MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-63 Status Report #8


Monday, February 6, 1995, 9:30 a.m. CST

Discovery's crew was given a "go" to fly within 35 feet of the Russian Mir space
station at 9:25 a.m. CST.  Mission Specialist Vladimir Titov already is in radio
contact with his countrymen on the space station.

CAPCOM Story Musgrave relayed the decision to Commander Jim Wetherbee on board
the space shuttle, along with several conditions relating to a leaky steering
thruster that had raised the question of whether Discovery would be allowed to
approach any closer than about 400 feet from Mir.

Discovery fired its engines at 8:16 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. CST in maneuvers that
decreased the rate that the shuttle is closing in on the station.  Next,
Discovery will fire its engines at 10:37 a.m. CST, when the shuttle is about 8
nautical miles from Mir, to begin the final phase of the rendezvous.
Discovery will arrive at a point about 400 feet directly in front of Mir at
12:16 p.m. CST.

Discovery is expected to reach its closest point to the station at 1:20 p.m.
The shuttle will then back away and reach a point 400 feet distant again at
about 2 p.m.  Discovery will begin a flyaround of Mir from a distance of 400
feet at 2:26 p.m., completing the circle and firing its engines to separate
from the vicinity at 3:13 p.m.