Michael Braukus                               Sept. 23, 1997
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone:  202/358-1979)

Bruce Buckingham
Kennedy Space Center, FL
(Phone:  407/867-2468)

Rob Navias
Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
(Phone:  281/483-5111)

RELEASE:  97-212

NASA MANAGERS AWAITING SHUTTLE-MIR INDEPENDENT SAFETY 
REVIEWS RESCHEDULE PRE-LAUNCH PRESS CONFERENCE


     NASA managers today held their launch minus two day mission 
management meeting at the Kennedy Space Center, FL where they 
reviewed the readiness of the launch of Atlantis on mission STS-
86.  At this time, no technical issues are being worked and the 
launch team is proceeding towards a launch on Thursday evening, 
Sept. 25 at 10:34 p.m. EDT.   

     Final approval for Atlantis' launch is awaiting the results 
of two external Mir safety reviews. Lt. General Thomas Stafford, 
USAF (Ret.) conducts an independent review before each Space 
Shuttle mission to Mir at the request of  NASA Administrator 
Daniel S. Goldin.  In addition, NASA also has asked Mr. A. Thomas 
Young to conduct an external assessment.  Stafford and Young will 
separately brief the Administrator on their findings on Wednesday 
afternoon.

     Since the independent review results will not be available 
until late Wednesday afternoon, the pre-launch press briefing by 
NASA senior managers has been rescheduled to Thursday, Sept. 25 at 
11 a.m. EDT.  

     A countdown status briefing is scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT on 
Wednesday,  Sept. 24.

                              - end -