Shuttle Mission STS-110 Launch Time Announced for Launch on April 8
Following a review of weekend repair activities at Launch Pad 39B, mission managers today confirmed Monday, April 8, as the launch date for Shuttle mission STS-110. The preferred launch time is 4:39:31 p.m. EDT. Remaining countdown activities continue on schedule.
The planar launch window on Monday extends from 4:34:31 – 4:44:30 p.m. EDT with the preferred launch time reflecting a flight day three rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station. The launch window times will be updated to coincide with the latest orbital position of the Space Station and will be announced at the T-9 minute hold.
STS-110 is a scheduled 11-day mission with a planned KSC landing at about 12:42 p.m. on April 19.
Work over the weekend was focused on the Mobile Launcher Platform 16-inch hydrogen vent line that began to leak during external tank loading operations for the launch attempt on April 4. The launch was postponed that morning and, following the repairs to the line and subsequent leak checks, rescheduled for April 8.
This mission marks the thirteenth Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the second Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-110 is the 25th flight of the orbiter Atlantis and the 109th flight overall in NASA’s Space Shuttle program.
On mission STS-110, the seven-member crew will deliver the S-Zero Truss Segment and the Mobile Transporter to the International Space Station. During the seven days Atlantis will be docked to the Station, four spacewalks will be performed dedicated to truss installation. Work will also begin on the construction of the power and cooling plant that will be needed by future laboratories.
The STS-110 crew includes Commander Michael Bloomfield, Pilot Stephen Frick, and Mission Specialists Jerry Ross, Steven Smith, Ellen Ochoa, Lee Morin, and Rex Walheim.
(end of general release)
REMAINING COUNTDOWN MILESTONES
*all times are EasternLaunch-1 Day (Sunday, April 7)
(As of 4:30 p.m., the countdown clock is in a scheduled built-in hold at the T-11 hour mark)
* Flight crew equipment late stow
* Move Rotating Service Structure (RSS) to the park position (about 10 p.m.)
* Perform ascent switch list
* Fuel cell flow-through purge complete
*
* Launch Day (Monday, April 8)
*
* Resume countdown at T-11 hours (1:44 a.m.)
*
* Activate the orbiter’s fuel cells (3 a.m.)
* Clear the blast danger area of all non-essential personnel
* Switch Atlantis’ purge air to gaseous nitrogen (4 a.m.)
*
* Enter planned 1-hour built-in hold at the T-6 hour mark (6:44 a.m.)
*
* Launch team verifies no violations of launch commit criteria prior to cryogenic loading of the external tank
* Clear pad of all personnel
* Chilldown of propellant transfer lines (7:14 a.m.)
*
* Resume countdown at T-6 hours (7:44 a.m.)
*
* Begin loading the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants (about 7:44 a.m.)
* Complete filling the external tank with its flight load of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants (about 10:44 a.m.)
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* Enter planned 2-hour built-in hold at T-3 hours (10:44 a.m.)
*
* Final Inspection Team proceed to launch pad
* Perform inertial measurement unit preflight calibration
* Align Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA) tracking antennas
* Perform open loop test with Eastern Range
*
* Resume countdown at T-3 hours (12:44 p.m.)
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* Complete close-out preparations in the white room
* Check cockpit switch configurations
* Begin Eastern Range final network open loop command checks
* Primary ascent guidance data is transferred to the backup flight system
*
*
*
* Enter planned 10-minute hold at T-20 minutes (3:24 p.m.)
*
* NASA Test Director conducts final launch team briefings
* Complete inertial measurement unit preflight alignments
*
* Resume countdown at T-20 minutes (3:34 p.m.)
*
* Transition the orbiter’s onboard computers to launch configuration
* Start fuel cell thermal conditioning
* Close orbiter cabin vent valves
* Transition backup flight system to launch configuration
*
* Enter estimated 45-minute hold at T-9 minutes (3:45 p.m.)
*
* Launch Director, Mission Management Team and NASA Test Director conduct final polls for go/no go to launch
*
* Resume countdown at T-9 minutes (about 4:31 p.m.)
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* Start automatic ground launch sequencer (T-9:00 minutes)
* Retract orbiter crew access arm (T-7:30)
* Start mission recorders (T-6:15)
* Start Auxiliary Power Units (T-5:00)
* Arm SRB and ET range safety safe and arm devices (T-5:00)
* Start liquid oxygen drainback (T-4:55)
* Start orbiter aerosurface profile test (T-3:55)
* Start main engine gimbal profile test (T-3:30)
* Pressurize liquid oxygen tank (T-2:55)
* Begin retraction of the gaseous oxygen vent arm (T-2:55)
* Fuel cells to internal reactants (T-2:35)
* Pressurize liquid hydrogen tank (T-1:57)
* Deactivate SRB joint heaters (T-1:00)
* Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power (T-0:50 seconds)
* Ground Launch Sequencer go for auto sequence start (T-0:31 seconds)
* SRB gimbal profile (T-0:21 seconds)
* Ignition of three Space Shuttle main engines (T-6.6 seconds)
* SRB ignition and liftoff (T-0)CREW FOR MISSION STS-110
Commander (CDR): Michael Bloomfield
Pilot (PLT): Stephen Frick
Mission Specialist (MS1): Rex Walheim
Mission Specialist (MS2): Ellen Ochoa
Mission Specialist (MS3): Lee Morin
Mission Specialist (MS4): Jerry Ross
Mission Specialist (MS5): Steven Smith— end —
