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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1996 (1:40 PM EST)

KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham (fax 407-867-2692)
E-mail: Bruce.Buckingham-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov


MISSION: STS-77 -- SPACEHAB-4 & SPARTAN 207

VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 16 at 6:32 a.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 26 at 7:09 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 10 days
CREW SIZE: 6
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 176 statute miles/39 degrees

NOTE: Endeavour was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building yesterday 
afternoon for stacking with the external tank and solid rocket boosters. First motion from 
OPF bay 3 was at about 5:50 p.m. Overnight, the vehicle was soft-mated to the external 
tank and hard-mate is on schedule to occur later this afternoon. Following mate 
operations, the Shuttle interface verification test will commence. Rollout to Pad 39B is 
on schedule to begin at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, April 16.

KEY STS-77 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Begin Shuttle interface tests (April 11)
* Deliver Spacehab payload to Pad 39 B (April 15)
* Roll vehicle to Pad 39 B (7 a.m. April 16)
* Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (April 23-24)


MISSION: STS-78 -- LIFE AND MICROGRAVITY SCIENCE (LMS)

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2   
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: June 20 at about 10:49 a.m. 
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 6 at about 8:46 a.m. 
MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 22 hours
CREW SIZE: 7
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 statute miles/39 degrees

NOTE: Standard testing of the Flash Evaporator System continues today and 
preparations to replace one of the thrusters used for on-orbit maneuvering continues. 

KEY STS-78 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Install Space Shuttle main engines (April 15)
* Install LMS payload into transport canister (April 22)


MISSION: STS-76 -- 3rd MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
OFFICIAL STS-76 LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 22 at 3:13:04 a.m. EST
MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 5 hours, 15 minutes, 53 seconds
OFFICIAL EDWARDS LANDING DATE/TIME: March 31 at 8:28:57 a.m. EST 

NOTE:	The orbiter Atlantis, bolted atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), remains at 
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., following its aborted departure last Saturday afternoon. 
The faulty engine on the modified Boeing 747 SCA will be replaced today. A confidence 
run of the new engine will occur following installation. If tests go as planned, the 
orbiter/SCA will depart EAFB on Thursday morning to begin the return trip to KSC. A 
late Wednesday afternoon departure is still an outside possibility. The orbiter Atlantis 
has remained mated to the SCA throughout the week.