- 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
- Loading of Discovery's fuel cell storage tanks (May 25 from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m.)
- Demate orbiter midbody umbilical unit (May 25 at 1:30 p.m.)
- Rotating Service Structure moves to park position (May 26 at 10 a.m.)
- Loading external tank with liquid propellant (May 26 from 9:54 p.m. to 12:54 a.m.)
MONDAY, MAY 24, 1999 (2:51 PM EDT)
STS-96 -- 2nd U.S. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT - SPACEHAB DOUBLE MODULENOTE: The launch countdown for STS-96 began on schedule today at 9 a.m. at the T-43 hour mark. Over the weekend, workers completed ordnance connections and pressurization of Discovery's maneuvering system and reaction control system. Yesterday morning, aft compartment close-outs concluded and aft confidence checks are in work today. Mating of the orbiter midbody umbilical unit is also complete. This morning, pyrotechnic initiator controller testing began.
At about 11 p.m. yesterday, the STS-96 flight crew arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. In the three days prior to launch they will undergo routine medical exams and participate in standard orbiter and payload familiarization activities. The commander and pilot will also take practice flights in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and T-38 jets this week.
Weather forecasters currently indicate a 30 percent chance that weather could prohibit Thursday's launch attempt. The forecast calls for scattered clouds with bases at 15,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles with a chance of fog limiting to 3 miles; westerly winds at 7 knots peaking to 10 knots; temperature at 72 degrees F; relative humidity at 93 percent and dew point at 70 degrees F. The primary weather issues are expected to be the possibility of fog and low cloud ceilings. The forecast improves to a 20 percent chance of violation on Friday and Saturday.
STS-96 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
| SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-96 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| T-TIME | LENGTH OF HOLD | HOLD BEGINS | HOLD ENDS |
| T-27 hours | 4 hours | 1 a.m. Tues. | 5 a.m. Tues. |
| T-19 hours | 4 hours | 1 p.m. Tues. | 5 p.m. Tues. |
| T-11 hours | 13 hours, 54 minutes | 1 a.m. Wed. | 2:54 p.m. Wed. |
| T-6 hours | 2 hours | 7:54 p.m. Wed. | 9:54 p.m. Wed. |
| T-3 hours | 2 hours | 12:54 a.m. Thurs. | 2:54 a.m. Thurs. |
| T-20 minutes | 10 minutes | 5:34 a.m. Thurs. | 5:44 a.m. Thurs. |
| T-9 minutes | 40 minutes | 5:55 a.m. Thurs. | 6:35 a.m. Thurs. |
| CREW FOR MISSION STS-96 | |
|---|---|
| POSITION | NAME |
| Commander (CDR) | Kent Rominger |
| Pilot (PLT) | Rick Husband |
| Mission Specialist (MS1) | Tamara Jernigan |
| Mission Specialist (MS2) | Ellen Ochoa |
| Mission Specialist (MS3) | Daniel Barry |
| Mission Specialist (MS4) | Julie Payette |
| Mission Specialist (MS5) | Valerie Tokarev |
| SUMMARY OF STS-96 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES | |
|---|---|
| Thursday, May 27 | |
| 1 a.m. | Wake up from optional nap |
| *1:49 a.m. | Snack/crew photo |
| 2:19 a.m. | CDR, PLT, MS2 weather briefing |
| 2:19 a.m. | MS1, MS3, MS4, MS5 don launch and entry suits |
| *2:29 a.m. | CDR, PLT, MS2 don launch and entry suits |
| *3 a.m. | Depart for Launch Pad 39B |
| *3:30 a.m. | Arrive at white room and begin ingress |
| *4:44 a.m. | Close crew hatch |
| *6:48 a.m. | Launch |
Televised events (times may vary slightly)
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