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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1996 (11:52 AM EST) LAUNCH - 2 DAYS 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 about 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 countdown for launch of Columbia continues on schedule today for liftoff on Thursday, Feb. 22. The seven-member flight crew arrived at 3:30 p.m. yesterday. This morning, Pad 39-B was cleared to load the onboard cryogenic tanks with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants. Reactant loading will be complete at about 10 p.m. The reactants provide electricity for the orbiter and crew while in space and drinking water as a by-product for the 14-day mission. Tomorrow, operations will begin to demate the orbiter’s mid-body umbilical unit and retract it into the Fixed Service Structure. Final vehicle and facility close-outs will also resume. Final mid-deck payload stowage operations will begin following cryogenic loading operations. On Wednesday, preparations will be made to retract the Rotating Service Structure to launch position at about 7 p.m. Loading of the external tank with cryogenic propellants is scheduled to begin at about 7 a.m. Thursday. Air Force weather forecasters are currently indicating a zero percent probability of weather prohibiting launch on Thursday. No weather concerns are in the forecast. During Thursday’s launch window, the winds at Pad B are expected to be from the north at 10 knots; temperature 73 degrees F; visibility 7 miles; humidity 56 percent; and clouds scattered at 3,500 feet and 25,000. The 24-hour-delay forecast reveals similar conditions. NOTE: The orbiter Atlantis (mission STS-76) was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building at about 9:30 p.m. last night. CREW FOR MISSION STS-75 Andy Allen Commander (CDR) White Team Scott Horowitz Pilot (PLT) Red Team Jeff Hoffman Mission Specialist (MS1) White Team Maurizo Cheli Mission Specialist (MS2) Red Team Claude Nicollier Mission Specialist (MS3) Blue Team Franklin Chang-Diaz Mission Specialist (MS4) Blue Team Umberto Guidoni Payload Specialist (PS1) Red Team SUMMARY OF STS-75 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES Thursday, Feb. 22 3:00 a.m. Wake up (Red Team) 3:30 a.m. Breakfast (Red Team) 7:30 a.m. Wake up (White Team) 8:00 a.m. Breakfast (White Team) and Lunch (Red Team) 10:13 a.m. Wake up (Blue Team) * 10:43 a.m. Crew Photo and Meal (Red, White and Blue Teams) 11:13 a.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2) 11:13 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, MS4, PS1) 11:23 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2) * 11:40 a.m. Crew suiting photo * 11:53 a.m. Depart for Launch Pad 39-B * 12:33 p.m. Arrive at white room and begin orbiter ingress * 1:48 p.m. Close crew hatch * 3:18 p.m. Launch * Televised events (times may vary slightly) All times Eastern