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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1996  (10:38 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

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION:  Vehicle Assembly Building
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: Preparations continue to roll Atlantis back out to Pad 39A,
pending a final management decision later today.  Atlantis was rolled
to the VAB Wednesday as a precautionary measure to avoid possible
high winds and rain from Hurricane Bertha, which threatened east
central Florida this week. Given a decision to roll, first motion is
scheduled for 11 p.m. today keeping the vehicle on schedule for
launch later this month. Meanwhile, managers continue their
discussions regarding the hot gas penetration on both of the STS-78
boosters field joints and any concerns for the STS-79 boosters. Once
Atlantis is back at the pad, next week's activities include the
Spacehab interface verification test and the Terminal Countdown
Demonstration Test.

KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Roll out to Pad 39A (11 a.m. tonight)
Arrive at the pad (5 a.m. Saturday)
Open payload bay doors (Saturday)
Spacehab Double Module interface verification test  (Tuesday-Wednesday)
Crew arrival for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (5:30 p.m. Tuesday)
STS-79 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (Thursday-Friday)
Flight Readiness Review (Friday)


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: The payload bay doors on Columbia will be opened today as
access to the aft engine compartment continues. Operations to stack
the solid rocket boosters for STS-80 have begun in the VAB. The first
segment is scheduled to be lifted to the Mobile Launcher Platform
tomorrow.

KEY STS-80 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Begin stacking solid rocket boosters in the VAB (Saturday)
Begin process to remove Spacelab from payload bay (Tuesday)
Remove and replace auxiliary power unit no. 1 (July 26)
Begin removing Space Shuttle main engines (July 30)


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: Preparations continue for opening the payload bay doors next
week and to install the orbital maneuvering system pods later in the
month.

KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Open payload bay doors (July 16)
Install right hand orbital maneuvering system pod (about July 26)


PREPARATIONS FOR ORBITER MAINTENANCE DOWN PERIOD

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

NOTE: The payload bay doors on Endeavour are opened today as
preparations continue for the vehicle's first Orbiter Maintenance
Down Period in Palmdale, CA.

KEY PRE-OMDP OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Final payload bay door closure (July 16)
Rollover to Shuttle Landing Facility (July 29)
Depart KSC for ferry flight to Palmdale, CA (July 30)
-- end --
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