MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-70 STATUS REPORT # 16

Friday, July 21, 1995, 8:00 a.m. CDT

  Low clouds and fog at the Kennedy Space Center have caused mission
managers and flight controllers to postpone Discovery's landing 24
hours until early Saturday morning.

  Flight Director Rich Jackson directed the five STS-70 astronauts to
remain aloft for another day after poor visibility prevented
Discovery's homecoming on two consecutive landing
opportunities. Landing support was not called up at the backup landing
site at California's Edwards Air Force Base for today.

  Discovery's astronauts were informed that their landing had been
waved off for the day at 7:10 AM CDT after astronaut Steve Oswald,
flying weather reconnaissance in a Shuttle Training Aircraft over the
landing strip, reported that he could not see the 3- mile long runway
from his vantage point.

  Commander Tom Henricks, Pilot Kevin Kregel and Mission Specialists
Don Thomas, Nancy Currie and Mary Ellen Weber climbed out of their
launch and entry suits after the wave-off was declared and prepared to
begin another eight-hour sleep period at 1:42 p.m. CDT. They'll be
awakened at 9:42 p.m. to resume preparations for another try at coming
home tomorrow.

  Two landing opportunities are available at the Kennedy Space Center
Saturday. The first calls for a deorbit burn at 4:26 a.m. CDT with a
landing at 5:26 a.m. CDT. the second opportunity calls for a deorbit
burn at 6 a.m. CDT with a landing at 7:02 a.m.  If the weather does
not cooperate at KSC, Discovery will be directed to land at
California's Edwards Air Force Base. The one Edwards opportunity
tomorrow will start with a deorbit burn at 7:28 a.m. CDT with a
landing at 8:29 a.m. CDT.

  Discovery continues to orbit the Earth in excellent condition,
flying at an altitude of 167 nautical miles as it completes a
revolution of the planet every 90 minutes.

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