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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1996  (12:32 PM 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 (IAE); TEAMS
FLIGHT DAY 5

VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105
LOCATION: Orbit
OFFICIAL LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 19 at 6:30 a.m. (EDT)
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 29 at 7:12 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 0 hours, 42 minutes
CREW SIZE: 6
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 176 statute miles/39 degrees

NOTE: Endeavour is scheduled to remain in orbit for 10 days and land
back at Kennedy Space Center on May 29 at about 7:12 a.m.

	The crew of mission STS-77 are: Commander John Casper; Pilot
Curt Brown; and Mission Specialists Andy Thomas, Dan Bursch, Mario
Runco and Marc Garneau.

        Mission status reports are issued daily by Johnson Space
Center, Houston, TX.


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

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Vehicle Assembly Building
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: June 20 at about 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: Columbia has been mechanically mated with the external tank in
the VAB and electrical mates between the orbiter and tank are in
work. Due to delays in mating, the Shuttle interface verification
test will not begin until Tuesday and rollout to Pad 39B will begin
at 2 a.m. on May 30.

 KEY STS-78 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Begin Shuttle interface verification test (May 28)
* Rollout to Pad 39B (May 30)
* Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (June 4-5)


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. (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:	Operations to remove and replace six thrusters on the
orbiter’s reaction control system continue today. The OPF will remain
cleared through the end of the week.

	In the Vehicle Assembly Building, stacking of the solid
rocket boosters continues.

KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Remove and replace six reaction control system thrusters (Wednesday)
* Install Space Shuttle main engines (May 31)
* Install tunnel adapter (June 1)

-- end --
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