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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1996 (12:06 PM EST) LAUNCH MINUS 2 DAYS KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham (fax 407-867-2692) E-mail: Bruce.Buckingham-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov MISSION: STS-76 -- 3rd MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104 LOCATION: Pad 39B LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 21 at about 3:35 a.m. EST LAUNCH WINDOW: 10 minutes MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 4 hours, 29 minutes MIR DOCKING: March 22 at about 10:36 p.m. BEGIN SIX HOUR SPACEWALK: March 26 at about 2:10 a.m. MIR UNDOCKING: March 27 at about 9:09 p.m. TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: March 30 at about 8:04 a.m. EST CREW SIZE: 6 up -- 5 down ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees NOTE: The countdown for launch of Atlantis continues today for liftoff on Thursday, March 21. The 10-minute window opens at about 3:35 a.m. The exact window will be announced about 90 minutes prior to launch following final computation of the location of the Mir space station. Work at Pad B was delayed about 5 hours last night as thunderstorms passed through KSC. Work will be back on schedule by early this afternoon without impact to Thursday's launch attempt. Following the storms, Pad 39B was cleared to load the onboard cryogenic tanks with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants. Reactant loading was completed at about 8 a.m. The reactants provide electricity for the orbiter and crew while in space and drinking water as a by-product for the 9-day mission. 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. 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 6:15 p.m. Wednesday. Air Force weather forecasters are currently indicating an 80 percent probability of weather prohibiting launch on Thursday. The primary concern is for cross-winds violating RTLS constraints at the Shuttle Landing Facility. During Thursday's 10-minute launch window, the winds at Pad B are expected to be from the west-northwest at 18-29 knots; temperature 43 degrees F; visibility 7 miles; humidity 60 percent; and clouds scattered to broken at 2,500 feet. The 24-hour-delay forecast is better with only a 20 percent chance of violation. CREW FOR MISSION STS-76 Commander (CDR): Kevin Chilton Pilot (PLT): Richard Searfoss Mission Specialist (MS1): Ronald Sega Mission Specialist (MS2): Rich Clifford Mission Specialist (MS3): Linda Godwin Mission Specialist (MS4): Shannon Lucid SUMMARY OF STS-76 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES Wednesday, March 20 4:30 p.m. Wake up 5:00 p.m. Breakfast * 10:40 p.m. Lunch and crew photo 11:10 p.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2) 11:10 p.m. Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, MS4) 11:20 p.m. Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2) * 11:35 p.m. Crew suiting photo * 11:50 p.m. Depart for launch pad 39B Thursday, March 21 * 12:20 a.m. Arrive at white room and begin ingress * 1:35 a.m. Close crew hatch * 3:35 a.m. Launch * Televised events (times may vary slightly) All times Eastern