STS-111 Landing Details
Space shuttle mission managers have postponed the scheduled landing of the space shuttle orbiter Endeavour at Kennedy Space Center in Florida until at least Tuesday, June 18, due to deteriorating weather conditions at Cape Canaveral. Managers decided to scrub both landing opportunities at Kennedy due to thunderstorms and hail within 30 miles of the landing facility and strong crosswinds that were above the 15-knot limit for a safe landing.
The back-up landing location at Edwards Air Force Base in California was not called up to support a potential landing today, but will be called up on Tuesday. However, strong crosswinds are predicted at Edwards on Tuesday that would be above the limits for a safe landing here, and weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday are again expected to be out of limits due to thunderstorm activity. That could force another day’s delay in Endeavour’s return to Earth.
There are two landing opportunities available at Kennedy on Tuesday, June 18, the first at 11:55 a.m. and the second at 1:32 p.m., both Eastern time. Two landing opportunities also exist at Edwards in Southern California’s high desert on Tuesday, at 12:02 p.m. and 1:38 p.m. Pacific time. There are two opportunities for landing at Kennedy and three at Edwards on Wednesday, if Endeavour is forced to stay in orbit after Tuesday. The target landing times at Kennedy are 10:52 a.m. and 12:27 p.m., both Eastern time. The three opportunities for landing at Edwards on Wednesday are 10:58 a.m., 12:34 p.m. and 2:10 p.m., all Pacific time.
Due to security concerns, Edwards Air Force Base will NOT be open to the public for viewing of a potential space shuttle landing.
To date, 59 shuttle missions have landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Another 48 shuttle landings have occurred at Edwards, and one landed at White Sands in New Mexico.
Endeavour launched from the Florida space facility on June 5 on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station. Its primary mission was to deliver and install the Mobile Base System and transport the Expedition Five crew to space station Alpha, and return the Expedition Four crew to Earth. In addition, astronauts replaced a faulty wrist-roll joint on the station’s robotic arm.
In the event of a landing at Dryden, facilities will be available to accredited news media representatives. Media representatives planning to cover a potential landing at Edwards should fax a request for accreditation to (661) 276-3566 or phone the Dryden Public Affairs Office at (661) 276-3449 no later than 8 a.m. Tuesday. Media personnel must have two forms of photo identification, including a driver’s license, an appropriate vehicle registration and insurance information to gain access to Edwards AFB.
The Dryden Public Affairs Office will open at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. A media escort will depart the Dryden Public Affairs Office at approximately 10 a.m. to convoy photographers, videographers and reporters to the shuttle landing news media viewing site.
Broadcast media intending to use radio-frequency transmitting equipment must have their equipment and frequencies inspected and approved by the NASA Dryden frequency management office in advance. Broadcast crews must have a copy of their transmitter licenses with their equipment. There will be a mandatory full-up frequency test approximately two hours prior to landing to avoid interference with frequencies used by NASA or the Air Force. For further information, please contact Dryden frequency manager Gary Barr at (661) 276-2717, or the Edwards Air Force Base Control Center at (661) 277-3444.
For the latest update on the shuttle landing schedule, call (661) 276-2564.
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
Public Affairs Office
Edwards, CA 93523
(661) 276-3449
FAX (661) 276-3566
