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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1996 (11:58 AM EST) KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham E-mail: Bruce.Buckingham-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov MISSION: STS-75 -- TETHERED SATELLITE-1R & USMP-3 VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: Pad 39B TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Feb. 22 at 3:18 p.m. LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: March 7 at 7:32 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 13 days, 16 hours CREW SIZE: 7 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/28.45 degrees NOTE: The flight readiness review was conducted Friday at KSC and February 22 was selected as the official launch date for mission STS-75. The pre-flight test of the external tank/orbiter wire harnesses conducted last weekend revealed a faulty wire to one of the pyrotechnic devices at the 17-inch disconnect located between the orbiter and external tank. A new wire has been installed and tested successfully permitting ordnance operations to be conducted tomorrow as scheduled. Also, the problem with the crew hatch micro-switch indicator has been resolved by replacing a seal on the hatch. Final testing was successful. IN WORK TODAY: * Orbiter aft engine compartment close-outs * Countdown preparations * Payload close-outs KEY STS-75 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Ordnance operations (Wednesday) * Close payload bay doors for flight (Saturday) * Crew arrival at KSC (3:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19) * Begin launch countdown (4 p.m. Feb. 19) MISSION: STS-76 -- 3rd MIR DOCKING VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 21 at about 3:35 a.m. LAUNCH WINDOW: about 6 minutes TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: March 30 at about 8:05 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 9 days, 4 hours CREW SIZE: 6 up -- 5 down ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 184 statute miles/51.6 degrees NOTE: Hydraulic checks and aft compartment close-outs are currently in work on the vehicle. Close-outs of the payload bay and auxiliary power units continue this week. The payload bay doors will be closed for flight on Thursday. KEY STS-76 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Final payload bay door closure (Feb. 15) * Roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building and mate with external tank (Feb. 19/20) * Roll out to Pad 39B (Feb. 28) MISSION: STS-77 -- SPACEHAB-4 & SPARTAN 207 VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105 LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: May 16 at 6:32 a.m. TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: May 26 at 6:49 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 10 days CREW SIZE: 6 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 176 statute miles/39 degrees NOTE: Removal of the Space Shuttle main engines continues today. Engines 2 and 3 are out and engine 1 will be removed this afternoon. Structural checks of the orbiter’s payload bay doors continue today. KEY STS-77 OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): * Install remote manipulator system (Thursday) * Install drag chute (Feb. 20) * Install Space Shuttle main engines (March 1)