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STS-101 Liftoff Status Page

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Shuttle Atlantis Launch Status

Launch May 19, 2000 6:11 a.m. EDT. Launch window was 5 min

On Friday, May 19, 2000 1:12 a.m. EDT, the crew had their pre-flight snack in the Operations and Checkout Building. At 2:20 a.m EDT, they departed the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) for Launch Pad 39-A. By 3:40 a.m. EDT, all communication checks between the Atlantis and the ground were completed and at 3:56 a.m. EDT, the hatch was closed and locked for flight. At 4:48 a.m. the white room crew closeout was complete and the closeout crew departed for the fallback area. Launched ontime at the opening of the window.

On Wednesday, May 17, 2000, launch controllers added 23 1/2 hours to the launch count at the T-11 hour built-in hold, slipping the launch of Shuttle Atlantis to Friday at about 6:12 a.m. The decision followed a Tuesday evening postponement of the Air Force Atlas III launch and was part of an preplanned agreement between NASA and the Air Force. The Rotating Service Structure at the pad will move away from the vehicle at about 10 a.m. on Thursday. Loading of the external tank with more than 500,000 gallons of liquid propellant begins at about 8:47 p.m. 5/18/2000. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 5/17/2000)

On Tuesday, May 16, 2000, the launch date was rescheduled for Friday, May 19th, due to the scrub of the Atlas III/EUTELSAT launch.

On Monday, May 15, 2000, the countdown clock picked up the count at the T-43 hour mark at 9:30 a.m. The seven member flight crew arrived at KSC on Sunday, May 14, 2000. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 5/10/2000)

At 6:03 a.m. EDT on Wednesday April 26, fueling of the external tank began for the 3rd consecutive launch attempt and was completed at the T-minus 3 hour 20 minute mark at 9:11 a.m. EDT. At 9:31 a.m. EDT a red repair team was sent to the launch pad to restore redundancy to a heater system located in the base of the pad used to recirculate air as part of the liquid oxygen gaseous vent arm system. The crew replaced a blown fuse. At 10:29 a.m. EDT the crew sat down for a crew breakfast in the O&C building and prepared for a weather briefing. At 11:13 a.m. EDT, the weather briefing concluded with favorable weather forcasted at the launch site but marginal weather forcasted at the contigency landing sites. At 11:14 a.m. EDT, the crew began suit up operations. At 11:39 a.m. EDT, the crew departed the astronauts quarters and left for launch pad 39A. By 2:06 p.m. EDT the crew were all in their seats, the hatch closed and comm checks complete. At 2:24pm EDT (18:24 GMT) the countdown clock came out of the hold at the T-minus 20 minute mark and counted down to T-minus 9 minutes and holding. The mission management team was polled and the only issue being tracked was weather concerns at the TAL sites. During the hold at the T-minus 9 minute mark, the mission management team decided to scrub the 3:29 pm launch attempt for 4/26/2000 due to weather constraints at the TAL sites.

At 6:30 a.m. on April 25, 2000, fueling of the external tank began in order to support a launch attempt at 3:52 pm. Communication checks were complete with the crew at 1:16pm EDT. At 1:24pm EDT a go was given to close the hatch. At 2:18pm EDT, at the T-minus 38 minute mark, Launch director Dave King called a scrub due to high winds at the SLS and launch pad. The launch team was told to prepare for a 24 hour scrub turnaround.

At 4:07 p.m. the call was given to scrub the launch attempt for April 24, 2000, because of a cross wind violation at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). A weather briefing will be conducting in order to determine if a 24, or a 48 hour scrub turn around would offer better weather conditions for the next launch attempt.

At 2:04 pm on Monday, April 24, 2000. The hatch to Atlantis was closed in preparation for an on time launch at 4:15 PM EDT. The launch window is 5 minutes and 2 seconds. Therefore, the last opportunity for launch today will be at 4:22:19pm EDT.

On Wednesday, April 19, 2000. Prelaunch processing efforts are going well at Launch Pad 39A. Ordnance installation and preliminary tests are complete. Last night, workers replaced two quick disconnects on gaseous nitrogen lines for auxiliary power units (APU) No. 1 and No. 2. The APU flight pressurization tests are complete and good. Pressure tests on the orbiter's reaction control system are also complete. Orbiter aft engine compartment close-outs are ongoing and managers expect the aft doors to be installed Friday. Launch controllers continue countdown preparations in the Launch Control Center. The crew arrives April 21 at 3 p.m. EDT and launch countdown begins at 7 p.m. on the same day.
(Reference KSC Shuttle Status 4/19/2000)

Over the weekend (April 15-16,2000), Shuttle engineers completed the frequency response test that was required after the rudder/speed brake power drive unit replacement effort. Preliminary evaluation indicates that Shuttle Atlantis' hydraulic system is operating normally and that the PDU replacement was a success. Shuttle engineers continue to analyze the cause of the initial PDU failure to ensure that it was an isolated incident. At about 1 a.m. today, engineers completed a hot fire test of auxiliary power unit (APU) No. 1 confirming a successful hydraulic flex hose replacement. Tomorrow, technicians will also replace a quick disconnect located on an APU No. 2 gaseous nitrogen line. All three APUs will be brought up to flight pressure on Wednesday as part of standard prelaunch testing.
(Reference KSC Shuttle Status 4/17/2000)

On Wednesday, March 29, 2000, program managers have selected April 24 as the target launch date for STS-101. This one-week delay will allow Mission Commander Jim Halsell to complete planned training activities, primarily T-38 and Shuttle Training Aircraft flights, which were delayed due to an ankle injury that occurred on March 15. Today's decision, made at the request of Halsell's management, provides additional time to complete that training prior to the scheduled launch. Halsell's recovery from what was termed a "moderate sprain" has been proceeding on or ahead of schedule. He will be evaluated for T-38 and Shuttle Training Aircraft flight status next week. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 3/29/2000)

On Saturday, March 25, 2000, Shuttle Discovery was rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A. Main engine No. 1 leak checks are complete and the Flight Readiness Test is in work today. The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test at KSC remains targeted for April 6 and 7. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 3/29/2000)

On Friday, February 18, 2000, Atlantis' main propulsion system leak checks are complete. Today work began to install the transfer tunnel adapter in the orbiter's payload bay. Orbiter electrical wiring inspection, repair and protection continue. Managers named a modified STS-101 crew today to prepare the space station for the arrival of the Zvezda service module. The STS-101 crew includes Commander Jim Halsell, Pilot Scott Horowitz, and Mission Specialists Mary Ellen Weber, Jeffrey Williams, James Voss, Susan Helms and Yuri Usachev. Edward Tsang Lu, Yuri Ivanovich Malenchenko, and Boris Morukov had previously been assigned to the mission. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 2/18/2000)

On Wednesday, January 26, 2000, This week, technicians removed a thruster from Atlantis' orbiter maneuvering system and installation of the new thruster is under way. Ammonia system leak and functional testing continues. Orbiter fuel cell tests are also ongoing. Wiring inspections and repairs continue in the orbiter's aft and midbody compartments. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 1/26/2000)

On Friday, October 29, 1999, Shuttle managers announced that the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-101 will occur no earlier than March 16. The wiring inspections and repair efforts that remaining on the orbiter, along with the unplanned replacement of the ammonia boiler will require time to accommodate the Shuttle's processing needs. Inspections of Atlantis' ammonia boiler this week revealed corrosion, which lead to the replacement decision. Evaluation of the orbiter's damaged elevons continues. The damaged parts will be replaced over the next several days with no additional impact to the schedule. Installation of the right hand orbital maneuvering system pod occurs this week (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 10/29/1999)

On Thursday, October 7, 1999, with wiring inspections and repairs of Discovery and Endeavour nearing completion and similar work beginning on Atlantis, Shuttle program managers set new planning target launch dates for the next three Space Shuttle missions. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 10/7/1999)

Orbiter Atlantis is being temporarily stored in VAB high bay 2, awaiting the departure of Shuttle Endeavour from OPF bay 2.
(Reference KSC Shuttle Status 8/12/1999)

On Tuesday, April 20, 1999, Atlantis is under going standard life support system leak checks this week in OPF bay 3. Payload bay liner modifications continue. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 4/20/1999)

STS-101 Movies and Images

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STS-101 Countdown Last Mission STS-99 Next Mission STS-106

Developed under the direction of the NASA KSC Public Affairs Office
Author: Jim Dumoulin (dumoulin@titan.ksc.nasa.gov) / NASA - Payload Operations
Last Updated: Monday May 29 03:54:51 EDT 2000(J.Dumoulin)

A service of NASA/Kennedy Space Center Public Affairs Office, Joe Gordon Jr.,Director (Joseph.Gordon-1@ksc.nasa.gov)