STS-89 (89)

Endeavour (12)

Pad 39-A (65)

89th Shuttle Mission

12th Flight OV-105

1st Flight SSME Block 11A

Night Launch (20)

NOTE: Click Here for Countdown Homepage

Crew:

Terrence W. Wilcutt (3), Commander

Joe F. Edwards, Jr. (1), Pilot

Bonnie J. Dunbar (5), Payload Commander

Michael P. Anderson (1), Mission Specialist

James F. Reilly, II (1), Mission Specialist

Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov (1), Mission Specialist

Andrew S. W. Thomas (2), Mission Specialist

Download:

David A. Wolf (Mir 24-25 / STS-86) will return on STS-89

Note: STS-89 was originally scheduled to return Wendy B. Lawrence

but will now return David A. Wolf (Mir 24-25 / STS-86) and

leave Andrew Thomas on MIR. Thomas will return on STS-91.

Milestones:

SLF -- 03/27/97 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 3/27/1997)

OPF -- 03/28/97 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 3/28/1997)

VAB -- 04/08/97 (Storage) (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 4/08/1997)

OPF3 -- 04/21/97 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 4/21/1997)

VAB -- 05/23/97 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 5/23/1997)

OPF1 -- 06/04/97 (>Reference KSC Shuttle Status 6/04/1997)

VAB1 -- 12/12/97 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 12/12/1997)

PAD -- 12/19/97 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 12/18/1997)

FRR -- 01/07/98 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/07/1998)

TCDT -- 01/09/98 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/09/1998)

Launch -- 01/22/98 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/22/1998)

Payload:

Mir-Docking/8, SpaceHab-DM(ADV-XDT, ADV-CGBA, EORF, MGM, RME-1312, SAMS,VOA, VRA), MPNE, SIMPLEX, CEBAS, TMIP, GPS-DTO, HP, MSD, EarthKAM, OSVS, RME-1331, TEHM, DSO-914, CoCult, BIO3D, GAS(>G-093,G-141,G-145,G-432)

(Reference KSC Shuttle Status Dec 1997)

(Reference KSC Shuttle Status Jan 1998)

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Press Kit
Click here for Additional Info on STS-89

The continuing cooperative effort in space exploration between the United States and Russia and a joint spacewalk will be the focus of NASA's first Shuttle mission of 1998 with the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on Mission STS-89. During the mission, more than 7,000 pounds of experiments, supplies and hardware are scheduled to be transferred between the two spacecraft.

This is the eighth of nine planned missions to Mir and the fifth one involving an exchange of U.S. astronauts. Astronaut Dave Wolf, who has been on Mir since late September 1997, will be replaced by Astronaut Andrew Thomas. Thomas will spend approximately 4 _ months on the orbiting Russian facility before returning to Earth when Discovery docks to Mir in late May during STS-91.

SPACEHAB Payloads include the Advanced X-Ray Detector (ADV XDT), the Advanced Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus ( ADV CGBA), the EORF, Mechanics of Granular Materials (MGM) Experiment, Intra-Vehicular Radiation Environment Measurements by the Real-Time Radiation Monitor (RME-1312), Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), VOA and VRA.

In-Cabin Payloads include the Microgravity Plant Nutrient Experiment MPNE, the Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Local Exhaust (SIMPLEX), the Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (CEBAS), the TeleMedicine Instrumentation Pack (TMIP), Global Positioning System Development Test Objective (GPS DTO), the Human Performance (HP) Experiment, MSD, EarthKAM, Orbiter Space Vision System (OSVS) Shuttle Condensate Collection (RME-1331), the Thermo-Electric Holding Module (TEHM), the Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device (DSO 914), the Co-Culture Experiments (CoCult) and the Biochemistry of 3-D Tissue Engineering (BIO3D).

Get Away Special Experiments include the University of Michigan G-093 - Vortex Ring Transit Experiment (VORTEX), the German Aerospace Center and University Giessen G-141 - Structure of Marangoni Convection in Floating Zones Payload, the German Aerospace Center and the Technical University of Claushtal G-145 Glass Fining Experiment and the Chinese Academy of Sciences G-432 canister containing 5 crystal growth and material sciences experiments.

Launch:

Launch January 22, 1998 9:48:15 p.m. EST. 10 min. Launch window.

On Thursday, 1/22/98, weather forcasters predicted a 70 percent chance of favorable weather conditions. The flight crew ate breakfast in the Operations and Checkout Building, suited up and departed for Launch Pad 39A at 5:56pm EST. They arrived at the pad surface at 6:11pm EST. By 7:24pm, crew ingress was complete an air to ground voice checks were complete. At 7:38pm EST the white room crew was given a go to close Endeavour's hatch and by 7:44pm EST the hatch was closed and locked for flight. White room closeout was complete at 8:32pm EST. At 8:37pm engineers in the firing room reported a problem with the ground Data Processing System (DPS) Front End Processor (FEP) that required extending the hold at the T-minus 20 minute mark. The system was brought back online and all stations were checked for impact. A 9:02pm EST the launch team commanded the countdown clock to exit the T-minus 20 minute hold and reduced the 46 minute hold at the T-minus 9 minute mark to 25 min 15 seconds. At 9:13pm EST the countdown clock entered the T-minus 9 minute hold point. At 9:35pm EST, NASA Launch Director David King polled the launch team and gave a final go for launch. The countdown clock exited the T-minus 9 minute hold at 9:39pm EST. At 9:43pm a go was given for APU start and launch occured exactly at the start of the launch window at 9:48:15pm EST.

On Wednesday, 1/21/98, final preparations of the Shuttle main engines for main propellant tanking began and activation of the orbiter's navigation and communication systems occured. Current Air Force weather forecasts indicate a 60 percent chance that weather could prohibit launch on Thursday. The primary concern is for thick cloud coverage at the launch site. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/21/1998)

On Tuesday, 1/20/98, preparations continued for the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-89. The launch countdown began at 7 p.m. Monday at the T-43 hour mark. Over the weekend, mission managers discussed the issue of the hydraulic lines on auxiliary power unit No. 3 and determined the system is prepared to fly without concerns. This topic will be discussed one final time during the standard launch minus one day review at KSC on Wednesday. On Friday, 1/16/98, payload bay door closure was delayed due to the need to replace a portion of the door's seal. That work has been completed and the doors will be closed for flight 1/21/98. Aft compartment close-outs are also complete. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/20/1998)

The Rotating Service Structure (RSS) at Pad 39A is back in place around Shuttle Endeavour following the successful completion of the auxiliary power unit hot-fire test on 1/12/98. Stowage of flight crew systems and part 2 of the payload interface verification test were also completed. Technicians worked on the orbiter midbody umbilical unit mate and leak checks. The orbiter's aft compartment close-outs continue through Saturday. A decoder on microwave scanning beam landing system No. 3 is being replaced today and payload bay doors will be closed for flight on Friday. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/13/1998)

On Friday, January 9, 1998, the crew of mission STS-89 continued to take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). On Saturday, they will go through simulated launch day activities including entering the orbiterEndeavour for a simulated main engine ignition and cut-off. They will depart for their homes in Houston tomorrow afternoon to complete their pre-mission training. Currently, the crew is scheduled to return to KSC on Jan. 19 for final launch activities. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/09/1998)

On Thursday, January 8, 1998, at the conclusion of yesterday's Flight Readiness Review, NASA managers announced Jan. 22 as the official launch date for mission STS-89. At the launch pad, loading of hypergolic propellants into Endeavour's orbiter maneuvering system pods is complete and the hot-fire of all three auxiliary power units (APU's) were successfully completed. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/08/1998)

On Monday, January 4, 1998 the helium signature leak test was completed and Endeavour's payload bay doors were closed by midnight. Thermal blanket installation on the left payload bay door begins Thursday and concludes on Sunday. Loading of hypergolic propellants into Endeavour's orbiter maneuvering system pods began. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/06/1998)

On Friday, January 2, 1998, shuttle workers resumed prelaunch processing of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The payload bay doors were opened and tests of the orbiter docking system were completed on Saturday. Over the weekend, technicians replaced three flood lights in the orbiter's midbody and payload interface verification testing (IVT) began on Sunday. IVT activities conclude on monday the orbiter's payload doors were closed. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/05/1998)

On Monday, 12/8/97, Endeavour remains in the OPF as NASA managers continue to discuss launch options of mission STS-89 including the option to launch no earlier than Jan. 20, 1998. This delay is an effort to accommodate Mir operational activities. In addition, KSC managers are evaluating flight hardware issues that are impacting the work schedule for Endeavour. On Friday, technicians completed payload bay door cycling tests. After the orbiter's payload bay doors were closed, work began to remove the support devices that externally brace the doors while they are being opened and closed. One of the four devices known as "strongbacks" sustained a weld failure and part of the brace contacted the forward left payload bay door. There was no penetration through the door, but inspections revealed an indention about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and a tenth of an inch deep on the surface beneath the thermal blanket. NASA engineers are developing a repair plan that will have the orbiter ready for transfer to the Vehicle Assembly Building as early as Thursday. Also, engineers are evaluating an unusual number of damaged tiles sustained by the Shuttle Columbia during its 16 day flight. Managers want to be sure that this issue poses no threat to Endeavour's thermal protection system before its launch next year. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 12/08/1997)

On 7/18/97, removal and repair of the liquid oxygen 17-inch disconnect continued and the hydraulic system was also serviced. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 07/18/1997)

Orbit:

Altitude: 160nm

Inclination: 51.6

Orbits: 138

Duration: 8 days, 19 hours, 48 minutes, 04 seconds.

Distance: 3.6 Million miles

Hardware:

SRB: BIO93

SRM: RSRM-64

ET: SN-90

MLP: 3

SSME-1: SN-2043**A (HPOTP 8021, HPFTP 6014)

SSME-2: SN-2044**A (HPOTP 8014, HPFTP 4116)

SSME-3: SN-2045**A (HPOTP 8023, HPFTP 6015)

Landing:

KSC 1/31/98 at 5:36 p.m. EST. Runway 15. A go for the Deorbit burn was given at 4:04pm and the Deorbit burn occured at 4:28pm EST. EST. Landing Groundtracks for the 1st KSC landing opportunities took the shuttle over Cuba and the south west coast of Florida. Sonic booms heard at KSC at 5:31pm EST as Endeavour approached the Heading Alignment Cylinder (HAC). Main Gear Touchdown 8 days 19 hours 46 minutes 54 seconds. (5:35:09 EST) Nose Gear Touchdown 8 days 19 hours 47 minutes 06 seconds. (5:35:21 EST) Wheels Stop 8 days 19 hours 48 minutes 04 seconds. (5:36:19 EST).

The early weather forecast for Saturday's scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 4:35 p.m. Central time calls for clear skies, and as a result, mission managers have elected not to call up landing support at Endeavour's backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Mission Highlights:

STS-89 Flight Day 1 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 2 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 3 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 4 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 5 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 6 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 7 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 8 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 9 Highlights:
STS-89 Flight Day 10 Highlights:

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