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KENNEDY SPACE CENTERSPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1996 (11:35 AM EDT) KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham (fax 407-867-2692) E-mail: Bruce.Buckingham-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov MISSION: STS-77 -- SPACEHAB-4 & SPARTAN 207 VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105 LOCATION: Pad 39B * TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 19 at 6:30 a.m. LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes * TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 29 at 7:07 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 0 hours, 37 minutes CREW SIZE: 6 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 176 statute miles/39 degrees * Change from earlier status NOTE: Efforts continue to close-out the aft engine compartment with the aft doors scheduled for installation Friday. A functional check of the contingency spacesuits was conducted yesterday. Suit no. 1 passed the test, however, the second suit developed a problem and had to be removed from the orbiter. A replacement suit is scheduled to arrive from Johnson Space Center early next week. No spacewalk is scheduled for this mission. However, spacesuits are flown on each mission for use during possible contingency situations. KEY STS-77 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Complete aft engine compartment close-outs (Friday) * Ordnance (Part 2) operations and pressurize hypergolic reactants (Tuesday) * Begin launch countdown (4 a.m. May 16) * Crew arrival (9 a.m. May 16) MISSION: STS-78 -- LIFE AND MICROGRAVITY SPACELAB (LMS) VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: June 20 at about 10:49 a.m. LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 6 at about 8:46 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 21 hours, 57 minutes CREW SIZE: 7 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 statute miles/39 degrees NOTE: The interface verification test on the Spacelab transfer tunnel is in work today. Aft engine compartment close-outs continue this week. Final inspections of the main engine nozzles are complete and good. The crew for mission STS-78 will arrive at KSC tonight for the crew equipment interface test tomorrow. KEY STS-78 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Crew equipment interface test (Friday) * Final payload bay door closure (May 17) * Roll orbiter to Vehicle Assembly Building (May 23) MISSION: STS-79 -- 4th MIR DOCKING VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 TARGET LAUNCH DATE: July 31 at about 11:42 p.m. 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 mechanical installation of fuel cell no. 2 is complete. Electrical mates will be performed today followed by a functional test tomorrow. Also, functional checks of the orbital maneuvering system pods and the auxiliary power units continue today. Managers will continue to re-evaluate the scheduled events over the next several weeks. Main engine installation may be delayed in order to provide better times to remove and replace three reaction control system thrusters. The long term schedule will not be impacted. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, stacking of the left hand solid rocket booster continues. KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Install Space Shuttle main engines (May 20)
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