STS-80
Report # 25 
November 30, 1996, 6 a.m. CST 
 
 Columbia's astronauts concluded their 11th day in space with
discussions about troubleshooting measures they may undertake this
afternoon to open a balky airlock hatch if the shuttle mission
management team decides this morning to proceed.

  The failure of the hatch to properly open caused the cancellation of
Thursday's planned spacewalk by Mission Specialists Tammy Jernigan and
Tom Jones. Since that time, NASA engineers and managers have continued
to collect and analyze data on what may have caused the failure. The
leading candidate is a misalignment of the hatch against the airlock
seal. While this is the most likely reason for the problem, the
engineering team has been evaluating a number of possible causes.

  While discussions on the ground continued, Columbia was maneuvered
into an attitude that will keep sunlight on the hatch in hopes that
warming it will assist in any procedure attempted.

  The crew will be asleep when the mission management team meets and
will not be informed of the decision until Mission Control's wakeup
call at 2:56 p.m. today. If managers decide to proceed with
troubleshooting, the two astronauts would climb into their suits and
depressurize the airlock. If the hatch opens, they would proceed with
the spacewalk as originally planned.

  Early this morning, Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Kent Rominger and
Mission Specialists Story Musgrave, Jernigan and Jones talked to
fellow Astronaut John Blaha aboard the Russian Space Station Mir. The
conversation centered on each other's missions and well wishes for
safe, successful flights.

  Meanwhile, Columbia continues to lead the ORFEUS-SPAS astronomy
satellite by a comfortable 20 nautical miles.  The satellite continues
in its observations of the origins and makeup of distant stars. The
satellite is scheduled to be retrieved by the crew on December 3 for
the return trip to Earth at the end of Columbia's mission.
  



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