• VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
• LOCATION: Pad 39B
• TARGET KSC LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Jan. 12, 1997 at about 4:27 a.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 7-10 minutes
• DOCK WITH MIR: Jan. 14 at about 10:50 p.m. EST
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Jan. 22 at about 8:00 a.m. EST
• MISSION DURATION: 10 days, 3 hours, 30 minutes
• CREW: Baker, Jett, Grunsfeld, Ivins, Wisoff, Linenger (up), Blaha (down)
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees

NOTE: The payload bay doors were closed for flight on Friday and the space suits have been installed and checked for the mission. Today, ordnance operations will begin followed by pressurization of the reaction control system tonight. The pad will be closed to all but essential personnel for these hazardous operations. Once the pad reopens tomorrow, work will begin for final stowage of experiments and equipment in the Spacehab. Aft engine compartment close-outs will also be finalized with aft door installation set for Wednesday. The countdown is scheduled to begin at the T-43 hour mark at 7 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9.

The STS-81 Flight Readiness Review is being conducted today at KSC. The FRR is a formal meeting of NASA managers and contractors and is conducted prior to each Shuttle launch. The FRR began at 10:30 a.m. and is scheduled to continue through mid-afternoon. Following this review, a formal launch date for mission STS-81 is expected to be announced.

KEY STS-81 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Flight Readiness Review (today)
• Aft engine compartment close-outs complete (Wednesday)
• Crew arrival (9 p.m. Wednesday)
• Begin countdown (7 a.m. Thursday)

• VEHICLE: Discovery/OV-103
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: February 13 at 2:59 a.m.
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 61 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: February 23 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: A functional check of the hatch actuators is in work today. The Ku-band deployable assembly (DA) has been removed and replaced with the DA from Columbia and the retest is complete. Payload bay close-outs are now in work and the payload bay doors are scheduled to be closed on Thursday. Roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building is targeted for Saturday, Jan. 11.

KEY STS-82 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Close payload bay doors (Thursday)
• Roll to VAB (Jan. 11)
• Roll out to Pad 39A (Jan. 17)

• VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
• LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1
• TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 27 at 2:19 p.m. EST
• LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 12 at 7:47 a.m. EST
• MISSION DURATION: 16 days
• CREW: Halsell, Still, Voss, Thomas, Gernhardt, Linteris, Crouch
• ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/28.45 degrees

NOTE: The payload bay doors are being opened today and preparations continue for removal of the Space Shuttle main engines later this week. Members of the STS-83 crew are at KSC this week for tests on the MSL in the Operations and Checkout Building. Stacking of the solid rocket boosters in the Vehicle Assembly Building continues.

KEY STS-83 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only):

• Begin removal of main engines (end of week)
• Remove right hand orbital maneuvering system pod (Jan. 16)
• Install MSL (Jan. 24)
• Install main engines (Jan. 26)

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