News From Space - STS-107 Mission Journal Part 4

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Coverage continues at Part 5 of our Mission Journal.

27 January 2003 - Flight Day 12 - As we head into the final week for Columbia's science marathon, some of the experiments are winding down. NASA reports:

Research Begins to Wind Down
Science operations continued to roll along on Space Shuttle Columbia on Monday, with the STS-107 crew completing some of the mission's 80-plus experiments. Among the investigations that have run their course are the Structures of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number, or SOFBALL, and the Mechanics of Granular Materials experiments.

SOFBALL is an experiment that was performed in the Combustion Module. A total of 39 tests were performed and 55 flame balls were ignited for SOFBALL. The longest burning flame ball lasted 81 minutes, and the experiment also yielded the weakest and leanest flames ever burned.

The Mechanics of Granular Materials experiments, or MGM, was conducted to help understand soil movements during earthquakes. The crew has also completed the Osteoporosis Experiment in Orbit investigation, which studied bone cells.

The STS-107 crew took a break from its scientific research Monday to talk with the International Space Station's crew. Expedition Six Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit talked with STS-107 crewmembers Monday morning. At the start of the conversation, which was about [12:34PM EST/1734 GMT], the station was flying above southern Russia near the Black Sea, and the shuttle was located over northern Brazil. The two crews talked about their on-orbit activities.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 12 Highlights that will air at [8PM EST Monday/0100 GMT Tuesday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour until [3AM EST/0800 GMT] Tuesday. The STS-107 Mission Status Briefing will take place at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, at [2PM EST/1900 GMT] Tuesday. Then the International Space Station Commentary Update will take place at [4PM EST/2100 GMT] Monday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 10 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery. Columbia is slated to land at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 9:15AM EST (1415 GMT) Saturday.

26 January 2003 - Evening Update - We wrap up Sunday with (what else?) more experiments. NASA reports:

STS-107 Studies Dust Storms
The STS-107 crew continued around-the-clock science operations aboard Space Shuttle Columbia over the weekend. Crewmembers conducted more investigations for the Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment, which is also known as MEIDEX. This experiment is studying the effects of dust storms on the atmosphere. Flight controllers received the first downlinked imagery from MEIDEX.

Activities continued with the six Space Technology and Research Students, or STARS, program experiments. In the experiment from Japanese students, a Medaka fish hatched. A silk moth successfully emerged from its cocoon in an investigation by Chinese students.

The crew also continued flame experiments in the Combustion Module on Sunday. Overnight, the Blue Team is slated to perform the final runs with the Structures of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number, or SOFBALL, experiment. The goal of this combustion experiment is to improve fire safety and engine efficiency and to reduce emissions.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 11 Highlights that will air at [8PM EST Sunday/0100 GMT Monday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour until [3AM EST/0800 GMT] Monday.

On Monday at [12:34PM EST/1734 GMT], the STS-107 crew will have a ship-to-ship call with the International Space Station's Expedition Six crew. The STS-107 Mission Status Briefing will take place at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, at [2PM EST/1900 GMT] Monday. Then the International Space Station Commentary Update will take place at [5PM EST/2200 GMT] Monday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 9 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery. Keep an eye on the play-by-play links at top right for commentary, and watch live video on NASA TV.

26 January 2003 - Flight Day 11 - Happy Super Sunday, everyone. While Columbia's astronauts are busy with their space research, they did take some time to choose their favorites for the Big Game today.

Check back tonight for the latest Mission Status report. Here's the latest schedule:

Launch Date:		Thursday, 16 January 2003
Launch Time:		10:39AM EST (1539 GMT)
Landing:		1 Feb 2003, 8:53AM EST (1353 GMT)
Duration:		15 days, 22 hours, 14 minutes (estimated)

25 January 2003 - Flight Day 10 - Saturday aboard Columbia saw further experiments, plus media interviews. Efforts to keep the lab cool are succeeding. NASA reports:

STS-107 Completes Bone Study
On Saturday, science activities continued to roll along aboard Space Shuttle Columbia during its second weekend in space. Mission Specialist Laurel Clark completed operations with the Osteoporosis Experiment in Orbit investigation, which studied the activity of bone cells. She also continued work with the Bioreactor Demonstration System, which is growing prostate cancer cells.

In other activities, a technology experiment that is studying the behavior of a cooling loop in micrgravity began final tests Saturday. The last of the pre-planned experiments for the Facility for Adsorption and Surface Tension, or FAST, has been completed. FAST's experiments have been looking at surface tension on the surface of bubbles or droplets.

Also, Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon continued work with the Structures of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number, or SOFBALL, experiment. The goal of this combustion experiment is to improve fire safety and engine efficiency and to reduce emissions.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 10 Highlights that will air at [8PM EST Saturday/0100 GMT Sunday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour until [3AM EST/0800 GMT) Sunday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 8 pics are available in the NASA Gallery. Check out this live webcam page from the FREESTAR Control Center at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

24 January 2003 - Evening Update - Round-the-clock research rolls along aboard Shuttle Columbia. NASA reports:

Crew Continues STS-107 Research
Aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, the seven-member STS-107 crew continued to conduct scientific research. The Red Team - Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Laurel Clark and Kalpana Chawla, and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon - continued work with the Structures of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number, or SOFBALL, experiment. The goal of this combustion experiment is to improve fire safety and engine efficiency and to reduce emissions. The Red Team also continued work with the Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System, which is looking at changes in the human body's lung and circulatory system and the muscular system.

The Blue Team, which will work Friday night and Saturday morning, will continue work with the Mechanics of Granular Materials experiment, or MGM. This experiment is studying how earthquakes and other forces disturb grains of soil and sand. Also, the Blue Team - Pilot William McCool and Mission Specialists Michael Anderson and David Brown - will attempt a test with SOFBALL that is slated to last almost three hours.

The crewmembers also worked with or monitored other experiments flying on Columbia.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 9 Highlights that will air at [8PM EST Friday/0100 GMT Saturday]. The STS-107 Blue Team -- Pilot Willam McCool and Mission Specialists Michael Anderson and David Brown -- will participate in interviews with Black Entertainment Television, WTKR-TV of Norfolk, Va., and KNSD-TV of San Diego at [2AM EST/0700 GMT] Saturday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 8 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery. Check here for more media events.
24 January 2003 - Flight Day 9 - We're into the second half of the mission now. NASA reports:

Science Update from Space
Science activities aboard Space Shuttle Columbia continue as the STS-107 crew members monitor 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. Visit the gallery to see STS 107 images and videos for each day of the mission. Learn more about the research being conducted on this mission. If you're a teacher, you could join us on a future shuttle mission.

Flight Day 6 pics are now available in the NASA Gallery. Keep an eye on the play-by-play links at top right for commentary, and watch live video on NASA TV.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, the company that makes the Shuttle SRBs did a test firing of one to test new design features.

23 January 2003 - Evening Update - When in space, make sure you take time to stop and smell the roses - and set a few fires while you're at it. NASA reports:

STS-107 Reaches Halfway Point
The STS-107 crew once again had a full slate of science experiments to work with aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. Thursday also marked the halfway point for the 16-day mission.

Astronauts Michael Anderson and Kalpana Chawla worked with the Structures of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number, or SOFBALL, experiment. The goal of this combustion experiment is to improve fire safety and engine efficiency and to reduce emissions. Another experiment that the crew worked with was the Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System, which is looking at changes in the human body's lung and circulatory system and the muscular system.

The crew also sent data to Earth about the Astroculture experiment, which is attempting to create new fragrances, and continued to work with the Bioreactor Demonstration System, which is growing prostate cancer cells.

STS-107 is slated spend the rest of January in orbit and return to Florida on Feb. 1.

Watch NASA TV to see the Flight Day 8 Highlights that will air at [9PM EST Thursday/0200 GMT Friday]. The highlights will be replayed at the top of every hour between [10PM EST Thursday/0300 GMT Friday and 3AM EST/0800 GMT] Friday. NASA TV Schedule

Flight Day 7 videos and images are now available in the NASA Gallery. Check here for more media events.
23 January 2003 - Flight Day 8 - Thursday kicks off the second week of orbital science aboard Columbia, which is due to land on Feb 1st. NASA reports:

Astronauts Monitor Experiments
Approaching the midway point of a 16-day flight, the seven astronauts aboard Columbia are continuing scientific experiments 24-7. Columbia is in excellent condition. Science highlights have included the gathering of oils from blooming roses aboard the shuttle for later analysis by the perfume industry; the capture of spectacular thunderstorm phenomena in the upper atmosphere by cameras with the Middle Eastern Dust Experiment; and the growth of prostate cancer cells in an experiment hoped to provide insight into how the disease spreads through the body.

The International Space Station Commentary Update will take place at [1PM EST/1800 GMT] Thursday. Then, at [2PM EST/1900 GMT], NASA TV will air the STS-107 Mission Status Briefing, followed by the STS-107 Science Update at [2:45PM EST/1945 GMT]. NASA TV Schedule

Stay tuned...