MISSION CONTROL CENTER STATUS REPORT # 13


Wednesday, September 13, 1995, 3 P.M. CDT

   After resolving some initial difficulties with the flow of arsenic
from a source cell, the Wake Shield Facility resumed its thin film
growth activities.

  During the film growth, the shutter on an aluminum source cell
apparently failed to close on command, but payload controllers report
that will not affect the quality of the film sample. A second
epitaxial film growth will be conducted overnight as the crew sleeps,
following a minimum 6-hour cool-down period of the Wake Shield
instruments.  Tonight's run should last about three hours and will
be followed by a final 6-hour instrument cool down in anticipation of
Thursday morning's rendezvous and retrieval of the 4,300 pound
satellite.

  The five astronauts on board Endeavour -- Commander Dave Walker,
Pilot Ken Cockrell and Mission Specialists Jim Voss, Jim Newman and
Mike Gernhardt -- enjoyed a few hours of off-duty time today,
following several busy days on orbit that saw them deploy two
spacecraft and retrieve one.  Wake Shield will be retrieved at 9:39
a.m. CDT Thursday when Walker maneuvers Endeavour into position
allowing Jim Newman to use the shuttle's robot arm to pluck Wake
Shield from orbit.

  Endeavour will begin its approach toward Wake Shield about 6:30
a.m. Central and for about 2 1/2 hours Walker and Cockrell will
maneuver Endeavour into position and fire its jet thrusters at
pre-determined distances to measure the effects of the firings on the
free- flying Wake Shield.

  Endeavour continues to circle the Earth every 92 minutes at an
altitude of about 215 nautical miles with all of its systems operating
normally.