STS-97 Countdown Highlights
COMPILED BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
Updated: November 30, 2000

The STS-97 countdown is timed to hit zero at the opening of Endeavour's theoretical 10-minute launch window at 10:01:01 p.m. on Nov. 30. The preferred launch time, the moment when the launch pad is directly in the plane of the international space station's orbit, is 10:06:00 p.m. A final hold at the T-minus nine-minute mark will be extended roughly five minutes based on final radar tracking of the space station to hit the preferred launch time. The chart below reflects that extension.

Change History:

11/22: Posting initial countdown chart
11/22: Adding pre-launch crew activities
11/22: Updating with revised official crew timeline
11/30: Updating crew photo-opportunity, weather briefing times on Nov. 30

	L-3: Monday, Nov. 27, 2000
02:00 p.m.	STS-97 astronauts depart Houston
04:30 p.m.	Astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center SLF
05:30 p.m.	Commander, pilot begin suited STA landing practice
07:00 p.m.	STA landing practice ends
10:00 p.m.	The crew reviews its flight data file; suit tech tagup
	L-2: Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2000
12:30 a.m.	Call to stations
01:00 a.m.	Crew sleep period begins
01:00 a.m.	The STS-97 countdown begins
01:00 a.m.	Cockpit display and instrumentation tests and checkout
09:00 a.m.	Crew wakeup
09:00 a.m.	Instrumentation tests complete
09:00 a.m .	Begin preparations for loading fuel cell hydrogen and oxygen
09:30 a.m.	Crew medical exams
10:30 a.m.	Crew tagup with flight crew operations director; VIP visit
11:00 p.m.	Flight crew equipment fit check
02:30 p.m.	Crew makes T-38 jet trainer flights
05:00 p.m .	Fuel cell preps complete; vehicle closeouts complete
05:00 p.m.	T-minus 27 hours: Begin a four-hour hold
06:00 p.m.	Pyro initiator electrical resistance test
09:00 p.m.	T-minus 27 hours: Resume countdown
09:00 p.m.	Begin fuel cell reactant loading
	L-1: Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000
01:00 a.m.	Crew sleep period begins
05:00 a.m.	Fuel cell loading complete; secure orbiter midbody umbilical
05:00 a.m.	T-minus 19 hours: Begin a four-hour hold
09:00 a.m.	Crew wakeup
09:00 a.m.	T-minus 19 hours: Resume countdown
09:00 a.m.	Begin main engine final preps; secure tail service masts
02:00 p.m.	The crew attends shuttle, payload and weather briefings
03:00 p.m.	T-38 flights for mission specialists
04:00 p.m.	T-38 flights end
05:00 p.m.	T-minus 11 hours: Begin a 13-hour 10-minute hold
05:30 p.m.	Commander, pilot make unsuited STA training flights
07:00 p.m.	STA flights end
08:00 p.m.	Crew visits pad 39B
08:30 p.m.	Begin communications network activation
08:50 p.m.	Flight crew equipment late stowage begins
11:00 p.m.	Mission specialists visit pad to verify pre-routed cables
	L-0: Thursday, Nov. 30, 2000
01:00 a.m.	Crew sleep period begins
02:00 a.m .	Rotating service structure retracted
04:00 a.m.	Ascent switch list verification begins
06:10 a.m.	T-minus 11 hours: Resume countdown
06:10 a.m.	Final fuel preparations begin
08:50 a.m.	Clear launch pad
09:00 a.m.	Crew wakeup
11:10 a.m.	T-minus six hours: Begin a two-hour hold
11:10 a.m.	Mission management team meets for fueling go/no-go
12:00 p.m.	Crew gets ingress briefing
01:10 p.m.	T-minus six hours: Resume countdown
01:10 p.m.	Begin fueling
04:10 p.m.	Fueling complete; external tank in stable replenish mode
04:10 p.m.	T-minus three hours: Begin a two-hour hold
04:35 p.m.	Crew snack/photo opportunity
05:05 p.m.	Crew weather briefing; suit donning begins
06:10 p.m.	T-minus three hours: Resume countdown
06:15 p.m.	The astronauts depart crew quarters, head for launch pad
06:45 p.m.	The astronauts begin strapping in for launch
08:00 p.m.	The shuttle's cabin hatch is closed for flight
08:51 p.m.	T-minus 20 minutes: Begin a 10-minute hold
09:01 p.m.	T-minus 20 minutes: Resume countdown
09:02 p.m.	Backup flight computer verification
09:12 p.m.	T-minus nine minutes: Begin adjustable final hold
09:55 p.m.	Mission management team gives go/no-go for launch
09:57 p.m.	T-minus nine minutes: Resume countdown
10:01 p.m.	Auxilliary power unit start
10:06 p.m.	Launch of mission STS-97