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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1996  (11:23 AM EDT)

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


MISSION: STS-78 -- LIFE AND MICROGRAVITY SPACELAB (LMS)

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Pad 39B
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: June 20 at 10:49 a.m. (EDT)
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 7 at about 8:39 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 22 hours (+1 day)
CREW SIZE: 7
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 statute miles/39 degrees

NOTE: Mission managers are at KSC today for the Flight Readiness
Review. This review is held prior to each Space Shuttle launch and is
designed to identify any outstanding problems or concerns surrounding
the launch and mission of STS-78. Following the review, a firm launch
date is expected to be announced.

	At the pad, work continues to prepare the Shuttle Columbia
for launch. Today, preparations are being made for loading hypergolic
reactants onboard the orbiter. Reactant loading will begin late this
morning and continue through tomorrow. On Monday, work will begin to
close-out the aft engine compartment for flight.

KEY STS-78 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Begin aft engine compartment close-outs (June 10)
Begin countdown at the T-43 hour mark (June 17)


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

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION:  Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
TARGET LAUNCH DATE: July 31 at about 11:42 p.m. (EDT)
LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE: August 9 at about 8:17 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: The tunnel adapter has been installed into the payload bay and
securing is proceeding today. Space Shuttle main engine leak checks
are also on going. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, the external
tank will be mated to the twin solid rocket boosters today. This
weekend, the crew equipment interface test will be conducted with
members of the STS-79 crew who will visit the orbiter in the OPF and
inspecting the configuration of the Spacehab and orbiter docking
system in the payload bay.

KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Mate external tank with solid rocket boosters in VAB (today)
Crew equipment interface test (Saturday)
Close payload bay doors for flight (June 19)
Roll Atlantis to Vehicle Assembly Building (June 24)


PREPARATIONS FOR ORBITER MAINTENANCE DOWN PERIOD

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

NOTE: Post-mission servicing continues in the Orbiter Processing
Facility. The Spacehab payload and the tunnel adapter have been
removed. The tunnel adapter was delivered to OPF bay 1 and installed
into the orbiter Atlantis last night.

	Endeavour is being prepared for its first Orbiter Maintenance
Down Period (OMDP) which involves sending the orbiter to Palmdale,
CA, for about eight months of major modifications and structural
inspections. Delivery to Palmdale will occur during the first week of
August. Endeavour's next mission will be the first International
Space Station assembly Space Shuttle flight, scheduled for launch
from KSC in late 1997.

KEY PRE-OMDP OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
Remove Space Shuttle main engines (June 18)
Remove right hand orbital maneuvering system pod (June 26)
Remove forward reaction control system (June 29)
Remove left hand orbital maneuvering system pod (July 2)


NOTE on DISCOVERY: The orbiter Discovery, currently undergoing a
series of modifications and thorough inspections in Palmdale, CA, is
scheduled to be delivered back to KSC later this month. The vehicle
is targeted to be rolled out of the Palmdale facility on June 25,
begin the ferry flight on June 26 and arrive back at KSC June 27 or
28.  The Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP) is a routinely
scheduled operation that periodically removes all orbiters from
flight operations. Once Discovery is back at KSC, preparations will
begin for its next flight, mission STS-82, the second Hubble Space
Telescope servicing mission, set for launch in February 1997.
-- end --
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