EDT
      • TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: June 6, 1999 at 3:25 a.m. EDT
      • LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
      • ISS DOCKING DATE: May 29, 1999 at 12:25 a.m. EDT
      • ISS UNDOCKING DATE: June 3, 1999 at 6:37 p.m. EDT
      • MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 20 hours and 37 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: Yesterday, technicians completed repair work on more than 460 hail-inflicted divots in time to support Shuttle Discovery's return to Launch Pad 39B this morning. Atop the crawler transporter, Discovery began first motion at about 2 a.m. today and arrived at the pad at about 10 a.m. The STS-93 solid rocket booster and external tank stack moved inside Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 1 at about noon today.

      With the Rotating Service Structure in place around the Shuttle, launch pad validations are now under way. Workers will complete ordnance connections on Saturday along with pressurization of the orbiter's reaction control system. Routine external tank purge activities occur Sunday. The launch countdown begins Monday at 9 a.m.

      The STS-96 astronaut crew arrives at KSC late Sunday night to begin final preparation for flight.

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

      • Launch pad validations complete (May 21)
      • Flight crew equipment stowage complete (May 22)
      • Flight crew arrives at KSC (May 23 at about 10:30 p.m.)
      • Orbiter aft compartment closeouts complete (May 24)
      • Launch countdown begins (May 24 at 9 a.m.)

      --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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