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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1996  (1:01 PM EDT)

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

ALERT: As a precautionary measure, KSC has officially moved from
Hurcon (Hurricane Condition) IV to Hurcon III as of 10 a.m. today
while managers continue to monitor the projected track of Hurricane
Bertha. Hurcon III status indicates KSC expects to see 50 knot winds
or greater within 48 hours. KSC workers will be continuously informed
of the hurricane's status, and possible rollback options for
Atlantis at pad 39A will be discussed in greater detail.

	According to the KSC Hurricane Plan, the Space Shuttle will
be rolled back to the VAB if there is a possibility of sustained
hurricane force winds at the pad. Rollback to the VAB must be
completed before winds reach 40 knots sustained or 60 knot gusts.


MISSION: STS-79 -- 4th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION:  Pad 39A
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: July 31 at about 11:29 p.m. (EDT)
LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: August 9 at about 8:05 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: Work continues to prepare Atlantis for launch this month.
Managers continue their discussions regarding the hot gas penetration
on both of the STS-78 boosters field joints (see July 3 Shuttle
status). No cause has been identified regarding the anomaly. However,
managers will be looking closely at a number of possible causes
including the type of adhesive used between the field joints and the
pre-launch cleaning techniques of those joints. Meanwhile, the helium
signature leak check of the main propulsion system was completed this
morning and installation of the Spacehab began as scheduled today. If
the decision is made to roll back to the VAB due to Hurricane Bertha,
the payload bay doors would be closed tonight, the vehicle powered
down tomorrow morning and the rollback would begin tomorrow
afternoon. This would place Atlantis out of harms way in the VAB by
midnight Wednesday night. If a rollback decision is made for weather
reasons, there will be no impact to the overall launch schedule.

KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Install Spacehab Double Module into orbiter (today)
STS-79 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (July 18-19)


MISSION: STS-80 -- WAKE SHIELD FACILITY-3 and ORFEUS-SPAS-2

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Oct. 31 at 2:40 p.m. (EST)
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 20 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: 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: Post-mission deservicing continues on Columbia following
Sunday's landing at KSC. Provided no weather concerns, the payload
bay doors are scheduled to be opened tomorrow. A post landing
inspection of the vehicle revealed a total of 85 debris impact hits
on the thermal protection system, of which 12 had a major dimension
of 1-inch or larger. By comparison, these numbers are significantly
less than the average seen on previous missions. The orbiter's tires
and brakes were reported to be in average condition for a KSC
landing.

	Also, operations to stack the solid rocket boosters for
STS-80 have been accelerated. The Mobile Launcher Platform was moved
into the VAB yesterday and booster stacking operations could begin as
early as July 12.


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: Work continues to remove the ferry flight equipment from
Discovery. The vehicle was powered-up this morning for the first time
since its arrival at KSC following the Orbiter Maintenance Down
Period.

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Initial power-up operations (today)
Open payload bay doors (July 16)


PREPARATIONS FOR ORBITER MAINTENANCE DOWN PERIOD

VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3

NOTE: If local weather dictates, the payload bay doors on Endeavour
could be closed tomorrow. Meanwhile, preparations continue for the
vehicle's first Orbiter Maintenance Down Period. Delivery to
Palmdale, where Endeavour will remain for about eight months, will
occur around the first of August. Once Endeavour returns to KSC, its
next mission will be the first International Space Station assembly
Space Shuttle flight, scheduled for launch in late 1997.

KEY PRE-OMDP OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Final payload bay closing (July 12)
Rollover to Shuttle Landing Facility (July 29)
Depart KSC for ferry flight to Palmdale, CA (July 30)
-- end --
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