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STS-107
Report #12
Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 5:00 p.m. CST
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
Scientific research continued aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia today as the
STS-107 mission headed into the homestretch with a variety of experiments in
multiple disciplines.
The Red team of astronauts, working by day, and the Blue team, working by night,
maintained a round-the-clock presence in the SPACEHAB Double Research Module,
tending to dozens of experiments as scientists reported excellent results.
Temperatures in SPACEHAB were maintained at a comfortable 73 degrees, despite the
loss of two dehumidifiers earlier in the mission. All of the animals involved in
life science experiments were reported to be in good shape along with SPACEHAB
hardware.
Red team crewmembers Rick Husband, who is Columbia's Commander, Mission Specialists
Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark and Israeli Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon conducted
more experiments involving the study of flames in space in a special Combustion
Module in the SPACEHAB.
More investigations were conducted into the effect of dust storms on the atmosphere
with multispectral cameras in Columbia's cargo bay. The MEIDEX experiment focused
on plumes of dust in the Mediterranean region and in the Middle East as well as
sprites in the targeted areas of interest. Science controllers reported the first
successful digital downlink of imagery from the experiment as well as the observance
of significant amounts of dust in the observed regions.
A suite of student experiments called STARS yielded the hatching of a fish in an
aquatic facility and the successful emergence of a silk moth from its cocoon. STARS
contains a half dozen student developed experiments ranging from the study of
Australian spiders to the analysis of spaceflight's effects on carpenter bees from
Liechtenstein.
The Biopack experiment involving the study of weightlessness on biological samples
continued to produce what was described as excellent data for its team of researchers
despite the loss of freezer and incubator capability for the storage of samples.
Blue team crewmembers Willie McCool, who is Columbia's Pilot, Payload Commander
Mike Anderson and Mission Specialist Dave Brown were awakened for their night shift
shortly after 2:30 p.m. Central time. They planned to conduct final combustion studies
with the SOFBALL experiment tonight after which the Combustion Module will be
reconfigured for the Water Mist experiment, studying fire suppression techniques
in spaceflight.
The Blue team will spend some time refreshing water for 13 rodents in the Animal
Enclosure Module in SPACEHAB. Data is being acquired on the effect of microgravity
on the rodents' neurovestibular system. Now that SPACEHAB temperatures have cooled
again, sound mufflers were reinstalled on the animal enclosure compartments.
More data will also be received tonight from the SOLSE experiment, which uses
imaging devices in the shuttle's cargo bay to study the Earth's ozone layer.
Earlier today, the crew downlinked digital video of the Middle East with breathtaking
views of Israel, the Red Sea and the Sinai Peninsula. The video also contained
scenes of life and work on orbit involving the seven astronauts.
Columbia's systems continue to function perfectly as the shuttle orbits at an
altitude of about 180 statute miles.
Flying slightly higher, the Expedition 6 crew aboard the International Space Station
is now in its 10th week in space. Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai
Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit spent a quiet Sunday, enjoying the
views of Earth from orbit while conducting a minor maintenance procedure involving a
hatch window in the Unity module. Station systems are also functioning normally.
The space travelers aboard Columbia and the ISS will have a chance to talk to one
another Monday in a brief ship-to-ship hookup scheduled at 11:34 a.m. Central time.
At the time of the ship-to-ship call, Columbia will be orbiting over northern Brazil,
while the ISS sails over southern Russia.
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