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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1996  (1:37 PM EDT)

KSC Public Affairs Contact: Joel Wells
E-mail: J.Wells-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov


MISSION: STS-80 -- WAKE SHIELD FACILITY-3 (image) and ORFEUS-SPAS-2 (image)

VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Pad 39B
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: November 15 at 2:50 p.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: December 1 at 7:34 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 16 hours, 48 minutes
CREW: Cockrell, Rominger, Jernigan, Jones, Musgrave
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 219 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: Following completion of a follow-up flight readiness meeting
yesterday, NASA managers set Nov. 15 as the official launch date for
Space Shuttle Columbia.  The Nov. 15 launch date is contingent upon a
commercial Atlas rocket launch planned for Nov. 13.  Launch weather
forecasters expect strong winds and possible rain to threaten launch
activities for Atlas and Columbia through Sunday.  Friday’s forecast
shows an 80 percent chance that weather will violate launch criteria.

The launch countdown for STS-80 began today at 1 p.m. at T-43 hours.
Columbia’s aft compartment close-out and confidence test are
complete. Today technicians will perform leak checks on the freon
line that provides coolant to fuel cell No. 1.

Yesterday morning, a routine review of Shuttle systems revealed the
freon line’s leak rate to be right at the acceptable limit.  Today
the leak rate is lower, but NASA managers have decided to off load
the freon and then refill, taking several opportunities to analyze
the system in the process.  Shuttle managers will review the data
collected from these leak checks this afternoon and expect to proceed
toward Columbia’s Nov. 15 launch date.

The STS-80 crew arrived at KSC yesterday at about 6:30 p.m., ate
dinner at about 9 p.m. and retired for the evening at about 1:30 a.m.
Today they will take time to check the flight crew equipment, visit
pad 39B and conduct a payload bay inspection.

KEY STS-80 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Countdown began (Today at 1 p.m.)
* Move pad rotating service structure away from vehicle (Thursday 8 p.m.)
* Begin fueling of external tank (Friday 5:45 a.m.)


MISSION: STS-81 -- 5th MIR DOCKING & SPACEHAB DM (image)

VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3
TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 12, 1997 at about 4:17 a.m. (EST)
LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 21, 1997 at about 8:40 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 9 days (+1)
CREW: Baker, Jett, Grunsfeld, Ivins, Wisoff, Linenger (up) Blaha (down)
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE:  Space Shuttle main engine securing is complete. Crew equipment
interface test is also complete.  Auxiliary power unit leak and
functional tests continue and orbiter aft compartment close-outs
continue as well.  Atlantis’ thermal protection system is being water
proofed today.  Stacking of the STS-81 solid rocket boosters is
complete and close-outs are in work.

KEY STS-81 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Mate external tank to SRBs in Vehicle Assembly Building (Nov. 14)
* Close payload bay doors for rollover (Nov. 22)
* Roll to Vehicle Assembly Building (Dec. 2)


MISSION: STS-82 -- HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SERVICING MISSION-2

VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: February 13, 1997 at 2:59 a.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 61 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: February 23, 1997 at 1:35 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 22 hours
CREW: Bowersox, Horowitz, Lee, Hawley, Harbaugh, Smith, Tanner
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 360 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: The left-hand orbital maneuvering system pod was delivered to
the Orbiter Processing Facility on Saturday.  Discovery was powered
up today for hydraulic tests.  Payload pre-mate tests continue today.
Stacking of STS-82’s SRB segments is in progress with the left
forward center segment in work today and the left forward scheduled
for tonight.

KEY STS-82 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):
* Complete installation of orbital maneuvering system on orbiter (Nov. 15)
--end--
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