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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1995 (12:48 PM EDT)


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

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Pad 39B
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 28 at 9:35 a.m. EDT
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 14 at 7:30 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes
CREW SIZE: 7
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 172 statute miles/39 degrees

IN WORK TODAY:
* Aft engine compartment close-outs
* Functional check-out of contingency spacesuits
* Countdown preparations

WORK COMPLETED:
* Ordnance operations and hypergolic fuel pressurization
* External tank and solid rocket boosters close-outs

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES:
* Begin countdown (4 a.m. Monday)
* STS-73 crew arrival at KSC (8 a.m. Monday)
* Spacelab final stowage operations (Tuesday)
* Begin cryogenic loading of external tank for flight (1:15 a.m. Thursday)


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

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Nov. 2 at 11:25 a.m. EST
LAUNCH WINDOW: 9 minutes, 14 seconds
TARGET MIR DOCKING DATE: Nov. 5
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Nov. 10 at 8:30 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 7 days, 21 hours
CREW SIZE: 5
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 196-245 statute miles/51.6 degrees

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Docking module interface verification test (Wednesday/Thursday)
* Final payload bay door closure (Sept. 26)
* Roll to Vehicle Assembly Building (Oct. 2)
* Move to Pad 39A (Oct. 9)


MISSION: STS-72 -- SFU-Retrieval & OAST-Flyer

VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 11 at 5:04 a.m. EST
LAUNCH WINDOW: 38 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 20 at 3:14 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 22 hours, 11 minutes
CREW SIZE: 6
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Post-mission servicing of Endeavour continues in OPF bay 3. The
payload bay doors will be open today and the payloads removed on
Saturday.


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

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

NOTE: Discovery is scheduled to be delivered to Palmdale, Calif., for
a nine-month Orbiter 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 KSC via the 747
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26.
Discovery’s next flight, the second mission to service the Hubble
Space Telescope, is targeted for launch in early 1997.

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES:
* Install protective tail cone (continues in work today)
* Place orbiter on transporter and retract landing gear (Friday)
* Move orbiter to Shuttle Landing Facility for mate with 747 SCA (5:30 a.m. Monday)
* Depart Shuttle Landing Facility on SCA (7 a.m. Tuesday)