Space Shuttle Status Report 24 August 2000

NOTE: This is an orbiter processing report and does not reflect the chronological order of upcoming Space Shuttle flights. Visit http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/schedule/schedule.htm on the KSC Home Page for the latest schedule of future Shuttle missions.

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Launch Pad 39B
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 8, 2000 at 8:45 a.m. EDT (preferred launch time)
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Sept. 19, 2000 at 4:59 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 1/2 minutes
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 20 hours and 14 minutes
• CREW: Wilcutt, Altman, Lu, Malenchenko, Morukov, Mastracchio, Burbank
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 177 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: KSC is no longer in any “Hurricane Condition” as a result of Hurricane Debby taking a more westerly turn overnight and being downgraded to a tropical wave. Shuttle managers will monitor tropical weather activity as work at the pad continues on schedule. Prelaunch hypergolic propellant loading operations continue today. Preparations are also underway for a scheduled hot fire of auxiliary power unit No. 1 on Friday.

A manager’s Launch Readiness Review is set to occur tomorrow as a precursor to the Flight Readiness Review set for next Tuesday.

Milestones:
Prelaunch propellant loading of orbiter storage tanks complete – Aug. 26
Orbiter aft compartment close-outs begin – Aug. 28
Flight Readiness Review – Aug. 29
Orbiter payload bay doors closed for flight – Aug. 30
Space suit functional testing – Aug. 30

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 5, 2000 at 9:30 p.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 16, 2000 at about 5 p.m.
• MISSION DURATION: 11 days
• CREW: Duffy, Melroy, Wakata, Chiao, Wisoff, Lopez-Alegria, McArthur
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 177 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Orbiter Discovery, mounted to the orbiter transporter, was rolled from OPF bay 3 to the Vehicle Assembly Building today at 1 p.m. Discovery will be mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters tonight. Interface testing begins this weekend. Rollout to Pad 39A on Aug. 30 remains on schedule, pending management approval.

• VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
• LOCATION: OPF bay 2
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Nov. 30, 2000 at 10:48 p.m.
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 10, 2000 at time TBD
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days
• CREW: Jett, Bloomfield, Tanner, Noriega, Garneau
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 177 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Functional tests of Endeavour’s docking mechanism are complete. Standard rigging work continues on the orbiter’s right-hand external tank umbilical door. Endeavour’s thermal protective “chin panel” is being installed beneath the orbiter’s nose.