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Space Shuttle Mission STS-65
Mission Control Center
Status Report #1, 6 p.m. July 8, 1994


Columbia was launched on time this morning at 11:43 a.m. central and flawlessly
completed its 17th trip to Earth orbit.

Carrying the International Mictrogravity Lab-2, Columbia is now in a 163 by 160
nautical mile orbit.  Onboard, the Red Team crew members -- Commander Bob
Cabana, Pilot Jim Halsell, Payload Commander Rick Hieb and Japanese Payload
Specialist Chiaki Mukai -- are in the last half of their first work shift of
the two-week mission.  Their crew mates -- Blue Team members Don Thomas, Leroy
Chiao and Carl Walz -- are in the midst of a six- hour sleep period and will
take over duties aboard at 10:28 p.m. for a 12-hour shift.

The International Mictrogravity Lab-2 has been powered up and the crew is
setting up and checking out the lab's equipment.  Research work will begin in
earnest in the lab tonight as the Blue Team begins their shift.

Late this afternoon, Cabana played a videotape of Columbia's cockpit recorded
during the liftoff and climb to orbit for flight controllers in Mission
Control, describing the ascent as the tape played.

Columbia remains in excellent condition, with no significant problems seen by
the crew or flight controllers.

The Johnson Space Center Newsroom will reopen at 8 a.m.  Saturday and close at
2 p.m.  The newsroom hours on Sunday also will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  On weekdays
during the mission, the newsroom will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.