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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
MONDAY, JULY 31, 1995 (12:14 PM EDT)


MISSION: STS-69 -- WSF-2 & SPARTAN 201-03

VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
LOCATION: Pad 39-A
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: NET Mid-Aug.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: TDB
MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 20 hours, 29 minutes
CREW SIZE: 5
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 230 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Mission managers decided late last Friday to place the launch
of Endeavour on indefinite hold in order to finish a review of flight
hardware associated with O-ring seals in a nozzle joint of the solid
rocket boosters. During the next several days, engineers will
determine what additional work and inspections are necessary to
alleviate concerns which came out of post-flight assessments of
boosters used for the last two Shuttle launches. After reviewing the
data from these missions, no concerns with the booster design were
found. However, engineers will focus on the techniques used to apply
a thermal barrier called RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizer) around the
O-ring seal in the nozzles. Managers expect to receive another
briefing by the end of this week.

IN WORK TODAY:
* Orbiter aft engine compartment close-outs

WORK COMPLETED:
* Close payload bay doors for flight

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Install ordnance and pressurize hypergolic reactant tanks (TBD)
* Crew arrival (TBD)
* Begin countdown for launch (TBD)


MISSION: STS-73 -- U.S. MICROGRAVITY LABORATORY-2

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 21 at 9:31 a.m. EDT
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 7 at 7:25 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 22 hours
CREW SIZE: 7
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 172 statute miles/39 degrees

IN WORK TODAY:
* Aft engine compartment and orbiter mid-body close-outs

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Close payload bay doors (Aug. 4)
* Roll to Vehicle Assembly Building (Aug. 16)


MISSION: STS-74 -- 2nd MIR DOCKING (Docking Module)

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 26 at 3:08 p.m. EDT
LAUNCH WINDOW: 7 minutes
ESTIMATED MIR DOCKING DATE/TIME: Oct. 29 at 8:05 a.m. EST
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Nov. 3 at 11:05 a.m. EST
MISSION DURATION: 7 days, 20 hours
CREW SIZE: 5
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 196-245 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Preparations are underway to remove the forward reaction
control system tomorrow and send it to the Hypergolic Maintenance
Facility to replace a valve.

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Remove drag chute hardware and forward reaction control system (Aug. 1)
* Install robotic arm (Aug. 2)


DISCOVERY/OV-103 -- Pre-Orbital Maintenance Down Period

VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
TARGET DATE OF DEPARTURE FOR PALMDALE FOR OMDP: Sept. 26

NOTE: Discovery is scheduled to be delivered to Palmdale, Calif., for
a nine-month Orbital Maintenance Down Period (OMDP). During this
time, the vehicle will be outfitted with a 5th set of cryogenic tanks
and an external airlock to support missions to the international
Space Station. Discovery is scheduled to depart Kennedy Space Center
via the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on or about Sept. 26.
Discovery’s next flight, the second mission to service the Hubble
Space Telescope, is targeted for launch in early 1997. This week,
preparations are underway to remove the forward reaction control
system and the main engines.

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Remove forward reaction control system (Aug. 9)
* Remove space shuttle main engines (Aug. 10)