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                  KSC Shuttle Status Report - Tuesday, May 2, 1989

                        STS-30 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-B


               The launch countdown for STS-30 began on time this morning
          at 8 a.m. at the T minus 43 hour mark. A careful review of the
          countdown procedure was conducted to assess which operations need
          to be repeated. Some reconstruction of the countdown was required
          and several holds have been deleted and or reduced.

               Two eight-hour built-in holds, at T-27 hours and at T-19
          hours, have been deleted. The first hold will occur at the T
          minus 11 hour mark at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The hold will last for 7
          hours, 28 minutes or until 11:28 p.m. Wednesday. Retraction of
          the Rotating Service Structure is scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday.

               The remaining holds will be standard for countdowns: one
          hour at the T-6 hour mark, two hours at the T-3 hour mark, and 10
          minutes at the T-20 minute and T-9 minute marks. Since there is a
          64 minute launch window on Thursday, the additional 30 minutes of
          hold has been deleted at the T-9 minute mark.

               Work at Launch Pad 39-B has gone exceptionally well in
          readying the Shuttle Atlantis for launch. Closeouts of the
          replaced four-inch liquid hydrogen recirculation line and the
          liquid hydrogen recirculation pump are underway. The new
          components have been successfully retested. The aft compartment
          is scheduled to be closed for flight tomorrow morning.

               STS-30 crew members are scheduled to arrive at the KSC
          Shuttle Landing Facility at 5:30 p.m. EDT today in preparation
          for launch. They will practice flying in the Shuttle Training
          Aircraft this afternoon and in the T-38s tomorrow.

               Weather forecasts for Thursday's launch are being monitored.
          There is a 10 percent chance of thunderstorms or rainshowers in
          the area at the time of launch. Winds are southeast at 10 knots
          gusting to 18 knots. Temperature expected is 84 degrees with
          seven miles visibility. There is a 30 percent chance of violating
          launch or return to launch site weather criteria.