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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Tuesday, August 20, 1996

George H. Diller


Vehicle: OV-104/Atlantis
Mission number: STS-79
Location: VAB High Bay Bay 3
Primary payload:  Spacehab (image) - Mir 4
Astronauts: 6
Orbital altitude: 245 statute miles
Inclination: 51.6 degrees
Mission Duration: 9 days, 5 hours, 5 minutes
Target Launch date:   Sept. 12   6:27 a.m. EDT
Landing date:  Sept. 21  11:36 a.m. EDT

STS-79 IN WORK TODAY:
 -  Rollout from VAB to Pad 39-A   (First motion 2 p.m. weather permitting)


STS-79 WORK SCHEDULED:
 -   Main engine (image) flight readiness test
 -   Spacehab interface verification test  (IVT)
 -   Astronaut arrival for safety training and Terminal Countdown
     Demonstration Test (Aug. 25  5:30 p.m.)
 -   STS-79 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test  (Aug. 27 - 28)
 -   Flight Readiness Review  (Aug. 29)

 STS-79 WORK COMPLETED:
 -   Positioning of crawler transporter beneath Space Shuttle stack

ISSUES AND CONCERNS:  Late last night the rollout of Space Shuttle
Atlantis was rescheduled to occur this afternoon due to the
possibility of offshore thundershowers moving onshore during the
overnight hours.


STS-80/OV-102/Columbia
ORFEUS-SPAS 2 (image)/Wake Shield Facility 3
OPF Bay 1

        Main engine securing and electrical hookups with the orbiter
are continuing.  The functional test of the manipulator positioning
mechanism installed on the orbiter associated with the robot arm is
continuing.  Installation of the arm itself is now planned for
Wednesday.  Getaway Special (GAS) beams are being installed in the
orbiter’s payload bay today. The payload pre-mate electrical test is
scheduled to begin tonight and continue tomorrow.  In the Vehicle
Assembly Building, stacking of the STS-80 solid rocket boosters is
scheduled to begin on Aug. 29 but could begin a day or two earlier if
destacking the STS-79 boosters continues to go well.

  	
STS-82/OV-103/Discovery
HST Second Servicing Mission
OPF Bay 2

	Testing of the cryogenic reactant system and the leak and
functional tests of the auxiliary power units continues.  Also, the
orbiter’s star tracker is being installed today.


KSC 24-Hour Weather Summary
Shuttle Landing Facility - 7 a.m.

Today’s minimum temperature: 74 degrees
Yesterday’s maximum temperature: 88 degrees
Low relative humidity: 68 percent
Peak wind speed/direction: 31 mph/S
Precipitation: .35 inches
Total August precipitation:  5.10 inches
Barometric pressure at 7 a.m.:  30.12