FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1999 (4:30 PM EDT)
NOTE: Based on the progress of wiring inspections and repairs on Discovery, Shuttle managers today decided to place priority on launching mission STS-103, the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 3A, as the next Shuttle flight. Discovery is now planned for launch no earlier than Nov. 19, although a target launch date will continue to be assessed as the inspections and repairs continue. Because the area under the liner of Discovery's payload bay has been more easily accessible, the planned wiring work has progressed quicker on Discovery than it has on Endeavour. The decision to plan STS-103 as the next Shuttle flight was based on that progress.
NOTE: Managers also continue working toward a possible launch of Endeavour this year on mission STS-99, the Space Radar Topography Mission. However, according to the current status of wiring work on Endeavour, it is projected that it could be ready for a launch of STS-99 no earlier than December. Managers plan to continue to assess the progress of the wiring inspections and repairs on both orbiters weekly and to adjust target launch dates once the time required to complete the work is better understood.
NOTE: Atlantis was moved from the VAB to Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 this morning. In the OPF, the vehicle will undergo wire inspections similar to those of Discovery and Endeavour.
NOTE: Columbia's ferry flight to Palmdale, CA, began today for its regularly scheduled Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP). The orbiter, atop the modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), departed KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:15 p.m. en route to Whiteman Air Force Base, MO, which is about an hour southeast of Kansas City, MO. Columbia landed at Whiteman at about 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will remain there overnight. Tomorrow the SCA will depart for Palmdale, CA., and arrive at about 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Ferry flight plans are contingent upon weather conditions in the flight path, and the vehicle could be diverted to other facilities with little notice.
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