Space Shuttle Status Report 21 Apr 2000

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE
SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2000 (3:30 p.m. EDT)

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MISSION: STS-101 — 3rd ISS Flight (2A.2a) – SPACEHAB DM

• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Launch Pad 39A
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: April 24, 2000 at about 4:15 p.m.
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 4, 2000 at about 12:44 p.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 5 minutes
• MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 20 hours and 29 minutes
• CREW: Halsell, Horowitz, Weber, Williams, Voss, Helms, Usachev
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

Shuttle Processing Note: Preparations are on schedule to launch Shuttle Atlantis at about 4:15 p.m. on Monday. Today, the seven-member flight crew arrived at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at 3:30 p.m. Over the next few days, the crew will review flight procedures and take opportunities to fly in training jets from the SLF.

At the launch pad, external tank purge activities are complete and orbiter aft compartment close-outs conclude this afternoon. Launch controllers will begin the countdown at the T-43 hour mark at 7 p.m. today.

Weather forecasters indicate a 70 percent chance of favorable weather on launch day. The forecast calls for scattered clouds at 4,000 – 7,000 feet and broken clouds at 25,000 – 31,000 feet; visibility at 7 miles; winds out of the east at 10 gusting to 15 knots; temperature at 77 degrees F and relative humidity at 45 percent. The primary concern is the potential for thunderstorm anvil clouds.

Upcoming Milestones:
Orbiter aft compartment close-outs complete – April 21
Launch countdown begins – April 21 at 7 p.m.
Shuttle pyrotechnic controller tests – April 22
Power reactant and storage distribution system cryogenic loading – April 22
Flight crew equipment late stow – April 23
Loading external tank with 500,000 gallons of liquid propellant begins – April 24 at 7:22 a.m.