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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
MONDAY, APRIL 15, 1996 (11:42 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 is complete in the Vehicle 
Assembly Building. Also, the Spacehab payload was delivered to the pad over 
the weekend. Because of anticipated weather overnight at KSC, rollout to Pad 
39B is now set for about 8 a.m. tomorrow. Based on this schedule, the 
vehicle is expected to be hard down on the pad at about 2 p.m. and the 
Rotating Service Structure moved into place around the vehicle at about 4 
p.m.

KEY STS-77 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Roll vehicle to Pad 39B (8 a.m. Tuesday)
* Install payload into vehicle (Wednesday)
* Space Shuttle main engine flight readiness test (Wednesday/Thursday)
* Helium signature test (April 22)
* Crew arrival for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test
  (10:30 a.m. April 22)
* 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 was completed in the OPF. Preparations are now in work to 
install the Space Shuttle main engines beginning tomorrow. Also, payload 
premate testing will begin tomorrow.

KEY STS-78 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Install Space Shuttle main engines (April 16-17)
* Begin payload premate tests (April 16)
* Install Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) into transport canister 
  (April 22)
* LMS payload installation into orbiter (April 23)


MISSION: STS-79 -- 4th MIR DOCKING

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION:  Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
TARGET LAUNCH DATE: July 31 at about 11:42 p.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE: August 9 at about 8:17 p.m.
MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 20 hours, 35 minutes
CREW SIZE: 6
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 196-245 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE:  The orbiter Atlantis riding atop the modified 747 Shuttle Carrier 
Aircraft (SCA) departed Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, Tx., Friday morning 
and refueled at Eglin AFB, Fla. The vehicle then proceeded to KSC, landing 
on Shuttle Landing Facility runway 15 at 1:41 p.m.

     Atlantis was demated from the SCA Friday evening in the Mate/Demate 
Device at the SLF, then transported to Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 at 
about 5:45 a.m. Saturday. The vehicle was spotted in the OPF about 90 
minutes later (7:10 a.m.).

     Today, the payload bay doors will be opened and data collected on the 
payload bay doors latches, following-up on an in flight anomaly that 
occurred prior to landing. Also today, preparations will begin to pinpoint 
the source of the hydraulic leak that occurred in the aft engine compartment 
during ascent. Tomorrow, a sharp edge inspection will be conducted in the 
payload bay and preparations made to remove the ferry flight main engine 
tailcone. On Thursday, the Spacehab payload will be removed. Post-flight 
inspections will continue all through this week.

KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Remove ferry flight tailcone (Tuesday)
* Remove Spacehab payload (Thursday)
* Remove Space Shuttle main engines (April 29)