• 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

*Please note changes from earlier status

NOTE:The STS-81 Flight Readiness Review concluded yesterday with NASA managers selecting Jan. 12 as the official target launch date for Atlantis.

At the pad, ordnance operations and pressurization of the reaction control system were completed yesterday and the pad was reopened for normal pre-launch operations. Today, final stowage of experiments and equipment in the Spacehab is underway. Also, aft engine compartment close-outs are being finalized with aft door installation set for tomorrow. The crew of mission STS-81 is scheduled to arrive at KSC at about 10 p.m. tomorrow. The countdown is scheduled to begin at the T-43 hour mark at 7 a.m. Thursday.

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

• Aft engine compartment close-outs complete (Wednesday)
• Crew arrival (10 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: Checks of the hatch actuators and close-outs and cleaning in the payload bay continues. The payload bay doors are on schedule 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 open and preparations continue for removal of the Space Shuttle main engines this weekend. Pressure checks of fuel cell No. 2 are also in work. Members of the STS-83 crew are at KSC this week for tests on the MSL in the Operations and Checkout Building and to conduct a sharp-edge inspection of the orbiter's payload bay and crew compartment in the OPF. 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 (Saturday)
• Remove right hand orbital maneuvering system pod (Jan. 16)
• Install MSL (Jan. 24)
• Install main engines (Jan. 26)

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