News From Space - STS-107 Mission Journal Part 3

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Coverage continues at Part 4 of our Mission Journal.

22 January 2003 - Evening Update - We've closed out the first full week on-orbit for Columbia. Today's research included tests of how certain flowers produce different aromas when grown in microgravity vs. when they grow on earth. That experiment was sponsored by a perfume company. NASA reports:

Crew Monitors Student Research
Science activities aboard Space Shuttle Columbia continued Wednesday as the STS-107 crew monitored and sent television footage to Earth of the progress of experiments developed by students from six different countries. The experiments are part of the Space Technology and Research Students, or STARS, project.

Activities with the mission's other research included the growth of prostate cancer cells, a check of an Astroculture experiment and the shutdown of the Laminar Soot Processes, or LSP, experiment. LSP, which is studying the production of soot, completed a total of 14 runs in the Combustion Module.

Activities slated to occur overnight include taking observations for the Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 7 Highlights that will air at [9PM EST Wednesday/0200 GMT Thursday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour between [10PM EST Wednesday/0300 GMT Thursday] and 3AM EST/0800 GMT] Thursday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 6 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery.
22 January - Afternoon Update - What's the deal with the student experiments aboard the Shuttle? NASA reports:

Six Student Experiments Flying on Columbia
Six experiments designed and developed by students in six different countries are flying aboard Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-107. The experiments, which are located in the SPACEHAB Research Double Module, are part of the Space Technology and Research Students, or STARS, program.

Five of the six experiments are studying the effects of space flight on the growth of or activities of harvester ants, silkworms, Medaka fish, spice bees and spiders. The sixth experiment is studying the growth of cobalt and calcium chloride filaments in microgravity. The six countries represented in the STARS program during STS-107 are: the United States, Israel, Australia, Japan, Liechtenstein and China.

Did you know? There are two medical doctors aboard Columbia! Keep an eye on the play-by-play links at top right for commentary, and watch live video on NASA TV.
22 January 2003 - Flight Day 7 - The SPACEHAB module is getting a little warm for some of the experiments, but the mission is a success so far. What else is on tap for Wednesday? NASA reports:

Hair In Space
Ever had a bad hair day? Be thankful for gravity, unless styles change on Earth in the near future. Astronaut Laurel Clark, STS-107 mission specialist, doesn't let her hair get in the way of conducting science research aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Find out more about the 80-plus experiments being performed during this 16-day mission. You can also browse the images and videos for each flight day.

Research Rolls Along on Columbia
NASA TV will replay the debut of the Educator Astronaut Program at [9AM EST/1400 GMT] Wednesday. At [11:45AM EST/1645 GMT], the Expedition Six crew will participate in an education event with students at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio.

Then at [2PM EST/1900 GMT] Wednesday, NASA TV will air the STS-107 Mission Status Briefing, which will be followed by the International Space Station Commentary Update at [3PM EST/2000 GMT]. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 6 Highlights will repeat on NASA TV until 4AM EST (0900 GMT) today. Flight Day 5 images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

21 January 2003 - Evening Update - It's pretty busy aboard Columbia! Two shifts continue various science experiments, despite a cooling problem in the SPACEHAB module nestled in Columbia's payload bay. During today's media event, the Prime Minister of Israel invited the entire crew to visit Jerusalem when they return. NASA reports:

Crew Studies Cancer, Ozone
The STS-107 crewmembers concentrated efforts on experiments looking at combustion, prostate cancer and the ozone layer.

Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon operated the Laminar Soot Processes, or LSP, experiment in the Combustion Module. LSP is studying the production of soot. Ramon also photographed a never-before captured lightning phenomena called sprites while operating Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment, or MEIDEX, equipment.

Mission Specialist Laurel Clark worked with the Bioreactor Demonstration System, which is growing prostate cancer cells. Also, Commander Rick Husband positioned Space Shuttle Columbia so that instruments in the payload bay could study Earth's ozone layer for the Shuttle Ozone Limb Sounding Experiment-2 and measure the density of solar radiation above the atmosphere for the Solar Constant Experiment.

Cooling and humidity control of the SPACEHAB Research Double Module is being managed through minor adjustments to systems aboard Columbia and the science module. The SPACEHAB's dehumidifiers remain off due to problems experienced in the last few days. The cooling glitch is not expected to interrupt any of the mission's ongoing research. Flight controllers are continuing to investigate options for reactivating the dehumidifiers.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 6 Highlights that will air at [11PM EST Tuesday/0400 GMT Wednesday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour between [midnight EST/0500 GMT and 4AM EST/0900 GMT] Wednesday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 5 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery.
21 January 2003 - Flight Day 6 - Tuesday on Columbia will see some media events. NASA reports:

STS-107 Events
Tuesday, STS-107 Commander Rick Husband and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon will participate in an event with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Israeli government officials and students at [10:39AM EST/1539 GMT].

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe will officially roll out the start of the agency's Educator Astronaut recruitment program Tuesday at [11:15AM EST/1615 GMT].

At [1PM EST/1800 GMT], NASA officials will hold an STS-107 Mission Status Briefing, and NASA TV will provide an International Space Station Commentary update at [2PM EST/1900 GMT]. NASA TV Schedule

The MEIDEX experiment is producing results, including a rare glimpse of "red lighting".

New launch pics here (requires Flash).

20 January 2003 - Flight Day 5 - A glitch in the SPACEHAB module is being worked on, as the crew continues their science work. NASA reports:

Crew Works with Mechanics of Granular Materials Experiment
During the fifth day of its 16-day research mission, the STS-107 crew continued to conduct experiments in a wide range of fields. The crewmembers continued work with the Mechanics of Granular Materials, or MGM, experiment. MGM, which is studying the behavior of saturated sand when exposed to confining pressure, could provide data that could help in strengthening buildings against earthquakes.

In other science activities, Mission Specialist Michael Anderson and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon collected additional data from Laminar Soot Processes, or LSP, experiment in the Combustion Module. Mission Specialist Laurel Clark monitored the Microbial Physiology Flight Experiment, which is studying how fungi react in microgravity. During its stay in space, the STS-107 crew will work with more than 80 experiments.

Meanwhile, flight controllers implemented a plan to reconfigure a valve in Columbia, allowing cool air from the shuttle to flow into the science module, thus enabling the module's temperatures to remain at a level that will not require the use of SPACEHAB Research Double Module's cooling system. This is in response to a problem that caused the shutdown of cooling systems in the SPACEHAB. Flight controllers plan to continue their analysis of the SPACEHAB cooling issue throughout the night, with no impact expected to science operations.

Watch NASA TV to see Flight Day 5 Highlights at [10PM EST Monday/0300 GMT Tuesday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour between 11PM EST/0400 GMT] Monday and [4AM EST/0900 GMT] Tuesday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 4 videos and images are now available in the NASA Gallery.

19 January 2003 - Evening Update - The mission continues, with experiments on how fire behaves in microgravity. NASA reports:

Crew Studies Combustion Properties, Conducts Biomedical Experiments
Aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, the seven-member STS-107 crew continued to press ahead with science activities Sunday. Crewmembers collected data from the Combustion Module located in the SPACEHAB Research Double Module.

On the biomedical front, the crew conducted experiments that study the human body's reaction to weightlessness. Protein manufacturing and bone and calcium production were two of the areas looked at during Sunday's biomedical research.

The crew also continued work with the Mechanics of Granular Materials, or MGM, experiment and the Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment, or MEIDEX. MGM, which is studying the behavior of saturated sand when exposed to confining pressure, could provide data that could help in strengthening buildings against earthquakes. MEIDEX is studying dust clouds in the Mediterranean Sea region.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 4 Highlights at 11 p.m. CST Sunday [Midnight EST/0500 GMT Monday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour between [1AM and 5AM EST/0060 and 1000 GMT] Monday. NASA TV Schedule

Also on NASA TV, there will be an ISS update at [4PM EST/2100 GMT] tomorrow. Flight Day 3 videos and images are now available in the NASA Gallery.
19 January 2003 - Flight Day 4 - STS-107 starts a Sunday full of orbital experiments. NASA reports:

Science That Can't Be Done on Earth
Some things simply cannot be done on Earth. That's why NASA is building the International Space Station, a full-time low-gravity research lab. It's also why NASA schedules space shuttle missions dedicated to scientific research.

One such mission, STS-107, began Thursday morning when Space Shuttle Columbia left Earth carrying more than 80 scientific experiments. About half are commercial, sponsored by businesses who hope to make the next big profit-making discovery. The rest are pure science.

"We'll be doing experiments in fundamental physics, biology, firefighting, medicine, climate ... the variety is impressive," said Dr. John Charles, who is the STS-107 mission scientist. "Space is a truly alien environment" he said. "Many things behave differently up there."

Check the play-by-play links at top right for commentary.