Mission Control Status Report #30
8 a.m. CST  Saturday, November 4, 1995

   Columbia and crew turned attention homeward this morning, beginning
what is planned as the final full day in orbit for shuttle mission
STS-73 with several standard checks of landing equipment, all aiming
toward a touchdown in Florida at 5:45 a.m. CST Sunday.

  Early this morning, Commander Ken Bowersox, Pilot Kent Rominger and
Mission Specialist Mike Lopez-Alegria tested Columbia's flight
control systems, a standard task the day before entry on each shuttle
flight. The checks of the cockpit displays, aerosurfaces and
navigational equipment found all of the systems in good
shape. However, as one of the three cathode ray tube computer monitors
located in the forward cockpit was powered on, the crew noted an
intermittent flashing and garbling of the display. The monitor had
been powered off for most of the flight as part of a standard excess
systems power-down performed to conserve electricity on long missions.

  Bowersox and Rominger will replace the monitor with a one from the
aft flight deck in a two hour procedure this morning.

   Also today, the crew test-fired Columbia's 38 primary reaction
control system steering jets that are used for entry and landing,
finding them all in excellent condition.

  Experiment work is continuing in the United States Microgravity
Lab-2, but the crew will begin deactivating the experiments as they
are completed.  This afternoon, the crew will begin stowing cabin gear
for tomorrow's return.  A final deactivation of the lab module is
planned for late tonight.

Flight controllers plan to concentrate on Florida, Columbia's primary landing 
site, for tomorrow's two landing opportunities there. The first opportunity 
begins with a deorbit engine firing by Columbia at 4:46 a.m. CST, on the 
mission's 255th orbit, leading to a touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center 
at 5:45 a.m. CST. The second opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn 
at 6:20 a.m. CST on orbit 256 leading to a 7:19 a.m. CST touchdown.

  NASA Television today provided live coverage of the Radarsat launch
from Vandenburg Air Force Base, Ca.  Live coverage of STS-73 was
scheduled to resume at the conclusion of that launch coverage,
probably around 9:30 a.m. CST.  A Mission Status Briefing press
conference will air at 10 a.m., followed by Mission Update at 11:30
a.m.  A Radarsat post-launch press conference is planned for 1
p.m. and the day's NASA TV highlights will be replayed in the
Flight Day Video File planned at 3:30 p.m.  # # #