Busy with STS-93 and a worrisome little satellite

Happy New Year
Well, it is now 1999. Wow! Things are happening quickly for me. STS-93 is keeping me busy. We just had another STS-93 joint simulation between the Mission Control Center in Houston, the AXAF Control Center in Boston, and the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) Control Center in California. We need these simulations to practice. The instructors make things break, and we have to figure out how to fix it. It can be very intensive sometimes.

I just received word that STS-93 has a new official launch date - April 15, 1999. Let's hope it doesn't slip any more!

Besides working on STS-93, I am also working on a payload called Spartan 251/Microsat. Spartan is a platform that can be used to carry a payload up into space. The Shuttle robotic arm can grab the Spartan and take it out of the cargo bay, so that the Spartan can fly in space by itself. Microsat is a small satellite (weighing about 40 pounds) which will be riding on the Spartan. There are a lot of things to worry about with this payload. The satellite will separate from Spartan, and it can fly very quickly (over 600 mph relative to the Spartan)! So we have to make sure the Space Shuttle isn't anywhere near where this satellite will be. We are afraid that if something goes wrong with the satellite, it might aim straight for the Shuttle - and it would be a bad day if a 40-pound satellite hit the Space Shuttle going 600 mph!

I should get back to work now....I'll write more later!