GO TO THE PREVIOUS SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORTGO TO THE NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 1996 (10:24 AM EDT) KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham (fax 407-867-2692) E-mail: Bruce.Buckingham-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov MISSION: STS-79 -- 4th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM (image) VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: September 12 at about 6:26 a.m. (EDT) LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: September 21 at about 11:30 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 5 hours CREW SIZE: 6 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 196-245 statute miles/51.6 degrees NOTE: Preparations are underway to power-down Atlantis for the weekend and to ready it for return to the Vehicle Assembly Building next week, with first motion set for about 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13. In the VAB, Atlantis will be mated to the new stack of solid rocket boosters and external tank. Rollout of the Shuttle to Pad 39A remains scheduled for Aug. 20. The external tank was demated (image) yesterday from STS-79's original set of SRBs. During lifting operations, the tank made light contact with a work platform. Initial inspections revealed no serious damage to the tank and demate operations continued. Today the tank will be lifted into the external tank storage cell in the VAB and closer inspections of the contact point will be conducted. A contractor investigation team will be formed to review procedures and determine probable cause for the incident. Destacking of the SRBs will begin no earlier than next Thursday. KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): Transport orbiter back to VAB and mate to new set of SRBs (about 10 a.m. Aug. 13) Roll out Space Shuttle to Pad 39A (Aug. 20) Main engine flight readiness test and leak checks (Aug. 21-22) Crew arrival for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (5:30 p.m. Aug. 25) STS-79 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Aug. 27-28) MISSION: STS-80 -- WAKE SHIELD FACILITY-3 and ORFEUS-SPAS-2 (image) VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 TARGET LAUNCH DATE: (no earlier than) Oct. 31 at 2:40 p.m. (EST) LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 20 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: (no earlier than) Nov. 16 at 7:25 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 16 days CREW SIZE: 5 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 218 statute miles/28.45 degrees NOTE: Removal of Space Shuttle main engines no. 2 and 3 is complete. Engine (image) no. 1 will be removed later today. Installation of the STS-80 main engines are scheduled to begin next Thursday. KEY STS-80 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): Complete removing Space Shuttle main engines (tonight) Install drag chute (Aug. 14) Complete installation of STS-80 main engines (about Aug. 16) NOTE: MISSION STS-81, ATLANTIS, IS TARGETED FOR LAUNCH ABOUT JAN. 16, 1997. SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS WILL BE ISSUED FOLLOWING MISSION STS-79. MISSION: STS-82 -- HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SERVICING MISSION-2 VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 TARGET LAUNCH DATE: February 13, 1997 LAUNCH WINDOW: 61 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE: February 23, 1997 MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 22 hours CREW SIZE: 7 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 360 statute miles/28.45 degrees NOTE: Auxiliary power unit hook-ups and preparations to install the right hand orbital maneuvering system pod continue in work today. The pod is scheduled to be installed early next week. KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): Installation of right hand orbital maneuvering system pod (Aug. 13) Begin tests on the 5th cryogenic tank set wiring (Aug. 21)-- end -- For automatic e-mail subscriptions to this daily Shuttle status report or KSC originated press releases, send an Internet electronic mail message to domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line) type the words "subscribe shuttle-status" or "subscribe ksc-press-release" (do not use quotation marks). The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription. To remove your name from the list at any time, send an e-mail address to domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line), type (no quotes) "unsubscribe shuttle-status" or "unsubscribe ksc-press-release.