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KENNEDY SPACE CENTERSPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1996 (10:45 AM EDT) KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham E-mail: Bruce.Buckingham-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov MISSION: STS-77 -- SPACEHAB-4 & SPARTAN 207 VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105 LOCATION: Pad 39B TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 16 at 6:32 a.m. LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 26 at 7:09 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 10 days CREW SIZE: 6 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 176 statute miles/39 degrees NOTE: Operations continue to complete the payload interface verification tests. The payload bay doors are scheduled to be closed for flight tomorrow. Aft engine compartment close-outs begin Monday. KEY STS-77 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Spartan payload interface verification test (today) * Close payload bay doors for flight (Friday) * Launch Readiness Review (Friday) * Begin orbiter aft engine compartment close-outs (Monday) * Flight Readiness Review (Tuesday) * Ordnance installation and hypergolic pressurization (Tuesday) * Begin launch countdown (May 13) MISSION: STS-78 -- LIFE AND MICROGRAVITY SPACELAB (LMS) VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: June 20 at about 10:49 a.m. LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: July 6 at about 8:46 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 15 days, 22 hours CREW SIZE: 7 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 173 statute miles/39 degrees NOTE: The tunnel adapter and crew module were successfully checked for leaks yesterday. Hydraulic testing of the orbiter’s aerosurfaces will begin on Friday. The external tank will be mated with the boosters on Friday in the Vehicle Assembly Building. KEY STS-78 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Mate external tank with solid rocket boosters (Friday) * Final aerosurface checks and flight readiness test (Friday) * Roll orbiter to Vehicle Assembly Building (May 23) 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. 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: Testing of the orbiter’s main propulsion system continues this week. A functional check of the orbital maneuvering system pods is also in work today. KEY STS-79 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Orbital maneuvering system functional checks (Thursday) * Install Space Shuttle main engines (May 20)
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