Space Shuttle Launch Schedule for 2000 ISS Missions Under Review

[04 Jan 2000] NASA issued a Space Shuttle Status Report today that lists the followng target dates for the next 3 Space Shuttle Missions:

° STS-99 – Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM): No earlier than 31 Jan 2000

° STS-101 – 3rd ISS Flight (2A.2) – SPACEHAB DM: No earlier than 16 Mar 2000

° STS-92 – 4th ISS Flight (3A) – Z-1 Truss, PMA-3: No earlier than 14 Jun 2000

NASA currently lists STS-101 as a Spacehab DM logistics mission to the ISS. If current working plans are adopted, STS-101 would be redesignated as “2A.2A” and would focus on FGB and Node maintenance. A similar mission, to be designated “2A.2B”, would be another Spacehab DM logistics flight launched to ISS after the Russian Service Module is in orbit. NASA sources suspect that this proposal is meant to assure that the FGB and Node can function longer than originally planned should there be a further Service Module delay (or launch failure).

The Service Module’s launch has been delayed by two launch failures of Proton rockets (which will be used to loft the Service Module) and by delays in the assembly and testing of the Service Module itself. After completion of both a General Designers Review and a Joint Program Review in Russia during January 2000, and consideration of the report from the Proton failure investigation board, a launch date for the Service Module is supposed to be set. Late March/early April 2000 is the current inside bet.

° Space Shuttle Status Report, 4 Jan 2000, NASA KSC

° NASA Human Spaceflight website, NASA JSC

° 12 November 1999 ISS Assembly Sequence, NASA Watch

° STS-99 webpage, NASA KSC

° 1R (Service Module) webpage, NASA JSC

° STS-101/ ISS 2A.2 webpage, NASA JSC

° STS-101 webpage, NASA KSC

° STS-92/ISS 3A webpage, NASA JSC

° STS-92 webpage, NASA KSC