KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
      FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1999 (12:31 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: Launch pad validations are in progress and countdown preparations are under way. Last night, workers began closing out Discovery's aft compartment for flight and expect that work to conclude midday on Monday. Ordnance connections begin today and conclude Saturday. Mating of the orbiter midbody umbilical unit is in work today and Discovery's maneuvering system and reaction control system will be pressurized for flight over the weekend. Routine external tank purge activities occur Sunday. The launch countdown begins Monday at 9 a.m.

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

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

      • 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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