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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1996 (2:13 PM EST)

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

MISSION:STS-75 -- TETHERED SATELLITE-1R & USMP-3
Flight Day 14

VEHICLE:Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Orbit
OFFICIAL LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Feb. 22 at 3:18 p.m. EST
TARGETKSC LANDINGDATE/TIME: March 8 at about 7:19 a.m. EST
MISSION DURATION: 13 days, 16 hours
CREW SIZE: 7
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Discussions were held today by mission managers to further
extend Columbia’s mission beyond Friday but a decision was made to
maintain Friday as the nominal end of mission for USMP science
reasons. Weather at KSC on Friday is less than favorable and may
prompt additional time in orbit. Friday’s weather outlook calls for
low broken to scattered clouds, winds from the north at 14 knots
gusting to 22, and possible thunderstorms and rain within 30 miles of
the Shuttle Landing Facility.

        Mission STS-75 status reports are issued daily from the
Johnson Space Center. Payload status reports are issued by the Marshall Space Flight Center.


MISSION:STS-76 -- 3rd MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB

VEHICLE:Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION:Pad 39B
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 21 at about 3:35 a.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 6 to 10 minutes
TARGETKSC LANDINGDATE/TIME: March 30 at about 8:05 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 4 hours
CREW SIZE: 6 up -- 5 down
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test with the STS-76 crew
concluded today with a simulated main engine cut-off at 11 a.m. The
crew will depart for their homes in Houston this afternoon. They are
scheduled to return to KSC early Monday, March 18, for launch on
March 21.

KEY STS-76 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Launch Readiness Review (1:30 p.m. today)
* Loadhypergolicreactants (Thursday-Friday)
* Flight Readiness Review (March 11)

MISSION: STS-77 -- SPACEHAB-4 & SPARTAN 207

VEHICLE:Endeavour/OV-105
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing FacilityBay 3
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 16 at 6:32 a.m.
TARGETKSC LANDINGDATE/TIME: May 26 at 7:09 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 10 days
CREW SIZE: 6
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 176 statute miles/39 degrees

NOTE: Operations to remove and replace thrusters on the reaction
control system are finished and the bay will be re-opened today for
normal operations. Installation of the Space Shuttle main engines
will begin on Saturday. Solid rocket booster stacking operations
continue in the Vehicle Assembly Building.

KEY STS-77 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Installdrag chute(today)
* Installremote manipulator system(Friday)
* InstallSpace Shuttle main engines(Saturday-Sunday)