MISSION CONTROL CENTER STATUS REPORT #4
      STS-69

Saturday,  Sept. 9, 1995, 8 AM CDT

  Endeavour's astronauts pressed ahead with a variety of experiments in
their third day in orbit as they prepared for tomorrow's rendezvous
and retrieval of the SPARTAN solar science satellite.

  Commander Dave Walker and Pilot Ken Cockrell fired Endeavour's
reaction control system jets this morning to refine the Shuttle's
orbit in order to maintain a distance of about 65 statute miles from
the SPARTAN satellite. Another rendezvous maneuver designed to adjust
Endeavour's altitude was deleted from the flight plan because of
the precision with which Endeavour is flying in relation to SPARTAN.
Payload controllers say SPARTAN's systems are functioning normally,
although the amount of data gathered by the satellite during its 48
hours of free-flying science operations will not be known until the
probe is returned to Earth. SPARTAN is scheduled to be grappled by
Astronaut Mike Gernhardt through the use of Endeavour's robot arm
at 9:24 AM Central time tomorrow following a series of complex
rendezvous maneuvers by Walker and Cockrell to catch up to SPARTAN.

  The astronauts conducted work with the GLO experiment in the cargo
bay, designed to measure the luminescence created around the Shuttle
as it plows through atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit at a speed of
five miles a second. They also monitored several experiments in the
middeck area designed to capture data on materials and life science.

  A pair of problems continue to impact the operation of two of
Endeavour's payloads. The U-V STAR experiment, which is part of the
International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker payload in the cargo bay,
has not worked properly since launch because of a pressure problem and
a glitch in a system which enables the telescope to swivel back and
forth.  Another telescope in the IEH payload is working normally.

  The EPICS experiment in the Shuttle's middeck, designed to test the
capability to separate hydrogen and oxygen components in water
generated by the Shuttle, has yet to yield any results because of a
suspected problem in its data acquisiton system. Troubleshooting
efforts are underway for both EPICS and U-V STAR.

  One minor problem was resolved this morning when Astronaut Jim Voss
successfully activated an audio-speaker system in the Shuttle's
middeck area. Voss plugged in a different handheld microphone unit
than one which was used shortly after launch and the middeck system
checked out in good shape.

  Astronaut Gernhardt took a few minutes out this morning to discuss the
progress of the flight with Scott Carpenter, one of the original
Mercury 7 astronauts, who was linked to Gernhardt from an underwater
research laboratory off the coast of Key Largo, Florida.  Carpenter
and Gernhardt discussed the interdependence of underwater research and
outer space exploration. thirty years ago, Carpenter conducted a
similar discussion with fellow Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper as
Cooper flew in space on the Gemini 5 mission.

  As they passed over the Atlantic at the start of their 31st orbit, the
astronauts downlinked video of Hurricane Luis swirling with maximum
sustained winds of 109 miles an hour. The huge eyewall of the storm
was clearly visible as Endeavour passed overhead.

  Endeavour is orbiting the Earth every 92 minutes at an altitude of 232
statute miles with all of its systems operating well.