[net.columbia] Orbit Lowered -- New Landing Time

alb@alice.UUCP (09/02/83)

Truly yesterday fired the orbiting maneuvering engines to lower
the Challenger's orbit from 193 to 139 miles.  The planned lowering
is to allow the shuttle to pass through a dense layer of atomic
oxygen particles to see how they will erode several samples of
different surfaces, from paint to telescope lenses, that will be
used in future flights.

I erroneously reported the landing time of the shuttle as 0340 EDT
on the 5th.  It will be at 0323 EDT.