Jennifer McCarter
Headquarters, Washington, DC                              May 14, 1999
(Phone:  202/358-1639)

Eileen M. Hawley
Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
(Phone:  281/483-5111)

NOTE TO EDITORS:  N99-28

STS-96 MISSION PRESS KIT AVAILABLE ONLINE

     The press kit for the flight of Discovery on the STS-96 mission to
the International Space Station is now available online.

     The press kit contains more information than ever before, including
updated graphics as well as additional facts and statistics.  Discovery
is scheduled to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, FL, no earlier
than May 27 to carry seven astronauts to visit the orbiting outpost in
space and prepare the space station for the March 2000 arrival of the
first resident crew.  The new press kit contains detailed information
about the planned 10-day mission, its objectives and its crew members.

     As a result of the launch delay to allow technicians to repair foam
insulation on Discovery's external fuel tank, detailed timeline
information for the STS-96 mission currently is not included in the
online press kit.  The timelines will be added to the press kit once a
new launch date is established.

     The STS-96 press kit can be found at the following URL:


                http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/STS-96

                                  -end-

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