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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1995 (12:45 PM EDT) LAUNCH MINUS 1 DAY MISSION: STS-70 -- TDRS-G VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103 LOCATION: Pad 39-B LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 13 at 9:41 a.m. EDT LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 21 at 7:51 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 7 days, 22 hours CREW SIZE: 5 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/28.45 degrees NOTE: The countdown for launch of Discovery on Mission STS-70 remains on schedule to occur at the opening of a 2 1/2 hour launch window at 9:41 a.m. on Thursday, July 13. The principle payload, TDRS -- a tracking and data relay satellite -- will be deployed from the orbiter’s payload bay at about 3:53 p.m. Thursday. Discovery is scheduled to land at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility at 7:51 a.m. July 21. No serious technical issues are being worked by the Shuttle Mission Management Team and no problems are being reported from the pad. Workers are in the process of activating the orbiter’s inertial measurement units and making preparations to retract the rotating service structure from the vehicle as early as 5:30 p.m. today. This move could be delayed by several hours without impacting the overall schedule if weather threatens the area this afternoon. Loading of the external tank with cryogenic propellants is scheduled to begin at about 1:21 a.m. tomorrow. Air Force weather forecasters currently indicate a 40 percent probability of weather prohibiting launch on Thursday. The primary concerns are for clouds associated with showers and thunderstorms and a chance of crosswind violations at the Shuttle Landing Facility. During Thursday’s launch window, the winds at Pad B are expected to be from the east at 10-15 knots; temperature 82 degrees F; visibility 7 miles; humidity 77 percent; and clouds scattered at 3,000 and 10,000 feet, and broken at 30,000 feet. The 24-hour-delay forecast reveals similar conditions and a 40 percent chance of violation. Today, the five-member astronaut crew will be briefed on tomorrow’s launch weather outlook at KSC and the TAL sites in Spain and Africa. Also today, the crew will receive a final mission briefing and make last minute adjustments to their flight plans while completing their review of launch day activities. SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-70 T-TIME LENGTH OF HOLD HOLD BEGINS HOLD ENDS T-27 hours 4 hours 2:00 a.m. Tuesday 6:00 a.m. Tuesday T-19 hours 8 hours 2:00 p.m. Tuesday 10:00 p.m. Tuesday T-11 hours 13 hours, 21 minutes 6:00 a.m. Wednesday 7:21 p.m. Wednesday T-6 hours 1 hour 12:21 a.m. Thursday 1:21 a.m. Thursday T-3 hours 2 hours 4:21 a.m. Thursday 6:21 a.m. Thursday T-20 minutes 10 minutes 9:01 a.m. Thursday 9:11 a.m. Thursday T-9 minutes 10 minutes 9:22 a.m. Thursday 9:32 a.m. Thursday CREW FOR MISSION STS-70 Tom Henricks Commander (CDR) Kevin Kregel Pilot (PLT) Donald Thomas Mission Specialist (MS1) Nancy Currie Mission Specialist (MS2) Mary Ellen Weber Mission Specialist (MS3) SUMMARY OF STS-70 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES Thursday, July 13 4:46 a.m. Wake up * 5:16 a.m. Breakfast and crew photo 5:46 a.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2) 5:46 a.m. Don flight equipment (MS1, MS3) 5:56 a.m. Don flight equipment (CDR, PLT, MS2) * 6:10 a.m. Crew suiting photo * 6:26 a.m. Depart for launch pad 39B * 6:56 a.m. Arrive at white room and begin ingress * 8:11 a.m. Close crew hatch * 9:41 a.m. Launch * Televised events -- times may vary NOTE: For additional details regarding STS-70 countdown milestones, please refer to KSC Release No. 66-95.