MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-71 Status Report #19

Thursday, July 6, 1995, 5 p.m. CDT

The crew of Atlantis packed up today and double-checked equipment in
preparation for tomorrow's return home.

Atlantis is scheduled to land at 9:55 a.m. Central Friday at the
Kennedy Space Center, Florida.  The weather forecast for landing calls
for a chance of showers in the vicinity of the landing site; however,
flight controllers are optimistic that a landing will be possible.

Plans are for Atlantis to attempt to land in Florida only tomorrow,
with no other landing sites under consideration.  There are two
opportunities for a Florida landing-- the first beginning with an
engine firing at 8:45 a.m., leading to the 9:55 a.m.  touchdown; and a
second starting with a 10:22 a.m. engine firing, leading to an 11:31
a.m. touchdown.  All these times are Central Daylight Time.

Earlier today, Commander Hoot Gibson and Pilot Charlie Precourt
checked the equipment and instruments Atlantis will use for landing,
finding all systems working properly.  Following that checkout, they
test-fired Atlantis' 38 primary steering thrusters, finding one rear,
upward-firing jet failed and all others working well. The failed jet
has several other jets that are backups and can perform the same
function for the Shuttle and is not an issue for the landing.

After final exercise sessions by members of the Mir 18 crew, the
Spacelab module was packed up by Payload Commander Ellen Baker and
Mission Specialist Bonnie Dunbar in preparation for entry.  Also,
reclining seats were installed in the lower deck of Atlantis for the
Mir 18 crewmen, Commander Vladimir Dezhurov, Flight Engineer Gennady
Strekalov and astronaut Norm Thagard.  The three, on their 115th day
in orbit tomorrow, will ride in the seats for the landing, allowing
them to take the forces of reentry in a reclined position.

Atlantis is in a 217 by 210 nautical mile orbit, circling Earth every
92 minutes.



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