Space Shuttle Processing Status 7 March 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

NOTE: Launch countdown activities continue on schedule tonight for launch of
Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-102. Launch remains set for Thursday,
March 8 at 6:42 a.m. EST.

At 9:30 p.m. operations commenced to load the external tank with approx.
500,000 gallons of liquid cryogenic propellants. This process takes about 3
hours to complete.

The launch team is working no technical issues or concerns at this time that
would prohibit an on-time launch.

Weather forecasters have updated their launch weather forecasts and are now
indicating only a 10% chance of launch weather criteria violation. Cool
temperatures at the pad are not expected to be a concern at launch time. The
current forecast calls for clear skies and the temperature at Pad 39 B to be
44 degrees. The winds will be from the northwest at 6-9 knots.

The seven astronauts to be launched to the International Space Station are
awake and will be seated for a snack at 1:45 a.m. Then they will suit up for
launch and depart for Pad 39 B at 2:55 a.m. They will begin boarding
Discovery around 3:30 a.m. with the orbiter crew access hatch set to be
closed for launch at about 4:40 a.m.

Live coverage of launch activities will begin at 1:30 a.m. EST on NASA TV.