STS-92 (100)

Discovery (28)

Pad 39-A (70)

100th Shuttle Mission

28th Flight OV-103

Night Launch (25)

Edwards Landing

NOTE: Click Here for Countdown Homepage

Crew:

Brian Duffy (4), Commander

Pamela A. Melroy (1), Pilot

Koichi Wakata (2), (Japan) Mission Specialist

Leroy Chiao (3), Mission Specialist

Peter J.K. Wisoff (4), Mission Specialist

Michael E. Lopez-Alegria (2), Mission Specialist

William S. McArthur (3), Mission Specialist

Milestones:

OPF -- 12/27/99

VAB -- 8/21/00 (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 8/21/2000)

PAD -- 9/11/00

Payload:

Space Station Assembly Flight ISS-05-3A (Z-1 Truss/SLP, CMGs, Ku/S-Band, PMA-3/SLP, DDCU), IMAX

Mission Objectives:

Click here for Additional Info on STS-92

STS-92 is a space station Assembly flight that will bring the Z-1 Truss, Control Moment Gyros, Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 (PMA-3)(mounted on a Spacelab pallet) and two DDCU (Heat pipes) to the International Space Station.

ITS Z1 is an early exterior framework to allow first U.S. solar arrays on flight 4A to be temporarily installed on Unity for early power. The Ku-band communication system supports early science capability and U.S. television on 6A. The CMGs (Control Moment Gyros) weigh about 600 lbs and provide non-propulsive (electrically powered) attitude control when activated on 5A, and PMA-3 provides shuttle docking port for solar array installation on 4A, Lab installation on 5A.

The mission will include 7 docked days to Space station, 4 planned EVA's and 2 planned ingress opportunities.

Over the course of four scheduled spacewalks, two teams of space walkers and an experienced robot arm operator will collaborate to install the so-called Z1 (Z for zenith port) truss structure on top of the U.S. Unity connecting node on the growing station and to deliver the third Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA 3) to the ISS for the future berthing of new station components and to accommodate shuttle dockings.

The Z1 truss will be the first permanent lattice-work structure for the ISS, very much like a girder, setting the stage for the future addition of the station's major trusses or backbones. The Z1 fixture will also serve as the platform on which the huge U.S. solar arrays will be mounted on the next shuttle assembly flight, STS-97.

The Z1 contains four large gyroscopic devices, called Control Moment Gyros (CMGs), which will be used to maneuver the ISS into the proper orientation on orbit once they are activated following the installation of the U.S. laboratory.

Launch:

October 11, 2000, 7:17 p.m EDT. Launch Window was 5 min.

On Wednesday, October 11, 2000, the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) was rolled in place and the pin discovered during prelaunch pad inspections was removed at 2:42 a.m. External Tank loading began at 10:40 a.m. EDT and was completed by 1:30 p.m EDT. At 3:27 p.m. EDT the flight crew departed the O&C Building and arrived at the launch pat at 3:57 p.m. EDT. At 4:50 p.m. EDT, a go was given to close and lock the hatch and by 6 p.m EDT the white room team left the pad. At 7:06 p.m. a final poll was made of the launch team and the countdown clock came out of the T-minus 9-minute hold at 7:08 p.m. The launch occured 7:17 p.m EDT at the opening of the window.

For the launch attempt scheduled for Tuesday, October 10, 2000, External Tank loading began at 12:02 a.m. and was completed at 2:00pm. EDT. At 3:34 p.m EDT, the flight crew suited up in the O&C building and departed for Pad 39A at 3:50 p.m. EDT. At 5:12 p.m. EDT the closeout crew was given a go to close the hatch and at 5:17 p.m confirmation was given that the hatch was closed and locked for flight. The launch was scrubbed at 6:25 p.m. due to the discovery at around the T-minus 3 hour mark of a pin, typically used to secure handrails at the launch pad, that was lodged on a strut connecting the orbiter and the External Tank. The launch was rescheduled for a 24 hour scrub turnaround.

The launch scheduled for October 5, 2000 at 9:38 p.m. EDT has been delayed at least 24 hours. Tanking operations on 10/5/00 scheduled to begin shortly after noon were postponed and the launch delayed to give the mission management team time to discuss a potential problem with an explosive bolt observed during separation of the STS-106 External Tank and the orbiterAtlantis. The team met and rescheduled for a new launch date of 10/9/2000 at 8:06 p.m. EDT.

On Wednesday, October 4, 2000, The launch countdown for mission STS-92 continued at Pad 39A. Loading of Discovery's onboard cryogenics began on time last night and concluded earlier this morning. Following this, the orbiter mid-body umbilical was detached from the vehicle. Also, final Shuttle main engine preparations were conducted. Late stow operations of flight crew equipment were completed late in the evening and the rotating service structure moved away from the vehicle at about 1:30 a.m.. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 10/04/2000)

On Sunday, October 1, 2000, the crew for mission STS-92 arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at about 7 p.m., and the countdown for launch remains slated to begin at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday at the T-43 hour mark. At the pad, preparations for launch of Space Shuttle Discovery continue on schedule. Aft compartment closeouts were completed Saturday. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 10/02/2000)

On Wednesday, September 13, 2000, the Zenith-1 (Z-1) Truss arrived at the launch pad early in the morning, and workers transfered it to the Payload Changeout Room (PCR). The payload will be installed into the orbiter Tuesday, Sept. 19. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 9/13/2000)

On Tuesday, September 12, 200, The flight crew arrived at KSC to participate in routine Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities through Friday morning. The Test culminates with a full dress rehearsal and a simulated emergency egress from the Discovery's crew module at Pad 39A. The crew plans to depart KSC for Houston, TX at 2 p.m. on Friday. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 9/12/2000)

On Monday, September 11, 2000, Discovery moved to Launch Pad 39-A.

On Monday, August 28, Shuttle Program managers decided that Space Shuttle Discovery will not roll out to Launch Pad 39A until after the launch of Shuttle Atlantis. The precautionary decision to avoid having two Space Shuttles at KSC's launch pads during hurricane season minimizes the threat that high winds pose to flight hardware. With a successful launch of Shuttle Atlantis on Sept. 8,Discovery is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39A on Sept. 11. Shuttle managers do not expect this processing change to affect Discovery's Oct. 5 launch date. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 8/28/2000)

On Thursday, August 24, 200, after rolling into the VAB transfer aisle, orbiterDiscovery was lifted into high bay 3 and soft-mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters. Electrical and mechanical connections are ongoing, and the Shuttle Interface Test is scheduled to begin tomorrow. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 8/28/2000)

On Monday, August 21, 2000, Discovery was transfered from OPF bay 1 to OPF bay 3. It remains mounted to the orbiter transporter inside OPF bay 3. The orbiter is being temporarily stored in bay 3 while modifications begin in bay 1. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 8/21/2000)

Orbit:

Altitude: 177 nm

Inclination: 51.60

Orbits: 203

Duration: 12 days, 21 hours, 43 minutes, seconds. (Estimated)

Distance: miles

Hardware:

SRB:

SRM: RSRM-71

ET : SN-101

MLP :

SSME-1: SN-

SSME-2: SN-

SSME-3: SN-

Landing:

October 24, 2000 4:59 p.m. EDT Edwards Air Force Base Runway 22

Main Gear Touchdown 10/24/00 16:59:41 EDT (MET 12 days 21 hours 42 min 41 sec)

Nose Gear Touchdown 10/24/00 16:59:54 EDT (MET 12 days 21 hours 42 min 54 sec)

Wheel Stop 10/24/00 17:00:47 EDT (MET 12 days 21 hours 43 min 47 sec)

The first landing attempt for KSC on October 23, 2000, was waived off because of the continued high winds at the SHuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at KSC. Two landing opportunities at Edwards Air Force Base (5:58 p.m. and 7:35 p.m. EDT) were also waived off due to clouds and rain in the area.

The landing attempts for Sunday, October 22, 2000, were waived off due to cross-wind violations at the Shuttle Landing Facility at KSC.

Mission Highlights:

STS-92 Flight Day 1 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 2 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 3 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 4 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 5 Highlights:
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STS-92 Flight Day 7 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 8 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 9 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 10 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 11 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 12 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 13 Highlights:
STS-92 Flight Day 14 Highlights:

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