Space Shuttle Processing Status 2 Mar 2001

MISSION: STS-102 – 8th ISS Flight (5A.1) – Leonardo MPLM

VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103

LOCATION: Launch Pad 39B

TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Mar. 8, 2001 at about 6:42 a.m. EST

TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Mar. 20, 2001 at about 2:02 a.m.

LAUNCH WINDOW: less than 5 minutes

MISSION DURATION: 11 days, 19 hours

CREW: Wetherbee, Kelly, Thomas, Richards; (up) Voss, Helms, Usachev; (down)
Shepherd, Gidzenko, Krikalev

ORBITAL INSERTION ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 122 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Countdown preparations are currently in work and
all other activities continue on schedule at Launch Pad 39B to ready
Discovery for launch on mission STS-102. The Leonardo Multi-purpose
Logistics Module (MPLM) is installed inside Discovery’s payload bay and the
payload bay doors are scheduled to be closed for flight Monday morning. Aft
engine compartment closeouts were completed Thursday night and the launch
team is working no technical issues at this time.
The crew for mission STS-102 is scheduled to arrive at KSC at 11 p.m. EST
Sunday, March 4. The countdown is set to begin at 10 a.m. Monday, March 5.

Upcoming Milestones:

Crew arrival – Mar. 4

Begin countdown- Mar. 5

SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITERS ATLANTIS and COLUMBIA FERRY FLIGHT STATUS

Space Shuttle orbiters Atlantis and Columbia, having both departed
California atop their respective 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on Thursday,
will remain a second night at their mid-country layover locations.
Columbia is currently at Dyess AFB, Texas, and Atlantis is at Altus AFB,
Okla.

The orbiter ferry flight teams will evaluate weather conditions tomorrow
morning to assess the likelihood of continuing their trips back to KSC at
the earliest opportunity. Weather permitting, the vehicles could be back at
KSC by no earlier than Saturday afternoon, however, weather en route is not
promising and further delays are possible.
Columbia is returning from a 17-month long modification and refurbishment
process as part of a routine maintenance plan.
Atlantis is being returned to KSC following last week’s Edward Air Force
Base landing concluding Shuttle mission STS-98.