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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1996 (10:30 AM EDT)

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: All umbilical connections mating Endeavour to the external tank are 
complete. The Shuttle interface verification test is scheduled to begin 
later today. Rollout to Pad 39B is on schedule to begin at about 3 a.m. 
Tuesday, April 16.

KEY STS-77 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Begin Shuttle interface tests (today)
* Deliver Spacehab payload to Pad 39 B (April 15)
* Roll vehicle to Pad 39B (3 a.m. April 16)
* Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (April 23-24)


MISSION: STS-78 -- LIFE AND MICROGRAVITY SPACELAB (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: Replacement of one of Columbia's thrusters used for on-orbit 
maneuvering continues today in the OPF.

KEY STS-78 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Install Space Shuttle main engines (April 15-16)
* Begin payload premate tests (April 18)
* Install Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) into transport canister 
(April 22)
* LMS payload installation into orbiter (April 26)


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 STS-76 EDWARDS LANDING DATE/TIME: March 31 at 8:28:57 a.m. EST

NEXT ATLANTIS MISSION: STS-79 -- 4th MIR DOCKING
TARGET STS-79 LAUNCH DATE: July 31 at about 11:42 p.m.
MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 20 hours, 35 minutes
TARGET STS-79 KSC LANDING DATE: August 9 at about 8:17 p.m.

NOTE:  The orbiter Atlantis, bolted atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft 
(SCA), is preparing to depart Edwards Air Force Base at about 12 noon EDT 
today. The modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft ground test confidence run 
was not performed as scheduled yesterday due to high winds on the dry lake 
bed at Edwards. The test was rescheduled and conducted earlier this morning. 
Results of the test are good and the vehicle is ready to begin the ferry flight 
back to KSC. The first stop for the orbiter/SCA will be Davis-Monthan Air 
Force Base, Tucson, Az., weather permitting. Re-fueling stops further east 
will be determined based on weather cross-country. The earliest Atlantis is 
expected back at KSC is late Friday morning.