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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1995 (11:39 AM EDT)

LAUNCH - 3 DAYS


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

NOTE: The countdown for launch began at 4 a.m. today for a 2 1/2 hour
launch window opening at 9:35 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28. The crew
arrived at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility at about 8:20 a.m. today.
Forecasters are currently predicting a 40 percent chance of weather
violating launch commit criteria on Thursday.

IN WORK TODAY:
· Final vehicle and facility close-outs for launch
· Stowage of flight crew equipment

WORK COMPLETED:
· Begin launch countdown (4 a.m.)
· Crew arrival at Shuttle Landing Facility (8:20 a.m.)
· Countdown preparations
· Aft engine compartment close-outs
· Ordnance installation and hypergolic pressurization

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES:
· Spacelab final stowage operations (Tuesday)
· Begin cryogenic loading of external tank for flight (1:15 a.m. Thursday)

NOTE: For additional details regarding STS-73 countdown milestones,
please refer to KSC Release No. 96-95.


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

NOTE: Discovery was towed to the Shuttle Landing Facility at about 5
a.m. today in preparation for its departure aboard the 747 Shuttle
Carrier Aircraft at about 7 a.m. Tuesday. Discovery will spend nine
months in Palmdale, Calif., for a scheduled Orbiter Maintenance Down
Period. During this time, the vehicle will be outfitted with an
external airlock to support missions to the international Space
Station and about 100 other modifications. For additional details,
please refer to KSC Release No. 94-96.


SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-73

T-TIME        LENGTH OF HOLD              HOLD BEGINS         HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours	4 hours	               8:00 p.m. Monday	   12 midnight Monday
T-19 hours	8 hours	               8:00 a.m. Tuesday    4:00 p.m.  Tuesday
T-11 hours     19 hours, 15 minutes   12:00 a.m. Wednesday  7:15 p.m.  Wednesday
T-6  hours	1 hour	              12:15 a.m. Thursday   1:15 a.m.  Thursday
T-3  hours	2 hours	               4:15 a.m. Thursday   6:15 a.m.  Thursday
T-20 minutes   10 minutes	       8:55 a.m. Thursday   9:05 a.m.  Thursday
T-9  minutes   10 minutes	       9:16 a.m. Thursday   9:26 a.m.  Thursday


CREW FOR MISSION STS-73

Ken Bowersox	        Commander (CDR)         	Red Team
Kent Rominger           Pilot (PLT)	                Red Team
Catherine Coleman	Mission Specialist (MS1)	Blue Team
Michael Lopez-Alegria	Mission Specialist (MS2)	Blue Team
Kathryn Thornton	Mission Specialist (MS3)	Red Team
Fred Leslie	        Payload Specialist (PS1)	Blue Team
Albert Sacco	        Payload Specialist (PS2)	Red Team


SUMMARY OF STS-73 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES

Wednesday, Sept. 27

7:00 p.m. 	Wake up (Blue Team)
7:30 p.m.	Breakfast (Blue Team)

Thursday, Sept. 28

  12:30 a.m.	Lunch (Blue Team)
   4:00 a.m.	Wake up (Red Team)
*  5:10 a.m.	Breakfast/Dinner and Crew Photo
   5:40 a.m.	Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
   5:40 a.m.	Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, PS1, PS2)
   5:50 a.m.	Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
*  6:00 a.m.	Crew suiting photo
*  6:20 a.m.	Depart for Launch Pad 39B
*  6:50 a.m.	Arrive at white room and begin orbiter ingress
*  8:05 a.m.	Close crew hatch
*  9:35 a.m.	Launch

* Televised events (times may vary slightly)
All times Eastern