Mission Control Center
STS-64 Status Report #1 & # 2

Saturday, Sept. 10, 9 a.m. CST


Payload activities on board the Space Shuttle Discovery will pick up today as 
the STS-64 crew begins its second day in orbit.

Discovery's six-astronauts started Flight Day 2 to a parody of a Beach
Boys tune called "We'll Have Fun, Fun, Fun on the Shuttle," sung by
Mach 25. 

Before crew members went to sleep, the Lidar In-space Technology
Experiment, STS-64's primary payload, was activated and reported to be in
good working condition.  Experiment controllers reported that they were
receiving "terrific looking returns." 

LITE will be used during the course of the mission to collect atmospheric
data with a laser system to measure clouds, particles in the
atmosphere and the Earth's surface.  This information will help scientists
explain the impact of human activity on the atmosphere. 

A new materials processing facility called ROMPS for Robotic Operated
Materials Processing System also was activated yesterday and ran
throughout the night.  ROMPS will process crystals in microgravity by
transporting a variety of semiconductors from storageracks to furnaces for
processing. 

Today Mission Specialist Susan Helms will power up Discovery's robot arm
to work with the Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment, also
known as SPIFEX. The experiment consists of a 33-foot long beam that will
be used to characterize and measure the plumes of the steering jets.
SPIFEX will be maneuvered on the end of the robot arm to take measurements
of 86 separate jet firings. This information will be used by engineers
determine the effects of thrusters on large space structures such as the
International Space Station. 

Crew members also will set up their ham radio equipment to support the
Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment. 

Discovery is performing without any major system anomaly as it makes its
19th flight. It is orbiting in a 140 x 141 n.m. orbit, circling the
Earth every 90 minutes.