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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1996 (11:13 AM EST)


MISSION: STS-72 -- SFU-Retrieval & OAST-Flyer
LAUNCH-2 DAYS

VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
LOCATION: Pad 39B
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 11 at 4:18 a.m. EST
*LAUNCH WINDOW: 49 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/*TIME: Jan. 20 at about 2:40 a.m.
*MISSION DURATION: 8 days, 22 hours, 22 minutes
CREW SIZE: 6
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 288 statute miles/28.45 degrees
*change from earlier status

NOTE:  The countdown for launch of Endeavour continues on schedule today for
liftoff on Thursday, Jan. 11.  The 49-minute window opens at about 4:18 a.m.
The exact window will be announced about 90 minutes prior to launch following
final computation of the location of the SFU spacecraft.  Endeavour is scheduled
to land at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at about 2:40 a.m. Jan. 20.

This morning, Pad 39-B was cleared to load the onboard cryogenic
tanks with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants.  Reactant
loading was completed on schedule by mid-morning.  The reactants provide
electricity for the orbiter and crew while in space and drinking water as a
by-product for the 9-day mission.

Later today, the orbiter's mid-body umbilical unit will be demated and retracted
into the fixed service structure.  Final vehicle and facility close-outs
will also resume.  Final mid-deck payload loading operations will begin this
afternoon and continue through tomorrow.

On Wednesday, preparations will be made to retract the rotating service
structure to launch position at about 9 a.m.  Loading of the external tank
with cryogenic propellants is scheduled to begin at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Air Force weather forecasters are currently indicating a 20 percent
probability of weather prohibiting launch on Thursday.  The only concern is for a
possible cloud ceiling below 6,000 feet.

During Thursday's launch window, the winds at Pad B are expected to be from
the north at 7 knots; temperature 46 degrees F; visibility 7 miles; humidity
86 percent; and clouds scattered at 2,500 - 7,000 feet.  The 24-hour-delay
forecast reveals worsening conditions due to an approaching cold front and
a 70 percent chance of violation.


SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-72

T-TIME         LENGTH OF HOLD            HOLD BEGINS          HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours	 4 hours	      11:30 p.m. Monday	     3:30 a.m. Tuesday
T-19 hours	 4 hours	      11:30 a.m. Tuesday     3:30 p.m. Tuesday
T-11 hours	13 hours, 28 minutes  11:30 p.m. Tuesday    12:58 p.m. Wednesday
T-6  hours	 2 hours	       5:58 p.m. Wednesday   7:58 p.m. Wednesday
T-3  hours	 2 hours	      10:58 p.m. Wednesday  12:58 a.m. Thursday
T-20 minutes	10 minutes	       3:38 a.m. Thursday    3:48 a.m. Thursday
T-9  minutes	10 minutes	       3:59 a.m. Thursday    4:09 a.m. Thursday


CREW FOR MISSION STS-72

Brian Duffy	Commander (CDR)
Brent Jett      Pilot (PLT)
Leroy Chiao	Mission Specialist (MS1)
Winston Scott 	Mission Specialist (MS2)
Koichi Wakata	Mission Specialist (MS3)
Dan Barry	Mission Specialist (MS4)


SUMMARY OF STS-72 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES

Wednesday, Jan. 10

   7:00 p.m. 	Wake up
   7:30 p.m.	Breakfast
* 11:38 a.m.	Lunch and Crew Photo

Thursday, Jan. 11

  12:08 a.m.	Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
  12:08 a.m.	Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, MS4,)
  12:18 a.m.	Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
* 12:40 a.m.	Crew suiting photo
*  1:03 a.m.	Depart for Launch Pad 39B
*  1:33 a.m.	Arrive at white room and begin orbiter ingress
*  2:48 a.m.	Close crew hatch
*  4:18 a.m.	Launch

* Televised events (times may vary slightly)
All times Eastern