STS-89 space shuttle mission: STS-89 space shuttle flight information, STS89 launch

STS-89 Endeavour		89th Shuttle Mission
	Commander Terrence W. Wilcutt Pilot Joe Frank Edwards Mission Specialist Bonnie J. Dunbar Mission Specialist Michael P. Anderson Mission Specialist James F. Reilly Mission Specialist Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov Mission Specialist (up) Andrew S.W. Thomas Download David A. Wolf

VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105 (12th flight)
PAD: 39A
KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 22, 1998 9:48:00 p.m. EST
MIR DOCKING TIME: Jan. 24, 1998 3:12 p.m. EST
UNDOCKING TIME: Jan. 29,1998 11:56 a.m. EST
KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 31, 1998 5:35:09 p.m. EST
MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 19 hours, 47 minutes 9 seconds
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 214 nautical miles/51.6 degrees
Cargo Bay Payloads: Spacehab Double Module, Orbiter Docking System, GAS (G-093,G-141,G-144,G-432)

January 31, 1998 - The shuttle Endeavour landed at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:35 p.m. EST today. The successful 9-day mission delivered Andy Thomas to Space Station Mir and brought home his predecessor Dave Wolf, who has spent 128 days in orbit. This was the 13th consecutive shuttle landing at KSC.

January 30, 1998 - All systems are GO for Endeavour to land at Kennedy Space Center at 5:35 p.m. EST. Weather forecasts for both KSC landing opportunities are very favorable. This last day on orbit was devoted to stowing equipment and finishing experiment work in the Spacehab module in the cargo bay .

January 29, 1998 - Endeavour separated from the Russian Space Station at 11:57 a.m. EST today to wrap up more than four days of joint operations and the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Following a flyaround of the station to gather additional photography of the outpost, Pilot Joe Edwards conducted a final separation maneuver to allow Endeavour to drift away from the Mir, leaving behind U.S. astronaut Andy Thomas for the next four months. The early weather forecast for Saturday's scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:35 p.m. EST calls for clear skies.

January 28, 1998 - After completing the transfer activities of scientific equipment, logistical hardware, and water from Endeavour to the Mir, Endeavour's astronauts said goodbye to the Mir 24 cosmonauts. The hatches swung shut between the two craft at 5:34 p.m. EST, leaving Thomas behind for the start of his four-month research mission. The scheduled undocking of Endeavour from the Mir is scheduled for 11:56 a.m. EST tomorrow.

January 27, 1998 - The seven astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour were awakened at 5:48 a.m. EST today to begin their third full day of joint docked operations with the Russian Mir space station. By the end of flight day 5, 60 percent of all planned transfers had been completed including just over 1,000 pounds of water manufactured by Endeavour's fuel cells.

Mir 24 crewmember Andy Thomas, with the aid of his Mir commander Anatoly Solovyev, successfully modified the Soyuz Sokol spacesuit he carried to orbit, improving the fit. Initially, Thomas had been unable to seal the suit which appeared too small for him. Thomas detached straps which lengthened the suit sufficiently to allow a comfortable fit under both pressurized and non-pressurized conditions. He would wear the suit only in the event he were to return to Earth on board a Soyuz spacecraft.

January 26, 1998 - Continued transfer of hardware and supplies to and from the Mir space station remains the prime order of business today as STS-89 enters its second full day of joint docked operations.

January 25, 1998 - Astronaut Andy Thomas officially became a member of the Mir 24 crew late today and Dave Wolf became a member of the STS-89 crew after the exchange of U.S. astronauts on the Endeavour-Mir complex was delayed when problems were encountered during a fit check of Thomas' Soyuz capsule pressure suit.

A fit and leak check of the pressure suit, known as a Sokol suit, had to be accomplished prior to the official transfer of Thomas. Thomas successfully completed a leak and pressure check wearing Wolf's suit, and after lengthy discussions between U.S. and Russian flight controllers, a joint decision was made to allow Thomas to move over to the Mir and Wolf to Endeavour. Although Wolf's suit is a little large for Thomas, especially in the arms, it is considered safe to use in the event the Soyuz capsule must depart the Mir because of an emergency. The crew transfer took place at about 6:35 p.m. EST.

January 24, 1998 - Endeavour Commander Terry Wilcutt eased Endeavour to a flawless docking with the Mir after a textbook rendezvous. The linkup occurred while the two spaceships flew over southeastern Russia, west of Kazakhstan, at an altitude of 214 nautical miles.

After docking, the astronauts and cosmonauts conducted leak checks of the docking tunnel between the two craft, and at 5:25 p.m. EST Wilcutt and Solovyev swung open the hatches on their respective spacecraft and shook hands as the other crewmembers embraced each other for the start of five days of joint activities.

January 23, 1998 - The crew of Endeavour began its first full day of on-orbit activities this morning with a wake-up call at 10:48 a.m. EST. The bulk of today's activities focused on preparations for Saturday's planned docking between Endeavour and MIR. Docking is targeted for 3:12 p.m. EST on Saturday.

January 22, 1998 - Endeavour returned to space on time at 9:48 p.m. EST for the first shuttle flight of 1998 after a year and half of undergoing important modifications and upgrades . This is the eighth of nine planned missions to Mir and the fifth one involving an exchange of U.S. astronauts. The previous space shuttle Mir missions were STS-71, STS-74, STS-76, STS-79, STS-81, STS-84 and STS-86.

Overview - STS-89 mission objectives include replacing astronaut Dr. David Wolf with Andy Thomas who will be the next U.S. crew member on the station as part of the Phase 1 Program. During the mission, more than 7000 pounds of experiments, supplies, and hardware are scheduled to be transferred between the two spacecraft. Wolf will return home after four months on Mir.

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