STS-92 Countdown Milestones

Shuttle Mission STS-92
Orbiter - Discovery
11 Oct. 2000
(Fourth Launch Attempt)

Current Status Report | Shuttle Status Liftoff Page

The Countdown Clock is one of the most watched timepieces in the world, and the Shuttle Countdown Milestones page is the only place online to get up-to-the-minute information during a countdown. Bringing you in at the last 10/11 hours prior to scheduled liftoff, you can follow the exact chronology of each and every major event leading up to the successful countdown and liftoff of the Space Shuttle.

Summary of Built-In Holds for STS-92

Note: Hold information will be added when available.

T-TIME	LENGTH OF HOLD	HOLD BEGINS	HOLD ENDS
T-11 hours	13 hours, 43 min.	----	4:22 a.m. EDT
T-6 hours	1 hour	9:22 a.m. EDT	10:22 a.m. EDT
T-3 hours	2 hours	1:22 p.m. EDT	3:22 p.m. EDT
T-20 minutes	10 minutes	6:02 p.m. EDT	6:12 p.m. EDT
T-9 minutes	about 45 minutes	6:23 p.m. EDT	7:08 p.m. EDT

Select one of the following times to learn more about the countdown events taking place during that period. (Note: In T-06H00M or T-01M00S, H stands for hours, M stands for minutes and S for second.)

Note: Online coverage will begin at 9:22 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Oct. 11, 2000 as we enter the

T- 06 hour hold.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:

	T-06H00M 06 hours, 00 minutes to launch	Enter one-hour hold period	9:22 a.m.

Summary of Events to This Time:

Countdown resumed at the T-11 mark.
4:22 a.m.

Flight Crew awakened for launch.
6:40 a.m.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:


T-06H00M and counting 06 hours, 00 minutes to launch	Resume countdown from scheduled hold period.	10:22 a.m.

Other events occurring during this time frame.

	The Launch Team begins loading of the External Tank (ET) with about 500,000 gallons of cryogenic liquid oxygen and hydrogen propellants.	10:39 a.m.

Information Update

	If Discovery launches today -- docking with the International Space Station will occur on Oct.13 at 1:43 a.m. EDT undocking will occur on Oct. 20 at 9:37 a.m. EDT landing at KSC will occur on Oct. 22 at 2:10 p.m. EDT
	Did You Know?
	To learn more about Kennedy Space Center and how Space Shuttles are processed, visit our Alligators & Rocket Ships web site. Meet the STS-92 Crew! A full Mission & Crew Briefing is available online. When Discovery launches at 7:17 p.m. EDT today, the International Space Station will be located over the Indian Ocean at 12.18 degrees S latitude, 84.49 degrees E longitude. STS-92 mission status briefings will be held daily throughout the mission. Times of these briefings are available in the NASA TV schedule at: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/index.html STS-92 photos are online. You can view an online montage of NASA's First 100 Shuttle Missions.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:


	T-03H00M 03 hours, 00 minutes to launch	Enter two-hour hold period	1:22 p.m.
Other events occurring during this time frame.
	External Tank loading was completed at 1:30 p.m. EDT. Note: An updated weather forecast has been issued. There is a 40% probability of weather prohibiting today's launch at 7:17 p.m. EDT this evening. NASA Television coverage begins at 2:00 p.m. EDT - today's Launch Commentator is Joel Wells. External Tank (ET) is evaluated for ice and frost debris. Perform T-3 hour check of payload and important flight systems. Flight Crew snack and photo opportunity (live on NASA TV). Flight Crew receives weather briefing (live on NASA TV). Astronauts don their flight suits. During launch and entry, crew members wear the crew altitude protection system, which consists of a helmet; a communications cap; a pressure garment; an anti-exposure, anti-gravity suit; gloves and boots. Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) tracking system is powered up. Note: Ben Guerir, Morocco has been designated as today's primary Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) Site. Alternate TAL sites are available at Zaragoza and Moron, Spain, weather permitting.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:


T-03H00M and counting 03 hours, 00 minutes to launch	Resume countdown from scheduled hold period.	3:22 p.m.

	Other events occurring during this time frame.

	Flight crew departs the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) and makes their way to the Launch Pad.	3:27 p.m.
	Astronauts arrive at Launch Pad 39A.	3:57 p.m.
	Closeout Crew begins sealing off Discovery's crew compartment.	5:12 p.m.

Information Update

	Astronaut Kent Rominger will be flying in a T-38 jet for about an hour beginning at Launch minus 2 hours and 30 minutes. He will be making an assessment of weather conditions in the launch area. At T-2 hours, NASA's two solid rocket booster (SRB) retrieval ships, Freedom Star and Liberty Star, will be on station in the Atlantic Ocean about seven and one-half miles from the predicted impact points of the solid motors.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:

	T-20M00S and Holding 20 minutes to launch	Enter 10-minute hold period	6:02 p.m.
Other events occurring during this time frame.
	Closeout Crew leaves Pad. NASA Test Director conducts final launch team briefings.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:

T-20M00S and counting
20 minutes to launch

Resume countdown from scheduled hold period

6:12 p.m.

Other events occurring during this time frame.
	The orbiter's onboard computers are transitioned to launch configuration.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:

	T-09M00S and Holding 9 minutes to launch	Enter 36-minute hold period	6:32 p.m.
Other events occurring during this time frame.
	Launch Director, Mission Management Team and NASA Test Director conduct final polls for go/no go for launch.

Countdown Time:

Event Description:

Eastern Daylight Time:

T-09M00S and counting

Resume countdown from scheduled hold period

7:08 p.m.

Other events occurring during this time frame.
	*Time: 09 minutes, 00 seconds to launch* -- Automatic ground launch sequencer is started.
	*Time: 07 minutes, 30 seconds to launch* -- Orbiter crew access arm is retracted.
	Time: 05 minutes, 00 seconds to launch -- Auxiliary Power Units (APU) are started.
	Time: 02 minutes, 20 seconds to launch -- Launch team begins retraction of the Gaseous Oxygen (GOX) vent arm.
	Time: 00 minutes, 50 seconds to launch -- Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power
	Time: 00 minutes, 16 seconds to launch -- Sound Suppression System begins releasing 900,000 gallons of water
	*Time: 00 minutes, 06 seconds to launch* -- Ignition of three Space Shuttle main engines.
	*Time: -00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds to launch --* Hold-down explosive bolts and the T minus zero umbilical bolts are blown by command from the on-board computer. Two solid rocket boosters are ignited.

Final Liftoff Commentary:

T-12, 11, 10, 9, 8, we have a go for main engine start, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Booster ignition and . . . Liftoff . . . Of Discovery . . .

Making Shuttle History and Building Our Future in Space!

Thank you for joining us for the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-92.

Page Last Revised	Page & Curator Information
02/13/01	Online coverage by: Dennis Armstrong (NASA) and Lois Reinhart (SGS) NASA Official: Dennis Armstrong (dennis.armstrong-1@ksc.nasa.gov) Web Development: JBOSC Web Development Team A Service of the NASA/Kennedy Space Center Roy D. Bridges, Director