Space Shuttle Status Report 4 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: Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) bay 3
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 8, 2000 at 8:31 a.m. EDT
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Sept. 19, 2000 at 3:12 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 18 hours and 41 minutes
• CREW: Wilcutt, Altman, Lu, Malenchenko, Morukov, Mastracchio, Burbank
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 177 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Workers are making final preparation to roll orbiter Atlantis to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Yesterday, technicians completed closeout efforts in the orbiter’s forward compartment. Weight and center of gravity testing is also complete, and Atlantis is mated to the orbiter transport system. The transfer begins at about 9:30 a.m. Monday.

By Monday night, the orbiter will be mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters in VAB high bay 1. Then on Aug. 12, the entire Shuttle stack moves to high bay 2 as part of the final safe haven fit checks. The recently completed safe haven modification provides additional storage space in the VAB for Space Shuttle elements in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane. The modification includes an extension of the crawlerway to the VAB’s west side. Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39B from VAB high bay 2 at about 11 p.m. on Aug. 13.

Milestones:
Orbiter roll out of OPF bay 3 into VAB – Aug. 7 at about 9:30 a.m.
SPACEHAB payload installed into canister – Aug. 8
Payload transferred to Launch Pad 39B – Aug. 11
Safe Haven fit check with full Shuttle stack begins – Aug. 12 at about 3 a.m.
Shuttle Atlantis begins roll out to Launch Pad 39B – Aug. 13 at about 11 p.m.
Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test – Aug. 17-18

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: OPF bay 1
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 5, 2000 at 9:49 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 midbody compartment close-outs are complete and Discovery’s payload bay doors are closed. Technicians continue close-out work in the forward and aft compartments. Discovery is currently scheduled to move the VAB on Aug. 21.

• VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
• LOCATION: OPF bay 2
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Nov. 30, 2000 at 10:48 p.m. (under review)
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Dec. 9, 2000 at time TBD
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days
• CREW: Jett, Bloomfield, Tanner, Noriega, Garneau
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 177 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: The orbiter’s payload premate test is ongoing. Wireless video modifications continue. Next week, technicians will begin feed line connections on the left-hand orbiter maneuvering system pod.