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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1996 (9:49 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: The Shuttle interface verification test continues in work 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):
* Shuttle interface tests (today)
* Deliver Spacehab payload to Pad 39B (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. Close-bay operations are expected to 
begin tonight and last through most of the weekend. Solid rocket booster 
stacking operations in the Vehicle Assembly Building are continuing.

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 riding atop the modified 747 Shuttle Carrier 
Aircraft (SCA) remained overnight at Dyess AFB, Abilene, Tx., after 
arriving there yesterday at about 4:55 p.m. EDT.

     The orbiter/SCA departed Dyess today at about 8:05 a.m. EDT en route to 
Eglin AFB, Fla., for a refueling stop before continuing its final leg of the 
trip back to KSC. The vehicle is expected to land at KSC's Shuttle Landing 
Facility at 1 - 1:30 p.m. today, weather permitting.

     Weather forecasters have indicated no serious weather concerns for the 
remainder of the trip today.

     The orbiter/SCA departed Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., at 12 noon EDT 
Thursday and stopped briefing at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Az. The vehicle 
continued on to Dyess where it remained overnight.