12/22/92:  JANUARY 13 SET FOR THE FIRST SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT OF 1993 

Ed Campion
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                        December 22, 1992

George Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

EDITORS NOTE:  N92-110


	NASA managers today set Jan. 13 as the launch date for the first
Shuttle mission of 1993.  Designated STS-54, the flight has two primary
objectives -- deployment of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-F) and
astronomical observations of invisible x-ray sources within the Milky Way
Galaxy with the Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer. A space walk (EVA) to evaluate
training methods and gain additional EVA experience also will occur during the
mission.

	The launch window opens at 8:52 a.m.  EST and extends for 2 1/2 hours.
The mission duration is planned for 6 days.  Landing is scheduled for Jan. 19
at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

	Commanding the STS-54 mission will be John Casper, making his second
flight.  Don McMonagle, also making his second flight, will be the Pilot. The
three mission specialists for STS-54 are Mario Runco, making his second flight;
Greg Harbaugh, making his second flight, and Susan Helms, making her first
flight.