Space Shuttle Status Report 18 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: Pad 39B
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 8, 2000 at 8:31 a.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Sept. 19, 2000 at 4:45 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 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: The flight crew
completed Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities today and departed
for Houston, TX at about 2:15 p.m. Earlier this week, engineers completed main
engine flight readiness testing, and yesterday the SPACEHAB payload was
installed into Atlantis’ payload bay. Preparations for the Helium Signature Test
are ongoing. Next week, routine payload testing is slated for Tuesday. Orbiter
prelaunch propellant loading begins Wednesday.

Milestones:
Prelaunch propellant loading of orbiter storage tanks –
Aug. 23
Orbiter aft compartment close-outs begin –   Aug. 28
Orbiter payload bay doors closed for flight –   Aug. 30
Space suit functional testing – Aug. 30

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: OPF bay 1
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 5, 2000 at 9:30 p.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 16, 2000
• 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 is now scheduled to move to the Vehicle Assembly Building by the middle of next week. The orbiter will leave OPF bay 1 on Monday, but instead of rolling directly to the VAB it will be stored temporarily in the vacant OPF bay 3.
This interim move allows Shuttle managers additional time to evaluate the risk of having both Shuttle Atlantis and Discovery at the launch pads during the hurricane season. It also allows International Space Station engineers time to complete analysis of a potential thermal issue with sensors inside the control moment gyroscopes aboard the Z-1 truss. The move also accommodates planned modifications inside OPF bay 1.

Workers completed Discovery’s weight and center of gravity tests on Wednesday, and yesterday the orbiter was mated to the orbiter transport system. Final preparations are under way to roll Discovery out of OPF bay 1 Monday afternoon.

• 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: Endeavour’s
ammonia boiler system inspections continue. Workers are installing the thermal
protective "chin panel" beneath the orbiter’s nose. This week,
technicians will replace the brake assembly on the orbiter docking system.