Space Shuttle Status Report 31 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: Launch Pad 39B
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 8, 2000 at 8:45 a.m. EDT (preferred launch time)
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Sept. 19, 2000 at 3:54 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 1/2 minutes
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 19 hours and 9 minutes
• CREW: Wilcutt, Altman, Lu, Malenchenko, Morukov, Mastracchio, Burbank
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 177 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Following Tuesday’s Flight Readiness Review, Shuttle managers confirmed Sept. 8 as the launch date for Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-106. This week, workers completed solid rocket booster close-outs and ordnance installation at the launch pad. Engineers loaded the Shuttle’s mass memory units for flight yesterday and launch countdown preparations are ongoing. The extra vehicular activity space suits have undergone final checks and were installed in the orbiter yesterday.

Atlantis’s payload bay doors were closed for flight last night and prelaunch processing of Space Shuttle Atlantis continues on schedule at Launch Pad 39B. Orbiter aft compartment close-outs continue on schedule. The aft doors are slated for installation late Friday and a final confidence check of the aft compartment is planned for Saturday. No work is currently scheduled at the pad for Sunday or Monday.

Milestones:
Orbiter aft compartment close-outs complete – Sept. 1
Flight crew arrives at KSC – Sept. 4 at about 9 p.m.
Launch Countdown begins – Sept. 5 at 11 a.m.
SPACEHAB late stow opportunity begins – Sept. 6
Shuttle’s external tank propellant loading begins – Sept. 7 at about 11:55 p.m.

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: VAB high bay 3
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 5, 2000 at 9:30 p.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 16, 2000 at about 5 p.m.
• 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’s mate to the external tank is complete and the Shuttle Interface Test begins today. Technicians will begin transducer inspections on the orbiter maneuvering system engines next week. The inspections will confirm proper transducer torque.

Z-1 truss processing efforts are proceeding well. The four thermal heater assemblies have been installed on the Z-1 truss and successfully retested. The truss is slated for payload canister installation on Sept. 11. On Sept. 13, the Z-1 truss is scheduled to move out to Launch Pad 39A for installation into the orbiter.

Milestones:
Shuttle roll to Launch Pad 39A – Sept. 11
Payload to the pad – Sept. 13

Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test – Sept. 14-15

• 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 robot arm has arrived in the Orbiter Processing Facility and will be installed in the payload bay today. Endeavour’s thermal protective “chin panel” is being installed beneath the orbiter’s nose. Ku-Band antenna testing is scheduled this week.