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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1996  (2:02 PM EST)

KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham (fax 407-867-2692)
E-mail: Bruce.Buckingham-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov


MISSION: STS-81 -- 5th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM (image)

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION: Pad 39B
TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 12, 1997 at about 4:22 a.m. EST
LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 22, 1997 at about 8:32 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 4 hours
CREW: Baker, Jett, Grunsfeld, Ivins, Wisoff, Linenger (up) Blaha (down)
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: Atlantis was rolled out to Pad 39B yesterday with first motion
occurring at about 1:10 p.m. The vehicle was hard-down on the pad at
about 8 p.m. Operations are in work this morning to complete the hot
fire of the auxiliary power units and to conduct a final check of the
orbiter's hydraulic system. The Rotating Service Structure will be
placed around the vehicle by early afternoon. The Spacehab will be
installed into the payload bay tomorrow. The payload interface
verification test is scheduled to begin Saturday.

KEY STS-81 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Hot fire all three auxiliary power units (today)
Install Spacehab into payload bay (Thursday)
Payload interface verification test (Dec. 14)
Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Dec. 16-17)
Close payload bay doors for flight (Dec. 16)
Pre-launch propellant load (Dec. 18)


MISSION: STS-82 -- HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SERVICING MISSION-2

VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: February 13, 1997 at 2:59 a.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 61 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: February 23, 1997 at 1:35 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 22 hours
CREW: Bowersox, Horowitz, Lee, Hawley, Harbaugh, Smith, Tanner
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 360 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Checks of the main propulsion system and the Ku-band antenna
continue today. Also, the commander and pilot seats will be
installed. The external tank is being mated to the solid rocket
boosters in the Vehicle Assembly Building today.

KEY STS-82 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Mate external tank to solid rocket booster (today)
Close payload bay doors (Dec. 16)
Roll to VAB (Jan. 8)


MISSION: STS-83 -- Microgravity Science Laboratory-1

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102	
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 27 at 2:19 p.m. EST
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 12 at 7:47 a.m. EST
MISSION DURATION: 16 days
CREW: Halsell, Still, Voss, Thomas, Gernhardt, Linteris, Crouch
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: After workers gained access to the hatch (image) on Columbia's airlock
yesterday and were unable to open it, they removed the actuator (a
gearbox-type mechanism that is used to operate the linkages that
secure the hatch) and installed a replacement. With the new actuator
in place, the hatch was easily opened, isolating the problem to the
actuator. This device was closely examined last night and a small
screw was found imbedded in the gears. The screw apparently came
loose from an internal assembly and lodged in the gearbox, preventing
the crew from opening the hatch on orbit and performing their
scheduled space walks. Managers will now evaluate this problem and
determine what additional checks should be made on the hatches on
Atlantis and Discovery.

	The ORFEUS-SPAS (image) and Wake Shield Facility (image)
payloads will be removed from the orbiter's payload bay today. The inertial
measurement unit which exhibited problems on orbit will also be taken
out of the vehicle today.

KEY STS-83 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Remove STS-80 payloads (Today)
Close payload bay doors (Dec. 20)
--end--
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