Launch Countdown for Shuttle Mission STS-92 Begins at 12 A.M. Tuesday
KSC RELEASE NO. 84 – 00
NASA will begin the countdown for launch of Space Shuttle Discovery
on mission STS-92 Oct. 3 at 12 a.m. EDT at the T-43 hour mark. This mission
marks the 5th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the 4th
Shuttle mission this year. The KSC launch team will conduct the countdown
from Firing Room 3 of the Launch Control Center.
The countdown includes 24 hours and 33 minutes of built-in hold time
leading to a preferred launch time at about 9:38 p.m. on Oct. 5 with a
launch window not to exceed 5 minutes. The exact location of the orbiting
International Space Station (ISS) will be determined during the T-9 minute
built-in hold. The launch director will at that time determine the exact
time of launch.
Mission STS-92 is the 28th flight of the orbiter Discovery
and the 100th flight overall in NASA’s Space Shuttle program. STS-92 is
scheduled to last 10 days, 19 hours and 12 minutes with a planned KSC
landing at about 4:50 p.m. on Oct. 16.
After completing mission STS-103 on Dec. 27, 1999, Discovery rolled
into KSC’s Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) bay 1 to undergo processing for
this flight. The orbiter rolled out of OPF bay 1 and into bay 3 on Aug. 21
allowing workers to begin planned upgrades to bay 1. Discovery was mated
with the external tank and solid rocket boosters in the Vehicle Assembly
Building (VAB) on Aug. 24. Eighteen days later, the entire Space Shuttle
stack rolled out to Launch Pad 39A to undergo final launch preparations. The
extended stay in the VAB allowed Shuttle Atlantis to clear pad 39B with the
launch of mission STS-106, and minimized the risk of having two Shuttle
vehicles exposed to the elements during hurricane season.
On mission STS-92, the seven-member crew will prepare ISS for the
arrival of its first international crew later this year. During the flight,
the crew of Discovery will connect the Zenith-1 Truss to the growing
International Space Station. Pressurized Mating Adapter -3 will also be
installed on this flight. The mission objectives include a total of four
space walks to be completed by two teams of two astronauts.
The STS-92 crew includes: Commander Brian Duffy, Pilot Pamela
Melroy, and Mission Specialists Leroy Chiao, Bill McArthur, Jeff Wisoff,
Michael Lopez-Alegria, Koichi Wakata.
(end of general release)
COUNTDOWN MILESTONES
*all times are Eastern
Launch – 3 Days (Monday, Oct. 2)
* Prepare for the start of the STS-92 launch countdown
* Perform the call-to-stations (11:30 p.m.)
Launch – 2 Days (Tuesday, Oct. 3)
systems
computers
system (3 p.m.)
Enter first built-in hold at T-27 hours for duration of 4 hours (4 p.m.)
(5:10 p.m.)
Resume countdown (8 p.m.)
cell storage tanks
(8 p.m. – 4 a.m.)
Launch -1 Day (Wednesday, Oct. 4 )
Enter 4-hour built-in hold at T-19 hours (4 a.m.)
Resume countdown (8 a.m.)
propellant tanking and flight (8 a.m.)
Enter planned hold at T-11 hours for 13 hours, 43 minutes (4 p.m.)
Launch Day (Thursday, Oct. 5)
a.m.)
Resume countdown at T-11 hours (5:43 a.m.)
Enter planned 2-hour built-in hold at the T-6 hour mark (10:43 a.m.)
to cryogenic loading of the external tank
cryogenic propellants (about 12:43 p.m.)
Resume countdown (12:43 p.m.)
hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants (about 3:43 p.m.)
Enter planned 2-hour built-in hold at T-3 hours (3:43 p.m.)
Resume countdown at T-3 hours (5:43 p.m.)
p.m.)
Mission Control
system
Enter planned 10-minute hold at T-20 minutes (8:23 p.m.)
Resume countdown at T-20 minutes (8:33 p.m.)
Enter estimated 45-minute hold at T-9 minutes (8:44 p.m.)
conduct final polls for go/no go to launch
Resume countdown at T-9 minutes (about 9:29 p.m.)
SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-92
T-TIME LENGTH OF HOLD HOLD BEGINS HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours 4 hours 4 p.m. Tues. 8 p.m. Tues.
T-19 hours 4 hours 4 a.m. Wed. 8 a.m. Wed.
T-11 hours 13 hours, 43 minutes 4 p.m. Wed. 5:43 a.m. Thurs.T-6 hours 2 hours 10:43 a.m. Thurs. 12:43 a.m. Thurs.
T-3 hours 2 hours 3:43 p.m. Thurs. 5:43 p.m. Thurs.
T-20 minutes 10 minutes 8:23 p.m. Thurs. 8:33 p.m. Thurs.T-9 minutes about 45 minutes 8:44 p.m. Thurs. 9:29 p.m.
Thurs.
CREW FOR MISSION STS-92
Commander (CDR): Brian Duffy
Pilot (PLT): Pamela Melroy
Mission Specialist (MS1): Leroy Chiao
Mission Specialist (MS2): Bill McArthur
Mission Specialist (MS3): Jeff Wisoff
Mission Specialist (MS4): Koichi Wakata
Mission Specialist (MS5): Michael Lopez-Alegria
SUMMARY OF STS-92 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES
Thursday, Oct. 5
9:30 a.m. Crew wake up
10:30 a.m. Breakfast
*4:38 p.m. Snack and photo
5:08 p.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
5:08 p.m. Don flight suits (MS1, MS3, MS4, MS5)
*5:18 p.m. Don flight suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
*5:48 p.m. Depart for launch pad
*6:18 p.m. Arrive at white room and begin ingress
*7:33 p.m. Close crew hatch
*9:38 p.m. Launch
* Televised events (times may vary slightly)
All times Eastern