| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 876.1 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 11/15/93 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Nov 16 1993 09:09 | 29 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Monday, November 15, 1993
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 miles
LOCATION: OPF bay 2 INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: Early March CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH WINDOW: 3 hours/57 minutes LANDING LOCATION: KSC
MISSION DURATION: 14 days
IN WORK TODAY:
* Orbiter power system validations
* Strongback installation and preparations for payload bay door
opening
WORK SCHEDULED:
* Payload bay door functional tests
* Remove Spacelab Life Sciences - 2 payload module
WORK COMPLETED:
* Tail cone removal
* Removal of waste containment system
|
| 876.2 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 11/18/93 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Nov 19 1993 09:21 | 34 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Thursday, November 18, 1993
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 miles
LOCATION: OPF bay 2 INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: Early March CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH WINDOW: 3 hours/57 minutes LANDING LOCATION: KSC
MISSION DURATION: 14 days
IN WORK TODAY:
* Orbiter power system validations
* Auxiliary power unit leak and functional test
* Main engine inspections
WORK SCHEDULED:
* Remove tunnel adapter
* Auxiliary power unit lube oil servicing
* Remove main engines
* Transport Spacelab Life Sciences -2 payload module to
Operations and Checkout Building
WORK COMPLETED:
* Main propulsion system leak and functional checks
* Payload bay door functional tests
* Remove Spacelab Life Sciences - 2 payload module
* Post flight propellant deservicing
|
| 876.3 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 11/23/93 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Nov 23 1993 16:27 | 33 |
| _______________________________________________________________
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Tuesday, November 23, 1993
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 miles
LOCATION: OPF bay 2 INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: Early March CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH WINDOW: 3 hours/57 minutes LANDING LOCATION: KSC
MISSION DURATION: 14 days
IN WORK TODAY:
* Remove main engines
* Main engine inspections
* Auxiliary power unit leak and functional test
* Checks of the forward reaction control system
* Radiator inspections
WORK SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK:
* Install remote manipulator system (RMS)
* Remove auxiliary power unit number 2
WORK COMPLETED:
* Remove tunnel adapter
* Remove main engine heatshields
|
| 876.4 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 11/24/93 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Nov 24 1993 18:39 | 36 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Wednesday, November 24, 1993
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax 867-2692)
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 miles
LOCATION: OPF bay 2 INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: Early March CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH WINDOW: 3 hours/57 minutes LANDING LOCATION: KSC
MISSION DURATION: 14 days
IN WORK TODAY:
* Remove main engines
* Chin panel inspections
* Auxiliary power unit leak and functional test
* Checks of the forward reaction control system
* Radiator inspections
* Power down vehicle for Thanksgiving Holidays
WORK SCHEDULED:
* Install remote manipulator system (RMS)
* Remove auxiliary power unit number 2
* Fuel cell single cell voltage tests
WORK COMPLETED:
* Main engine inspections
* Remove tunnel adapter
* Remove main engine heatshields
|
| 876.5 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 12/17/93 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Dec 21 1993 09:33 | 39 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Friday, December 17, 1993
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
_____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 sm
LOCATION: OPF bay 2 INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: Early March CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours/30 minutes LANDING LOCATION: KSC
MISSION DURATION: 14 days
IN WORK TODAY:
* Left hand orbital maneuvering system functional checkout
* Checkout replacement fuel cell
* Integrated drag chute installation
* Main propulsion system leak and functional checks
* Solid rocket booster stacking operations in VAB high bay 1
WORK SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK:
* Install drag chute door
* Stow Ku-band antenna
* Close crew hatch
* Tile work around area of chin panel and nose cone
* Remote manipulator system checkout
* Orbiter power down for holidays
WORK COMPLETED:
* Right hand orbital maneuvering system functional checkout
* Checkout of freon coolant loop number 2
|
| 876.6 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 01/05/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Thu Jan 06 1994 09:31 | 23 |
| KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Wednesday, Jan. 5, 1994
KSC Contact: Lisa Malone
MISSION: STS-62 -- U. S. MICROGRAVITY PAYLOAD-2
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: OPF Bay 2
LAUNCH DATE: Early March MISSION DURATION: 13 days, 23 hours
LANDING LOCATION: KSC Shuttle Landing Facility
IN WORK TODAY:
* Evaluation of the payload bay doors
* Potable water servicing
* Preparation of chin panel assembly
* Water spray boiler servicing
WORK SCHEDULED:
* Install three main engines next week
|
| 876.7 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 01/10/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Jan 11 1994 14:11 | 33 |
| KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Monday, January 10, 1994
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax 867-2692)
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
_____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 sm
LOCATION: OPF bay 2 INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: Early March CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours/30 minutes LANDING LOCATION: KSC
MISSION DURATION: 14 days
IN WORK TODAY:
* Begin installation of main engines
* Orbital maneuvering system functional checkout
* Checkout of remote manipulator system
* Orbiter/payload pre-installation interface tests
* Water spray boiler and potable water servicing
* Landing gear installation operations
* Solid rocket booster stacking operations in VAB high bay 1
WORK SCHEDULED:
* External tank door functional checks
WORK COMPLETED:
* Rudder speed brake checks
|
| 876.8 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 01/28/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Mon Jan 31 1994 17:41 | 24 |
| KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Friday, Jan. 28, 1994
KSC Contact: Lisa Malone 407-867-2468 (fax 867-2692)
MISSION: STS-62 -- U. S. MICROGRAVITY PAYLOAD-2
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: OPF Bay 2
LAUNCH DATE: Early March
MISSION DURATION: 13 days, 23 hours
LANDING LOCATION: KSC Shuttle Landing Facility
IN WORK TODAY:
* Final payload bay cleaning
* Functional tests of the landing gear
* Closeouts of the forward and aft compartments
WORK SCHEDULED:
* Final payload bay door closing tonight
* Roll over to the VAB targeted for Feb. 3
|
| 876.9 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 02/11/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Feb 11 1994 13:38 | 30 |
| KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Friday, Feb. 11, 1994
KSC Contact: Lisa Malone 407-867-2468 (fax 867-2692)
MISSION: STS-62 -- U. S. MICROGRAVITY PAYLOAD-2
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: PAD 39B
TARGET LAUNCH DATE: March 3 CREW SIZE: 5
MISSION DURATION: 13 days, 23 hours
LANDING LOCATION: KSC Shuttle Landing Facility
IN WORK TODAY:
* Verifying connections between the launch pad and the STS-62 vehicle
* Gaining access to the vehicle
WORK SCHEDULED:
* Install payloads in Columbia's bay next week
* KSC's Launch Readiness Review Feb. 14
* Countdown Demonstration Test Feb. 15-17
* STS-62 Flight Readiness Review Feb. 16
WORK COMPLETED:
* STS-62 vehicle was hard down on the pad's pedestals at 9:58 a.m. yesterday
* Hot fired auxiliary power unit No. 2
|
| 876.10 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 02/15/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Feb 15 1994 18:32 | 50 |
| _______________________________________________________________
| |
| KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT |
| Tuesday, February 15, 1994 |
|_______________________________________________________________|
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax 867-2692)
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
OAST - 2 and SSBUV
_____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 sm
LOCATION: Pad 39B INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH DATE: March 3 CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH TIME: 8:57 a.m. WINDOW: 2 hours/30 minutes
KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: March 17/8:02 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 13 days/23 hours
NOTE: The crew arrived for the standard terminal countdown demonstration
test (TCDT) today. TCDT is scheduled to begin tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. and
end with a simulated T-0 at 11 a.m. Thursday. Also, the STS-62 Flight
Readiness Review is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday. An official
launch date is expected to be announced following this meeting.
IN WORK TODAY:
* Main engine flight readiness test
* Hydraulic system circulation and sampling operations
* Thruster washing and inspections
* Preparations to load hypergolic fuels into vehicle
* Launch pad validations
WORK SCHEDULED:
* Hypergolic fuels loading
* Helium signature test
* Terminal countdown demonstration test (TCDT) this week
(simulated T-0 at 11 a.m. Thursday)
* Flight Readiness Review (Wednesday)
WORK COMPLETED:
* Install payloads from changeout room into orbiter payload bay
* External tank and orbiter umbilical mates and closeouts
* Mate and leak check orbiter mid-body umbilical unit
* Launch Readiness Review
* Prime crew arrived at KSC today at about 9:30 a.m. for TCDT
|
| 876.11 | Shuttle Columbia Set for March 3 Launch (Reuters) | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Thu Feb 17 1994 16:53 | 28 |
| From: [email protected] (Reuters)
Copyright: 1994 by Reuters, R
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 94 12:30:08 PST
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla (Reuter) - The space shuttle Columbia
will take off March 3 on a two-week mission of science and
technology research, NASA announced Wednesday.
Space officials reviewed the progress of flight preparations
and set the date as a crew of five astronauts were beginning a
two-day dress rehearsal for liftoff.
The 61st shuttle mission -- the second of eight planned this
year -- will serve as ``a building block, a stepping stone''
toward development of a joint U.S. and Russian space station,
Columbia commander John Casper said Wednesday at the Kennedy
Space Center.
``The experiments and research we're going to be doing on
this flight are very similar to what we'll be flying on space
station,'' Casper told reporters at the base of the launch pad
where technicians were preparing Columbia for flight.
Casper and his crew visited the pad for a briefing on escape
procedures they would use in the event of an emergency before
liftoff.
The four men and one woman were to don pressure suits
Thursday and climb aboard the unfueled shuttle for the final
three hours of a practice countdown.
In addition to Casper, the crew includes co-pilot Andrew
Allen and mission specialists Pierre Thuot, Charles ``Sam''
Gemar and Marsha Ivins.
|
| 876.12 | Press Kit available (postscript and hypertext) | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Mon Feb 21 1994 14:49 | 8 |
| The STS-62 press kit is available for your edification and enjoyment.
Olde-fashioned way: pragma::public:[nasa]sts-62.ps (258kb, 23 pages)
Cool "Web" way: http://www-space.lkg.dec.com/space-archives.html
- dave
|
| 876.13 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 02/18/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Mon Feb 21 1994 17:57 | 46 |
| _______________________________________________________________
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Friday, February 18, 1994
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax 867-2692)
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
OAST - 2 and SSBUV
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 sm
LOCATION: Pad 39B INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
LAUNCH DATE: March 3 CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH TIME: 8:54 a.m. WINDOW: 2 hours/30 minutes
KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: March 17/8:02 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 13 days/23 hours/8 minutes
IN WORK TODAY:
* Helium signature test
* Troubleshoot communications loop between orbiter and Launch
Control Center
* Thruster washing and inspections
* Foam insulation application on orbiter/external tank umbilicals
* Preparations to load hypergolic fuels into vehicle
WORK SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK:
* Pre-launch hypergolic fuel loading and pressurization
* Open payload bay doors
* Orbiter/payload interface verification testing
* Begin orbiter aft engine compartment closeouts
* Pre-launch countdown preparations and setups
* Ordnance installations
* Install contingency spacesuits
* Purge external tank
WORK COMPLETED:
* Terminal countdown demonstration test
* Onboard cryogenic system checks
* Inertial measurement unit calibrations
|
| 876.14 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 03/01/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Mar 01 1994 16:50 | 103 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Tuesday, March 1, 1994
LAUNCH MINUS 2 DAYS
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax 867-2692)
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
OAST - 2 and SSBUV
_____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 184 sm
LOCATION: Pad 39B INCLINATION: 39.00 degrees
LAUNCH DATE: March 3 CREW SIZE: 5
LAUNCH TIME: 8:54 a.m. WINDOW: 2 hours/30 minutes
SCHEDULED KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: March 17/8:02 a.m.
SCHEDULED MISSION DURATION: 13 days/23 hours/8 minutes
The countdown for Columbia's launch on Thursday continues as
planned today. No technical issues are being worked. The pad was
cleared earlier today at about 2 a.m. for the planned pyrotechnic
initiator controller resistance test and for the loading of the
onboard cryogenic tanks and extended duration orbiter tanks with
the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants. Reactant loading
is expected to continue until about 5 p.m. today. The reactants
will provide electricity for the orbiter while in space and
drinking water for the crew during their 14 day mission.
After the cryogenic reactants are loaded, the orbiter's
mid-body umbilical unit will be demated and retracted into the
fixed service structure. Orbiter communications activation and
final vehicle and facility closeouts will also be underway.
Tomorrow, preparations will be made to retract the rotating
service structure to launch position at about 11 a.m. Pending
weather assessments, this move could be delayed several hours.
Tanking is scheduled to begin at about 12:34 a.m. Thursday.
Forecasters are currently indicating a 70 percent
probability of weather prohibiting launch. The primary concerns
are for higher than allowable winds at the Shuttle Landing
Facility and to a lesser degree winds at the pad. On launch
morning, the pad winds are expected to be from the west-northwest
at 15 - 28 knots; temperature 53 degrees F; visibility 7 miles;
and clouds scattered at about 2,500 - 4,000 feet and 22,000 -
25,000 feet. The 24-hour and 48-hour-delay forecast reveals
improved conditions and forecasters list a 20 percent and 10
percent chance of violation respectively.
The five-member astronaut crew arrived at KSC's Shuttle
Landing Facility Monday at about 1:30 p.m. Today they will be
involved with checking out their mission plans and fit checks of
their equipment.
_______________________________________________________
SUMMARY OF HOLDS AND HOLD TIMES FOR STS-62
_______________________________________________________
T-TIME ------- LENGTH OF HOLD ---- HOLD BEGINS --- HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours --- 4 hours ---------- 1 am Tues.------ 5 am Tues.
T-19 hours --- 8 hours ---------- 1 pm Tues.------ 9 pm Tues.
T-11 hours --- 13 hrs.,34 mins. - 5 am Wed.------- 6:34 pm Wed.
T-6 hours ---- 1 hour ---------- 11:34 pm Wed.--- 12:34 am Thurs.
T-3 hours ---- 2 hours ---------- 3:34 am Thurs.-- 5:34 am Thurs.
T-20 minutes - 10 minutes ------- 8:14 am Thurs.-- 8:24 am Thurs.
T-9 minutes -- 10 minutes ------- 8:35 am Thurs.-- 8:45 am Thurs.
________________________________________
CREW FOR MISSION FOR STS-62
________________________________________
Commander (CDR): John H. Casper
Pilot (PLT): Andrew M. Allen
Mission Specialist (MS1): Pierre J. Thuot
Mission Specialist (MS2): Charles D. (Sam) Gemar
Mission Specialist (MS3): Marsha S. Ivins
__________________________________________________
SUMMARY OF STS-62 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES
__________________________________________________
Thursday, March 3, 1994
3:59 a.m. Wake up
4:29 a.m. Breakfast
4:54 a.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
4:54 a.m. Don flight equipment (MS1, MS3)
5:04 a.m. Don flight equipment (CDR, PLT, MS2)
5:29 a.m. Depart for launch pad 39B
5:59 a.m. Arrive at white room and begin ingress
7:24 a.m. Close crew hatch
8:54 a.m. Launch
|
| 876.15 | LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST FOR STS-62, L-2 days: March 1, 1994 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Mar 01 1994 16:54 | 48 |
| George H. Diller
NASA Kennedy Space Center
407/867-2468
Synopsis: Dry, cool and windy weather is expected. The location
of a surface high pressure system will influence wind conditions
on launch day. Marginal weather is forecast in the Cape
Canaveral area on Wednesday. General conditions are forecast to
improve on Thursday but the wind will remain strong.
At the opening of the launch window at 8:54 a.m. on Thursday the
forecast is:
Clouds: 2,500-4,000 stratocumulus (scattered, 20% sky coverage)
22,000-25,000 cirrus (scattered, 40% coverage)
Visibility: 7 +
Wind - Pad 39B: WNW/15-28 knots
Temperature: 53 degrees
Dewpoint: 46 degrees
Humidity: 77%
Precipitation: None expected
Other weather concerns: High wind concern at the launch pad and
the Shuttle Landing Facility.
Probability of launch weather criteria violation: 70%
Probability of launch weather criteria violation on Friday: 20%
Probability of launch weather criteria violation on Saturday: 10%
Sunrise Thursday: 6:45 a.m.
Sunset Thursday: 6:23 p.m.
USAF Range Weather Operations
Cape Canaveral Forecast Facility
|
| 876.16 | L-1 Forecast (3/2/94) --- Doesn't look good at all... | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Mar 02 1994 17:34 | 45 |
|
LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST FOR STS-62
L-1 day: March 2, 1994
George H. Diller
NASA Kennedy Space Center
407/867-2468
Synopsis: Dry, cool and windy weather is expected. The location
of a strong surface high pressure system will influence wind
conditions. Rain is forecast in the Cape Canaveral area today in
advance of an approaching cold front. Conditions are forecast to
improve on Thursday but the wind will be strong.
At the opening of the launch window at 8:54 a.m. on Thursday the
forecast is:
Clouds: 2,500-4,000 stratocumulus (scattered, 20% sky coverage)
Visibility: 7 + miles
Wind - Pad 39B: W/16-28 knots
Temperature: 53 degrees
Dewpoint: 44 degrees
Humidity: 61%
Precipitation: None expected
Other weather concerns: RTLS crosswind violation.
High seas downrange for SRB ships.
Probability of launch weather criteria violation: 90%
Probability of launch weather criteria violation on Friday: 10%
Probability of launch weather criteria violation on Saturday: 10%
Sunrise Thursday: 6:45 a.m.
Sunset Thursday: 6:23 p.m.
USAF Range Weather Operations
Cape Canaveral Forecast Facility
|
| 876.17 | Delayed till Friday morning... | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Mar 02 1994 17:38 | 34 |
|
STS-62 LAUNCH STATUS REPORT
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
1:45 P.M. EST, Wednesday, March 2
The NASA Mission Management Team decided to postpone the launch
of STS-62 from Thursday, March 3, until Friday morning, March 4,
because of unfavorable weather in the KSC area.
Weather forecasters gave NASA managers less than a 10 percent
chance of favorable launch weather for Thursday.
The primary problem was surface winds expected to violate the
rules designed to insure less than 15 mile per hour cross winds
on the Shuttle Landing Facility in case of a Return To Launch
Site abort.
Weather forecasters at both the Johnson Space Center and Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station said their predictions were based on
a "well-behaved and predictable weather pattern."
Friday is expected to have much better weather with a tempera-
ture at launch time of 41 degrees and winds of less intensity
which will be favorably aligned down the runway. The weather
forecast for Friday shows only a 10 percent chance of violating
Launch Commit Criteria.
The STS-62 launch window for Friday opens at 8:53 a.m. and ex-
tends for two and a half hours.
The STS-62 countdown will remain in a hold at the T-11 hour mark
until 6:33 p.m. on Thursday.
|
| 876.18 | Liftoff... | SKYLAB::FISHER | Carp Diem : Fish the Day | Fri Mar 04 1994 09:26 | 4 |
| They lifted off, apparently on schedule, and had a "perfect" ascent, according
to NASA Select. They are now preparing for OMS-2.
Burns
|
| 876.19 | | HELIX::MAIEWSKI | | Fri Mar 04 1994 12:28 | 5 |
| The media keeps making a big deal about how this is suppose to be a real
boring mission since it has no space walks, satellite launches, mechanical
arm, etc.
George
|
| 876.20 | RE 876.19 | VERGA::KLAES | Quo vadimus? | Fri Mar 04 1994 12:52 | 7 |
| Apparently ABC and NBC found it so boring they didn't even bother
to cover the launch live. CBS did show it, but only just before lift
off and up to the separation of the SRBs. I don't have cable so I
don't know what any other networks did.
Larry
|
| 876.21 | | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Mar 04 1994 13:19 | 7 |
| Actually the robot arm (RMS) is a major experiment on board -- new end effectors
and motion stuff.
But otherwise, NASA and the media are portraying this as basic, boring
scientific research...
- dave
|
| 876.22 | MCC Status #1 and 2 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Sun Mar 06 1994 11:54 | 71 |
| Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #1
Friday, March 4, 1994, 9 a.m. Cst
Columbia began its 16th mission today with an on-time launch at 7:53 a.m.
Central Time. After a flawless ascent to orbit, the five member crew is
now in the process of configuring the orbiter and beginning payload work
for the 14-day mission.
The STS-62 science activities run the gamut of space research -- from
materials processing to biotechnology, advanced technology and
environmental monitoring. Experiments include the five United States
Microgravity Payload-2 experiments and the six Office of Aeronautics and
Space Technology-2 experiments.
Today's activities include activation of both USMP-2 and OAST-2,
initiation of the some of the crystal growth experiments and checkout of
the orbiter's robotic arm.
Columbia is flying at a 39 degree inclination and an altitude of 160
nautical miles for the first several days of the mission. On Flight Day
11, the altitude will be lowered to enhance the scientific activities
scheduled for later in the flight.
The STS-62 crew consists of Commander John Casper, Pilot Andy Allen, and
Mission Specialists Pierre Thuot, Sam Gemar and Marsha Ivins.
Mission Control Center Status Report #2
Shuttle Mission STS-62
4:30 p.m. CST Friday, March 4,1994
Columbia is flawless as it begins its 16th mission, a 14-day long flight
that will be devoted to materials research, robotics, crystal growth,
medical investigations, new technology evaluations and optical studies of
the shuttle's orbital environment.
Columbia's crew spent a busy first day in space setting up shop aboard
their spacecraft and powering up the host of experiments carried aboard.
The first cargo to be activated was the United States Microgravity
Payload-2 package of experiments that will study the growth of
semiconductor crystals in weightlessness along with other materials
processing tests. Other experiments powered on included the Office of
Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 package that will evaluate new
technologies and materials and the Space Shuttle Backscatter Ultraviolet
sensors that will provide information used to fine-tune ozone
measurements from satellites.
About halfway through the day, Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins, Pierre
Thuot and Sam Gemar all took turns using Columbia's mechanical arm to
evaluate the Dexterous End Effector equipment, a set of development
equipment that includes a magnetic grapple fixture for the arm, a
reflective alignment system and a force sensor. The equipment could lead
to more compact grapple fixtures on shuttle cargoes that use the arm and
the ability to manipulate the arm with greater precision, allowing more
delicate tasks to be accomplished. All DEE operations, as the new system
is called, went smoothly.
Later, Commander John Casper put Columbia through several rolling
maneuvers to allow a fine-tuning of the Spacecraft Kinetic Infrared Test
experiment, called SKIRT, that is part of the OAST-2 payload. As the
mission progresses, SKIRT will study the glow created as Columbia
encounters atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit.
The crew is scheduled to go to sleep for their first night on orbit at
6:54 p.m. central and awaken at 2:53 a.m. Saturday to begin their second
day aboard Columbia. Columbia has no mechanical problems and is in an
orbit with a high point of 163 nautical miles and a low point of 160
nautical miles, circling Earth each 90 minutes, 40 seconds.
|
| 876.23 | New Long Johns for Crew | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Sun Mar 06 1994 12:01 | 54 |
| From: [email protected] (AP)
Subject: Shuttle Crew Sports Long Johns
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 94 13:20:13 PST
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Two astronauts will be sporting the
latest in space fashion when they board Columbia for Friday's
rescheduled launch: newly designed long johns to keep cool.
The beige skivvies embedded with thin water tubes will be worn
by Commander John Casper and pilot Andrew Allen.
The astronauts will plug into water pumps once they're strapped
into their cockpit seats for the planned 8:53 a.m. liftoff. Cold
water will then be circulated through the garment until the crew
reaches orbit or climbs out for another try another day.
The three others assigned to Columbia's 14-day science mission
will wear the usual thermal long underwear, intended to keep
astronauts warm in case they have to bail out over water on the way
up or down. The new underwear still should serve that purpose;
Casper and Allen will wear the garments for the ride back to Earth,
too.
Astronauts often have been drenched by sweat while waiting 2 1/2 to
five hours to lift off, lying on their backs in the hot, cramped
cockpit. Fans blow air through the flight suits, which doesn't help
much on Florida's boiling summer days; Allen said the temperature
inside the suits can soar into the 90s and beyond.
``It is a very hot and a very heavy and a very uncomfortable
system,'' Allen said. ``We get asked a lot whether we're
comfortable or not, and the answer always is no.''
Their new $500 long johns should help.
The long underwear -- an off-the-shelf variety that was modified
by Exotemp Systems Inc. of Canada -- is similar to Exotemp garments
worn by race car drivers, Navy divers and British and Canadian
helicopter pilots during the Persian Gulf War. Racers and pilots
want to keep cool; divers warm.
Casper said there's an added bonus for astronauts: Doctors
believe the garment may help space travelers readapt more easily to
gravity at the end of a flight. They should sweat less and thus be
better hydrated and less prone to dizziness upon return.
NASA plans to test the new underwear on five shuttle flights in
1994, beginning with this mission.
So far, the only drawback to the new garment -- called
Thermo-Electric Liquid Cooling System in NASA-speak -- seems to be
skin indentations caused by the 230 feet of tubes.
``We look like Spiderman when we come out,'' Allen said.
The astronauts who will be wearing the traditional long johns
for Columbia's launch -- Marsha Ivins, Pierre Thuot and Charles
``Sam'' Gemar -- can take heart in the fact that Friday morning
should be cool, with temperatures in the high 50s to low 60s.
Forecasters gave 80 percent odds of good launch weather.
Columbia was supposed to blast off Thursday. But NASA took the
unusual move of calling off a shuttle launch the day before liftoff
because of dismal weather forecasts.
It proved to be the right decision. Gusts of up to 46 mph
pounded the Kennedy Space Center at the time Columbia was supposed
to be lifting off Thursday.
|
| 876.24 | | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Sun Mar 06 1994 15:30 | 9 |
| Status Reports (MCC, and USMP-2) are available on the Web at:
http://www-space.lkg.dec.com/nasa/hypertext/sts-62/pk-index.html
I'll be posting them here too, but with an occasional delay.
- dave
|
| 876.25 | MCC Status Reports #3-5 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Sun Mar 06 1994 15:31 | 137 |
| STS-62 Status Report #3
Mission Control Center
Saturday, March 5,1994
6 a.m. CST
The five-member STS-62 crew is working through a busy morning on Columbia as
payload activities for the mission enter their second day.
Among the first activities of the day, Commander John Casper shut off
Columbia's non-essential equipment to conserve energy for the 14-day flight.
The "Group B powerdown" is designed to enhance the consumables margin for the
mission.
Pilot Andy Allen and Mission Specialist Sam Gemar set up the Lower Body
Negative Pressure Unit for ramps tests later today and the shuttle ergometer
for exercise sessions throughout the flight. On STS-62, crew members are
testing a new isolation system to keep vibrations from the ergometer from
disturbing the science experiments. The new isolation system uses a sphere of
small cables mounted to each of the four corners of the ergometer's support
framework. As the astronaut pedals, these tiny cables compress and absorb the
vibrations.
Work also continued with the protein crystal growth experiments and the
Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus.
Later today, Mission Specialist Pierre Thuot will activate the Thermal Energy
Storage experiment which is part of the OAST-2 suite. TES will collect
information on how thermal energy storage salts -- in this case lithium
fluoride and lithium fluoride/cadmium difluoride eutectic -- work in
microgravity. These salts may be useful as part of advanced solar dynamic
power systems for spacecraft and space stations.
Columbia is performing well one day into its 16th flight. The orbiter is
circling the Earth once every 90 minutes at an altitude of approximately 160
nautical miles.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-62 MCC Status Report #4
Mission Control Center
Saturday, March 5, 1994
5:30 p.m. CST
Columbia's crew spent the second day of STS-62 focusing on experiments in the
cabin of the shuttle while the investigations outside, the United States
Microgravity Payload 2 and the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology 2
packages, progressed without trouble.
Mission Specialist Sam Gemar and Pilot Andy Allen took turns in the Lower Body
Negative Pressure unit, a device that imitates gravity's effect on body fluids
by pulling the fluids to the lower extremeties. In weightlessness, body fluids
pool in the upper body. Today's short sessions in the LBNP mimicked the sudden
return to gravity experienced at the end of a mission. Long LBNP sessions
planned later in the mission will be evaluated as a method of easing
astronauts' readaptation to gravity by counteracting the effects of
weightlessness.
During the last part of the day, Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins and Pierre
Thuot monitored two protein crystal growth experiments, called APCG and CPCG.
Protein crystals, which can be grown with greater perfection in weightlessnes,
are used in the development of new drugs.
While these experiments occupied the crew, controllers for the OAST payload at
the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., reported that their
experiments are working well. Among them, the Spacecraft Kinetic Infrared
Test, a study of the glow created as the Shuttle encounters atomic oxygen, made
several observations, including changes in the glow during a roll maneuver by
Columbia and a spectra of the Moon similiar to an observation made by the
instrument on STS-39 in 1991. Also, the Cryogenic Two Phase experiment, a
technology being developed for future spacecraft cooling systems, operated for
10 hours yesterday. Many of OAST-2's experiments will not be conducted at
length until the last days of the mission.
Columbia is performing well and the crew's work has not been interrupted by any
mechanical problems. Flight controllers are studying an erratic reading from a
fuel line pressure sensor for one of three auxiliary power units on Columbia.
The APU's supply hydraulic pressure to point the Shuttle's main engines during
launch and control its elevons, rudder and speed brake during landing. The
APU's are not required for on-orbit operations. All three APU's operated well
during launch.
The crew will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 5:53 p.m. central today and
awaken at 1:53 a.m. central to begin a third day in orbit.
-end-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-62 MCC Status Report #5
Mission Control Center
Sunday, March 6, 1994
9 a.m. CST
STS-62 crew members built a small truss structure in Columbia's middeck this
morning for a series of tests that may help engineers design and build the
International Space Station.
Mission Specialist Sam Gemar set up the truss for the Middeck 0-Gravity
Dynamics Experiment. MODE is designed to study the fundamental, non- linear,
gravity-dependent behavior of hybrid scaled structures. Understanding these
structures is important for designers of large space structures such as the
International Space Station. After building the truss, Gemar conducted a series
of protocols to test its structural dynamics.
Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins logged a spaceflight first this morning by
seeing her mission's launch while still on-orbit. The launch video was part of
a test of a new system which provides high speed bi-directional computer
communication with the Shuttle Ku-Band system. Ground controllers uplinked a
video clip and a text file via the system while Ivins sent down a text file.
The high speed data transfer system will improve the slower Portable Audio Data
modem (PADM) transfer method.
Crew members also checked on the crystal growth experiments and the rodents for
the Physiological Systems Experiment, and are collecting blood and urine
samples throughout the day for metabolic investigations.
Columbia continues to work extremely well. Engineers are still collecting data
on Auxiliary Power Unit number 3's fuel inlet pressure, but do not expect the
anomaly to impact mission duration. Yesterday, crew members switched the
system from the A heater to the B heater and the signature improved on the
backup system. Engineers will continue to monitor the system's performance.
The auxiliary power units are used during the ascent and entry phases of flight
to run the hydraulic systems that move the control surfaces of the Orbiter.
During orbit operations, the three APU's are not required and are powered down.
Columbia circles the Earth once every 90 minutes in a 163 by 160 nautical-mile
orbit.
|
| 876.26 | USMP-2 Status Reports #1,2 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Sun Mar 06 1994 15:32 | 191 |
| USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #1
7:00 a.m. CST, March 5, 1994
0/23:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
The United States Microgravity Payload-2 (USMP-2), managed by the
Marshall Space Flight Center for NASA, soon will have completed its
first 24 hours in orbit, nestled safely within the confines of the
Shuttle Columbia's cargo bay.
Following the successful power-up of the five experiments onboard,
science teams located at Marshall's Spacelab Mission Operations
Control Center began what is now a "tried and true" method of
remotely monitoring and interacting with their experiments using
"telescience." This unique capability was successfully used during
USMP-1 in October 1992.
The five USMP-2 experiments are designed to increase scientists'
understanding of materials science and condensed matter physics.
The experiments are the MEPHISTO directional solidification
furnace, the Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace
(AADSF), the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE), the
Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, or Zeno, and the Space
Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS).
Already some of the experiments being conducted in the absence of
gravity's effects are gathering interesting data. One of these
investigations, the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment, has
completed and photographed three of many planned dendritic growth
cycles. Dendrites are microscopic crystalline structures that form
when materials, such as metals, solidify from their molten form.
Using a transparent material succinonitrile (SCN), which mimics the
properties of a metal, allows two experiment cameras to photograph
the growth of individual dendrites in microgravity. Scientists
will study the size and shape and how the dendrite branches
interact with each other -- factors which determine the strength,
electrical properties and usefulness of a material in a given
application.
The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) has been busy
during the last 24 hours completing calibration of the its
instruments and taking measurements to characterize the smoothness
of the Shuttle's microgravity environment. SAMS is able to measure
subtle disturbances which are the natural results of Shuttle
operations and activity. This information is of interest because
disturbances at critical times could affect the other four
investigations which make up USMP-2. Data is downlinked to the
SAMS teams and passed on to the USMP-2 individual science teams.
They are then able to make up-to-the-minute changes in their
experiment operations if necessary, based on the SAMS data.
Using a directional solidification furnace, the AADSF will grow a
single cylinder-shaped crystal using a sample of mercury cadmium
telluride, a material useful as an infrared radiation detector.
This process is expected to take from 9-1/2 to 11 days to
complete. The science team expects solidification of the sample to
begin taking place within the next 12 hours. The apparatus is
undergoing procedures to make sure it works properly, and that the
sample, which goes into orbit as a solid, is completely and
uniformly melted before crystal growth begins. It is important to
conduct the experiment in microgravity in order to provide insight
into the influence of gravity-driven fluid flows on the crystal's
formation. Scientists hope that information gathered from this
experiment will lead to the production of better, faster
semiconductors, for components used in products ranging from
automobiles to computers.
Zeno is an experiment in fundamental physics to study the unique
behavior of a fluid at a condition when it is simultaneously a gas
and a liquid -- its "critical point." A somewhat slow cool-down
of the apparatus after activation put Zeno slightly behind on its
timeline. However, the science team reports that the initial
calibration procedures have been completed with no problems. The
Zeno team is sending commands to their experiment to slowly and
methodically search for the location of the critical temperature.
By studying the critical point of matter, scientists hope to gain a
better insight into a variety of physics problems ranging from
phase changes in fluids (such as water changing to steam), to
changes in the composition and magnetic properties of solids.
The MEPHISTO furnace is flying for the second time on a USMP
mission in a series of cooperative investigations between NASA and
the French Space Agency. MEPHISTO studies the behavior of metals
and semiconductors as they solidify. It will allow scientists to
closely monitor solidification of its three bismuth-tin alloy
samples by taking real-time temperature and resistance readings at
the point where the molten and solid metals meet, called the
solid-liquid interface. These data should provide scientists with
greater insights into other, more subtle influences that impact
solidification of materials on Earth.
During the initial melt of the samples earlier today, a temperature
sensor problem was noticed. The MEPHISTO team currently is
troubleshooting the anomaly and expects the experiment back on its
timeline within a few hours. The team also reports they do not
expect the problem to impact their science. Once back on the
timeline, MEPHISTO will finish its initial sample melt. During
the next 24 hours, the furnace will begin "zone determination," an
ultra-slow traverse over the samples in order to select a 50mm
(2 in.) portion with the fewest imperfections and most uniform
composition. This sample will be used for subsequent experiment
runs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #2
7:00 a.m. CST, March 6, 1994
1/23:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
Research activities with the second United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2)
aboard Columbia nears the completion of two days in orbit with the five
scientific systems that make up the payload collecting good data in the
microgravity environment of Earth's orbit.
The Shuttle cargo bay is proving to be an ideal place to conduct the Isothermal
Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE), according to the experiment team, located
at Marshall Space Flight Center's Spacelab Mission Operations Control Center
along with four other USMP-2 science teams. IDGE Principal Investigator Marty
Glicksman said, "I couldn't be more pleased. It's working like a charm!" The
IDGE has thus far completed the growth of 11 individual dendrites, and video
downlink of the tiny, tree-like structures is a source of excitement for the
group. A slow-scan television camera transmits real-time images down to team
members, and two 35mm cameras on the IDGE apparatus are taking about five
photos per growth. These will be compared with some 800 photos taken of this
growth process on Earth. The experiment is being conducted in order to gain an
understanding of the dendritic crystal growth process. This knowledge could be
used to develop ways of improving industrial production techniques for
materials like steel and superalloys.
The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF) is studying
processing of semiconductor materials, in order to gain a better understanding
of the basic, fundamental aspects of crystal growth -- especially those
affected by gravity. During this first flight of the furnace, the science team
is watching data downlink on experiment variables as solidification of the
mercury cadmium telluride sample takes place. This "watching and waiting and
learning" period could last anywhere from 9-1/2 to 11 days. Using a
directional solidification furnace with independently controlled heating zones
enables researchers to maintain desired temperatures in the experiment sample,
thereby growing a crystal with fewer flaws. Scientists are particularly
interested in the solidification front, the point where solid meets liquid,
because it is here that fluid flows in the liquid material influence the
composition of the liquid and therefore the structure of the solid.
Researchers expect that growing a more perfect crystal will enable the
production of higher quality semiconductor materials and products.
Late last night, the science team for the Critical Fluid Light Scattering
Experiment, or Zeno, reported coming within 20 millionths of a degree Celcius
(20 microKelvin) of the critical temperature of the fluid xenon. According to
Jeff Shaumeyer, Zeno project scientist, on Earth the closest they have been
able to come is about 500 millionths of a degree Celcius (500 microKelvin).
For the next several hours, a very careful temperature search will be conducted
in the region where the critical point is known to be located, according to
Shaumeyer. This "sensitive search" will allow the team to get even closer to
the critical temperature so they can obtain the best possible measurements in
the region surrounding this phenomenon. A fluid's critical point occurs at the
highest temperature where the liquid and vapor forms can coexist. The fluid
reaches a state where it is uncertain whether it is a liquid or a vapor. This
phenomenon is important because materials which are physically quite different
will exhibit similar behaviors when near their critical points. Critical point
phemonena are associated with everyday benefits: for instance, caffeine is
removed from coffee using water at its critical point. Using water under these
conditions, instead of methylene chloride, removes a potential cancer risk and
eliminates a hazardous waste product.
The MEPHISTO directional solidification furnace resumed its science
measurements early yesterday after a problem with two sample heat sensors
literally fixed itself. The team has since collected good data after
completing three "Seebeck measurements" on one of MEPHISTO's three bismuth-tin
alloy samples. The Seebeck technique measures temperature variations in the
solidification front -- the boundary where solid meets liquid. Conditions at
the solidification front are important because chemical and physical
imperfections significantly affect the quality of semiconductor crystals grown
on Earth, and thus the performance of electronic devices in which the
semiconductors are used.
Earlier today, the MEPHISTO team was troubleshooting a problem which arose last
night with a troublesome Seebeck signal. Team members reported that they hope
to resume nominal science data gathering within the next few hours.
This is the ninth Shuttle flight for the Space Acceleration Measurement System
(SAMS). It continues to monitor the microgravity environment and provide data
to the four other USMP-2 experiments. SAMS measures tiny disturbances aboard
the Shuttle and downlinks this information to the SAMS team on the ground.
Quick real-time adjustments can then be made by the other science teams if
their experiments might be affected by these very subtle disturbances.
P
|
| 876.27 | MCC Status Reports #6-8 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Mar 08 1994 09:24 | 130 |
| Mission Control Status Report #6
Space Shuttle Mission STS-62
Sunday, March 6, 1994, 4:30 p.m. CST
On the third day in orbit, Columbia's crew eased into the steady pace of
research work they will keep for the two-week flight, planned to become
the second-longest shuttle mission ever.
Following a morning of medical studies, the crew spent the last half of
the day exercising and continuing to study the behavior of a space
station truss model in weightlessness. Pilot Andy Allen and Mission
Specialists Marsha Ivins and Sam Gemar each took a turn on a stationary
bicycle mounted in Columbia's middeck. The stationary bike has long been
a staple of shuttle flights to allow exercise that counters the effect of
weightlessness on the muscles. The bike aboard Columbia, however,
features a new mounting system of shock-absorbing springs that is being
evaluated as a method of keeping vibrations from exercise, which can
disturb sensitive experiments, to a minimum.
Also, Gemar set up a model of the scaffold-like truss structure that may
be used on a future space station in the lower deck. The model, linked to
sensitive recorders in a shuttle locker, is being studied to determine
the characteristics of such structures in orbit. The model and its
reactions were studied in several different configurations during the day
and it will be studied again tomorrow.
Although not highly visible except to the Earth-bound scientists watching
over them, Columbia's wide assortment of cargo bay payloads continued
their investigations throughout the day. Other activities for the crew
included photography of the glow created as the shuttle's outer skin
interacts with atomic oxygen in orbit and continued monitoring of protein
crystal growth experiments in the cabin.
Flight controllers had a quiet Sunday in Mission Control with no
significant troubles seen aboard the spacecraft. A reading of high
pressure that was seen in a fuel line to one of the shuttle's three
auxiliary power units earlier in the flight has dissipated, and
controllers have confidence the APU would operate well if needed.
However, they will continue to closely watch the readings from that area.
All of the three APUs, which supply power to the hydraulic systems,
operated well during launch. They are not used again until landing.
The crew begins eight hours of sleep at 4:53 p.m. CST today and will
awaken for the fourth day of STS-62 at 12:53 a.m. Monday.
================================================================================
MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-62 Status Report #7
Monday, March 7, 1994, 6 a.m. CST
Flight controllers and the STS-62 crew had a quiet morning today as
Columbia's sixteenth mission continues to progress smoothly.
The crew started its day with a medley of armed forces anthems sung by
the U.S. Military Academy Glee Club. The medley honored all four branches
of the service which are represented by the STS-62 crew. Commander John
Casper is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force, Pilot Andy Allen is a major in
the U.S. Marine Corps, Mission Specialist Sam Gemar is a lieutenant
colonel in the U.S. Army, and Mission Specialist Pierre Thuot is a
commander in the U.S. Navy.
After completing their post-sleep activities, the crew got started on the
payload work for the day. Astronauts performed checks of the protein
crystal growth experiment and the rodents that are housed in the middeck
as part of the Physiological Systems Experiment. Gemar also continued his
work with the Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment. MODE is designed to
study the fundamental, non-linear, gravity-dependent behavior of hybrid
scaled structures. Understanding these structures is important for
designers of large space structures such as the International Space
Station.
Casper conducted a special presentation about the Space Acceleration
Measurement System. A frequent flyer on the shuttle, SAMS uses sensors
called accelerometers to take measurements of on-board vibrations and
accelerations. Such disturbances, though slight, could affect the
sensitive microgravity experiments. SAMS measurements allow scientists to
adjust their experiments to improve their scientific results.
Later today, Allen and Gemar will have some free time on orbit. Flight
controllers try to schedule some off duty time for crew members during
the long duration missions to allow the astronauts to rest and relax so
that they can continue to perform at their peak levels throughout the
flight. Casper, Thuot and Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins have free time
scheduled for Flight Day 5.
Columbia remains in excellent condition as it orbits the Earth at an
altitude of 160 x 163 n.m.
===============================================================================
MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-62 Status Report #8
Monday, March 7, 1994, 3 p.m. CST
Columbia and crew sailed through the fourth day of their two-week mission
on schedule with no problems to report.
The crew spent the first half of the day again working with the Middeck
0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment, or MODE, and a model of a truss structure
which may be used on a future space station. The truss model, set up to
float free in the middeck, was analyzed to determine its behavior in
weightlessness. It will be the subject of more test runs as the flight
progresses.
Two of the crew -- Pilot Andy Allen and Mission Specialist Sam Gemar --
had the afternoon off, as will each of their crewmates periodically as
the mission progresses due to its long duration. STS-62, as planned,
will be the second longest Shuttle flight ever. The other crew members
each took a turn exercising during the last part of the day.
Around the clock, experiments with the U.S. Microgravity Payload-2, the
Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2, the Space Shuttle
Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument and the Limited Candidate Duration
Materials Exposure experiments all continue to operate, many of them
being controlled by scientists on the ground. The SSBUV instrument has
been operating since the first day of the flight, and plans were made by
its ground controllers today to attempt to detect sulphur dioxide
emissions from volcanoes in Central America. The objective of the
observations by SSBUV are to investigate whether such emissions low in
the atmosphere are detectable from orbit. SSBUV's measurements in
general are used to fine-tune satellites that monitor the ozone and other
gases in the Earth's atmosphere.
Columbia is in very good mechanical condition and work in Mission Control
has focused on assisting scientists as they continue their studies.
The crew began eight hours of sleep today at 3:53 p.m. central and will
awaken at 11:53 p.m. for Day Five of STS-62.
|
| 876.28 | USMP-2 Status Report #3 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Tue Mar 08 1994 09:25 | 97 |
| USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #3
7:00 a.m. CST, March 7, 1994
2/23:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
As the STS-62 Space Shuttle mission nears the end of its third day,
the second United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2) experiments,
located in the cargo bay of Columbia, continue to produce a wealth
of data for scientists on the ground. The USMP-2 part of
Columbia's mission is managed for NASA by the Marshall Space Flight
Center.
The Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, or Zeno, science
team reports that they expect to locate the critical temperature of
xenon at "any time." Team members are closely watching computer
data traces which indicate their experiment is very near the
critical temperature -- the goal of a lengthy, methodical
"sensitive" search process. This is a more precise search for the
critical temperature after its location has been determined within
a narrow band. Once the temperature is located, the team will
spend nearly 24 hours taking a good look at the phenomenon they've
waited years to see. They will study the properties of xenon at
its critical point, taking subtle optical measurements in the
region surrounding it. A fluid's "critical point" occurs at a
condition of temperature and pressure where the fluid is
simultaneously a gas and a liquid. By understanding how matter
behaves at the critical point, scientists hope to gain a better
insight into a variety of physics problems ranging from phase
changes in fluids to changes in the composition and magnetic
properties of solids.
The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) continues to
measure the microgravity environment on the USMP-2 carrier in
support of the four other experiments onboard. The SAMS team has
begun sending results of their data collection during various
orbiter activities to STS-62 crew members. The crew is interested
in how they can minimize their influence on the microgravity
environment. Measurements are made with the system at specific
times when microgravity disturbances may be caused by events such
as crew exercise and movement of the Shuttle's Ku-band antenna.
Such observations also collect "signatures" which the team will be
able to easily identify in future data.
A related system, the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment
(OARE), is managed by NASA's Johnson Space Center. It is useful on
missions such as USMP-2 where it is important to accurately
characterize a wide variety of disturbances in the microgravity
environment. Working closely with SAMS, the OARE records any
low-frequency activity such as the Shuttle's friction with the
rarefied upper atmosphere. SAMS is most suitable for recording
higher-frequency activity such as crew exercise. The OARE
instrument continues to process data in support of the USMP-2
experiments, and team members say all is going well.
The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) is continuing to
assemble data to test theories concerning the effect of
gravity-driven fluid flows on dendritic solidification of molten
materials. When the USMP-2 mission is over, the IDGE team will
study hundreds of photographs taken of the dendrites grown in
microgravity. Learning more about how dendrites grow is one
valuable key to developing better metal products and improving our
industrial competitiveness.
Upon completion of its first phase of pre-programmed operations
last night, the dendritic experiment entered its second phase of
crystal growth when team members began sending commands to their
experiment from the ground using a unique set of capabilities known
as "telescience." This allows them to get the best possible data
from their investigation.
The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF)
studies the directional solidification of semiconductor materials
in microgravity. Downlinked experiment data indicates that
solidification of a crystal of mercury cadmium telluride is taking
place, and the AADSF science team is constantly monitoring this
slow but steady progress. Testing the AADSF in microgravity is
beneficial because on Earth, gravity causes fluids to rise or fall
within the melted portion; a warm liquid is less dense than a cool
one and will rise to the top of the melt. These convective
movements of molten material contribute to physical flaws in the
internal structure of the growing crystal. Such flaws affect a
crystal's overall electrical characteristics, and consequently, its
usefulness in electronic devices.
The MEPHISTO team reports that they have gathered good data with
their directional solidification furnace. Currently, however, the
team is still troubleshooting a problem discovered on Saturday
night with a troublesome "Seebeck measurement." This electronic
signal measures changes in the microstructure of a solidifying
metal, and is conducted on one of three experiment samples of
bismuth-tin. Other measurement techniques will be used on the two
remaining samples later in the mission; both these samples are
operating nominally. Measurement data from the three samples will
give scientists insight into the precise nature of solidification
in reduced gravity.
|
| 876.29 | MCC Status Reports #9-10 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Mar 09 1994 10:05 | 75 |
| Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #9
Tuesday, March 8, 1994, 8 a.m. CST
The middeck payloads will take center stage this morning as the STS-62
crew works through the second half of its fifth day on orbit.
This morning, Mission Specialists Andy Allen and Sam Gemar took turns in
the Lower Body Negative Pressure Unit. The sack-like device seals at the
waist so that pressure around the lower body can be gradually decreased.
The lowered pressure draws body fluids down to the legs and lower torso,
similar to the body's normal state on Earth. The LBNP protocol is being
tested as a countermeasure to the condition "orthostatic intolerance" in
which a person feels lightheaded after standing. Some astronauts
experience such sensations upon standing after the shuttle lands. Today,
Allen and Gemar performed the 45-minute ramp test. Gemar will perform the
longer soak protocol on Flight Day 14.
STS-62 Commander John Casper, Mission Specialist Pierre Thuot and Mission
Specialist Marsha Ivins relaxed on board Columbia for the first half of
the day. On long duration flights, mission planners schedule off duty
time for each crew member to keep them well rested throughout the flight.
Gemar and Allen had their off duty time on Monday.
With those activities complete, the crew will turn its attention to the
assortment of secondary payloads. Astronauts will check on the protein
crystal growth experiments, the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing
Apparatus experiments and the rodents which are flying as part of the
Physiological Systems Experiment. They also will continue the Middeck 0-
Gravity Dynamics Experiment activities.
Columbia continues to perform well as it orbits the Earth once every 90
minutes at an altitude of 163 by 160 nautical miles.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #10
Tuesday, March 8, 1994
4 p.m. CST
Columbia's crew continued a daily regimen of daily exercise, photography
and monitoring the progress of crystal growth and bioprocessing
experiments aboard the Shuttle.
Meanwhile, ground-based researchers remotely operating experiments in
Columbia's cargo bay continued their observations. Scientists working
with the Space Shuttle Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument continued
probing the layers of Earth's atmosphere and recorded data on
tropospheric emissions from Mexican and Central American volcanoes;
sulfur dioxide from industrial by-products in the troposphere above China
and Japan; and observations in the mesophere above the Mexican volcano
Colima.
Among the experiments of the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2
package, materials being designed for future spacecraft in the SAMPIE
experiment were exposed to the orbital environment for the first time.
Results included the operation of an advanced solar energy cell and
plasma interactions with various materials while the Shuttle's payload
bay was pointed toward Earth.
Other OAST-2 accomplishments include 10 freeze and thaw cycles of a new
cooling technology for future spacecraft; spectrometer readings of
airglow phenomena in the upper atmosphere with the EISG instrument; and
studies of the Shuttle's interaction with atomic oxygen using the SKIRT
instrument.
Three members of the crew had a half-day off today, and all of the crew
will get one more half-day off before the mission, planned as the second
longest in history, concludes on March 18. Columbia is operating well
with few problems encountered by the crew or Mission Control. The
spacecraft remains in an orbit with a high point of 163 nautical miles
and a low point of 161 nautical miles. The crew began eight hours of
sleep at 2:53 p.m. central and will awaken at 10:53 p.m. central to start
a sixth day in space.
|
| 876.30 | USMP-2 Status Report #4 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Mar 09 1994 10:05 | 70 |
| USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #4
7:00 a.m. CST, March 08, 1994
3/23:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
Another successful day of microgravity science has been completed by the second
United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2), managed for NASA by the Marshall
Space Flight Center.
The Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, or Zeno, team reported
overnight that they are seeing behavior in the fluid xenon unlike any they have
seen on Earth. They believe this may mean the experiment has passed through the
xenon sample's critical point. Meanwhile the team is continuing their delicate
temperature manipulations in order to verify what they have seen. Once the
team is certain they have located the critical point, they will conduct a
series of precise measurements in the area surrounding it using laser light
scattering. When xenon is at or extremely near its critical point -- the point
where it is simultaneously a liquid and a gas -- patches of the otherwise clear
substance briefly take on a "milky" irridescence. Closer to the critical
point, the milky-white areas are larger and exist for longer periods. When a
laser light is passed through the sample in these areas, fluctuations in the
sample's density cause the light to be scattered.
Team members for the MEPHISTO furnace are running a series of metal
solidification studies and are again receiving analyzable data. On Monday, the
team made much progress in overcoming some difficulty they had been
experiencing with one of the experiment's electronic measurements and
successfully completed a Seebeck run. The Seebeck measurement is an electrical
signal which measures temperature variations during crystal growth at the
boundary where liquid becomes solid -- the solidification front. MEPHISTO is
used to conduct a series of melting and solidification cycles on three
identical rod-shaped samples of a bismuth-tin alloy. During these runs,
temperature, velocity and shape of the solidification front are measured in
order to study the behavior of metals and semiconductors as they solidify.
Team members of the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE), say they are
well pleased with the performance of their apparatus and the data they are
acquiring during USMP-2. While dendrite growth is taking place, two 35mm
cameras are taking photographs for post-mission analysis. When a dendrite
growth cycle is completed, the tiny crystalline structure is re-melted and
another grown at a different "supercooling" temperature. Dendrites are being
grown at 20 different levels of supercooling ranging up to approximately 1.3
degrees C. Supercooling is the term used to describe the condition in which a
liquid is slowly cooled to below its normal freezing point, but due to its
purity, does not solidify. The level of supercooling refers to the difference
between the temperature of the liquid and its normal freezing point. IDGE is a
fundamental materials science experiment performed in the microgravity
environment of space in order to increase understanding of the solidification
processes. This knowledge should be useful in improving industrial production
of a wide range of metals used in applications from aluminum foil to jet
engines.
The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF) continues to
operate smoothly, growing a single cylinder-shaped crystal of mercury cadmium
telluride, an exotic material used as an infrared radiation detector. The
AADSF provides scientists with a unique apparatus in which to test theories of
semiconductor crystal growth without the effects and limitations caused by
Earth's gravity. The information gained by growing crystals of a semiconductor
material in microgravity can be used to study the physical and chemical
processes of many materials and systems. A greater understanding in these
areas could aid researchers in the discovery of processes and materials that
perform better and cost less to produce.
All continues to go well for the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS)
as it measures onboard accelerations and vibrations experienced during the
STS-62 Shuttle flight. This information is transmitted to scientists on the
ground who can make adjustments to their investigations to improve their
results if the disturbances are significant.
|
| 876.31 | Image requests for STS-62 Mission | JVERNE::KLAES | Be Here Now | Wed Mar 09 1994 10:08 | 68 |
| From: VERGA::US1RMC::"VOLCANO%[email protected]"
"VOLCANO 08-Mar-1994 1920" 8-MAR-1994 19:13:25.77
To: Multiple recipients of list VOLCANO
<VOLCANO%[email protected]>
CC:
Subj: Earth Photos from the current Space Shuttle mission
(**RESPOND TO CINDY EVANS DIRECTLY AT THE ADDRESS BELOW. DO NOT USE "REPLY"**)
The Space Shuttle flight STS-62 launched Friday March 4, 1994 and will
last for 14 days. As usual, the astronauts will be taking hand-held
color and color infrared photography of the Earth as part of the Space
Shuttle Earth Observations Project (SSEOP). The purpose of this
message is to solicit suggestions for potential sites (on-going
research projects) to be photographed during the mission. Please send
your suggestions, including site latitude and longitude, feature or
phenomena of interest, and brief (one or two lines) description of
your project to [email protected] or [email protected]. If
you have made requests for previous flights, you must resubmit your
suggestion.
The orbit and camera/film/lens parameters for the mission are as follows:
Altitude: 160 nm. (282 km)
Inclination: 39 degrees (that means the Shuttle will only pass
over areas between 39 N and 39 S).
This is a 1-shift mission, but much of the world between 39
north and south will be sunlit while the crew is awake. There will be
good opportunities over the much of the U.S., Central America, northern
South America and Africa, southern Europe and central and south Asia.
Camera/Lens/Film: 70 mm Hasselblad with 50, 100, and 250 mm
lenses. A near-vertical Hasselblad photograph using the 250 mm lens
will cover an area roughly 65km by 65 km. The majority of film will
be Kodak color transparency, although there will be some 70 mm color
infrared film. The crew is also flying the Linhof camera system,
using 5 in. film, with 250 and 90 mm lenses.
While SSEOP cannot guarantee that suggested sites will be collected,
all suggestions will be given serious consideration. Earth
photography is dependent upon other mission activities (including
sleep periods), orbit track, Shuttle orientation, available film, and
cloud cover (although clouds may be a target). We will post of list of
significant photography, including photography related to requests,
and the photography may then be ordered through the Technology
Application Center in Albuquerque (505-277-3622). Realize that it
may be some time before the distribution centers receive their copies
of the film from which they make their products.
Regarding the last mission (STS-60): we are still trying to compile
the photography, but I hope to be able to post a listing of significant
photos within the next couple of days. Thank you for your patience.
Cindy Evans
Space Shuttle Earth Observations Office
[email protected]
% ====== Internet headers and postmarks (see DECWRL::GATEWAY.DOC) ======
% Date: Tue, 8 Mar 1994 17:10:51 MST
% Sender: VOLCANO <VOLCANO%[email protected]>
% From: [email protected]
% Subject: Earth Photos from the current Space Shuttle mission
% X-Cc: [email protected], [email protected]
% To: Multiple recipients of list VOLCANO
<VOLCANO%[email protected]>
|
| 876.32 | APU unit snafu...glitch? | LEVERS::BATTERSBY | | Wed Mar 09 1994 12:59 | 13 |
| I was over at a friends house wher they have NASA-Select. There
was a press briefing where it was mentioned about the "switching"
from the "A" foobar to the "B" foobar and the APU problem went
away. I somehow missed the context in which they were discussing
what exactly was switched to what, resulting in the problem going
away. Can anyone elaborate on the situation. It was mentioned (and
I also rad this in the paper), that in the past a mission citeria
was that if all three APU's were not functioning 100%, the mission
would be shortened. Are they (NASA) changing the citeria, or is it
that they don'tsee enough data to validate that they have a *real*
problem with the suspect APU unit?
bob
|
| 876.33 | | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Mar 09 1994 13:17 | 14 |
| Well the MCC Status Reports (available here and on the Web) cover this
pretty well..... rtfn? :-)
Briefly...
A fuel line on one of the APU's had a high-pressure reading. A backup
heater was turned on and the reading went away. They continue to keep
an eye on it perhaps more than they normally would.
Mission rules do not seem to be affected. The reading is now normal, therefore
the assumption is that APU is operable. All three must be considered operable
to remain on orbit - a condition which currently holds true.
- dave
|
| 876.34 | The HOSC for STS-62 (at MSFC) | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Wed Mar 09 1994 17:54 | 143 |
| From: [email protected] (David Cornutt)
Subject: Huntsville Operations Support Center for STS-62 and SEDS
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1994 14:24:16 GMT
Sorry this is late; I've been busy...
The following is not official news or opinion from NASA. It's just
material from my notes.
The MSFC Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) is supporting the
United States Microgravity Payload (USMP)-2 on the STS-62 flight. For
this flight, the HOSC is supporting the USMP cadre (which is similar to,
although smaller than, a regular Spacelab cadre), and the USMP science
users. Also, engineering support for the Advanced Protein Crystal
Growth (APCG) middeck experiment is being performed. In addition, USMP
systems support is being provided as a Spacelab Systems Engineering
(SSE) support function, along with normal HOSC launch support.
For this flight, the HOSC will be processing the following data: Orbiter
Downlink (OD), and USMP Payload Data Interleave (PDI) data. Also being
processed are JSC vector and attitude blocks, and Space Network User
Performance Data.
Six Experiment Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) subset data streams are
being generated (SAMS-1, SAMS-2, ZENO, AADSF, IDGE, and MEPHISTO
subsets), using 15 of 16 outputs on the RS-422 subset output rack.
(Also, two 1:4 distribution amps, and two 1:2 distribution amps are
being used to provide subsets to multiple destinations.) 1 of 8
subset/aux outputs on the DIMS rack is being used to route unprocessed
Orbiter Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) data to the SAMS team.
Command generation and uplink services are provided, including
processing of command acceptance patterns and command histories.
Marshall Data Reduction is providing near-real-time data sets to SAMS.
Downlink TV is being processed. Air-to-ground talk is not being used,
and the CIC console is not configured for this mission.
These remote sites are being supported: NASA-Lewis Research Center
(LeRC) with remote voice, EGSE subset data, and remote access to the
Operations Management Information System (OMIS); CNES-Toulouse, France,
with remote voice and EGSE subset data; CNES-Grenoble, France, with
remote voice only; and a remote APCG user at the KSC O&C building with
remote voice. In addition, the Remote Operations Data System is
providing LeRC with TCP/IP telemetry flow on a demonstration basis.
Data configuration is: Central Processor 1 (CP1) and Front End Processor
1 (FEP1) are prime for launch support, with CP3 and FEP3 as hot backup.
For flight, CP2 is prime for real-time data and commanding, with CP6
configured for playback data. CPs 3 and 5 will be on standby. FEP1 is
prime for in-flight OD preprocessing, with FEP3 on standby.
Facilities: The USMP Cadre, and the APCG engineering support personnel,
will use Payload Control Area-M (PCA-M). Spacelab Systems Engineering
is in PCA-A. SLS experiment teams are housed in the Science Operations
Area-E (SOA-E). These teams consist of:
1. Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), sponsored by LeRC.
This experiment is measuring the residual accelerations and vibrations
on board the Orbiter that result from things like thruster firings,
flash evaporator usage, and crew movement. They are supplying
accleration data to the other experiment teams in near real time. Their
functions include support of the Orbiter Acceleration Research
Experiment (OARE), sponsored by NASA-Langley Research Center (LaRC).
This is, I think, the eighth flight for SAMS, but only the second flight
on which real-time data and command capability have been available.
2. Critical Fluid Light Scattering, or Zeno (the name comes from a
Greek philosopher who first contemplated the nature of infinity),
sponsored by the University of Maryland. This experiment is measuring
physical properties that occur in a fluid that is heated, under high
pressure, very close to its critical point (the point where both liquid
and gas co-exist). The fluid being used is liquid xenon. This is
Zeno's first flight.
3. Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF),
sponsored by MSFC. This experiment is studying the growth and
crystallization of semiconductor materials in microgravity, using a
sample of cadmium bismuth telluride. This is AADSF's first flight (a
predecessor experiment has flown twice).
4. Isothermal Dendrite Growth Experiment (IDGE), sponsored by LeRC and
Rensslar Polytechnic Institute. This experiment is studying the chaotic
crystal structures that form when certain glasslike materials, such as
cast iron, solidify in microgravity. (The actual material being used is
an organic compound that melts at a low temperature.) This is IDGE's
first flight.
5. Materiel pour l'Etude des Phenomes Interessant la Solidification sur
la Terre et en Orbite (MEPHISTO), sponsored by the French space agency
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Their team includes guest
investigators from the University of Florida. This experiment is
studying the solidification front (the interface between liquid and
solid) in a sample of a bismuth-tin alloy, using techinques that involve
passing an electric current through the sample. This is MEPHISTO's
second flight.
Equipment allocations for the SOA-E are:
Floor space: about 3100 sq. ft.
HOSC terminals: 22
Voice keysets: 24
Dual 9" monitors: 11
13" monitors: 12
Video channel selectors: 12
Printers: 8
Strip chart recorders: 2
Launch support call-to-stations occurred 2/28 at 08:00 CDT.
The USMP cadre was on station at last Thursday at 07:00.
Level "A" support began Thursday at 23:00. Support will continue
through landing.
Also, during the STS-62 flight, the HOSC will be providing launch and
flight support for the second flight of the Small Expendable Deployer
System (SEDS-2). This is scheduled to launch on a Delta-II from Cape
Canaveral the night of March 9. The HOSC is supporting the SEDS science
team in the Science Operations Area-M (SOA-M), with unprocessed SEDS
data using 4 subset/aux outputs on the DIMS rack, and remote voice to
KSC, GSFC, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), and Air Force & ESA
tracking sites. SEDS launch obsevers are being supported in the Main
Conference Room with voice and video only. Equipment allocations for
the SOA-M for SEDS support are:
Floor space: about 750 sq. ft.
HOSC terminals: 0 (data processing not required)
Voice keysets: 6
Dual 9" monitors: 0
13" monitors: 4
Video channel selectors: 3
Printers: 0
Strip chart recorders: 0
Level "A" support begins 3/9 around 21:00 CST. Support continues through
end of mission, which is expected to last about 8 hours.
This will be the first time since the Skylab days that the HOSC
has performed two simultaneous flight supports.
--
David Cornutt, New Technology Inc., Huntsville, AL (205) 461-4517
([email protected])--my opinions/"Classical business structures are
self-perpetuating... For an idea to win acceptance, everyone must say yes,
but killing an idea requires only one no." -- _Reengineering the Corporation_
|
| 876.35 | MCC Status Reports #11-14 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Mar 11 1994 09:19 | 159 |
| STS-62 Mission Status Report #11
MISSION CONTROL CENTER
Wednesday, March 9, 1994, 8 a.m. CST
The first half of Flight Day 6 passed quietly this morning as STS-62 crew
members devoted their time to the secondary experiment housed in Columbia's
middeck.
Mission Specialist Sam Gemar returned to his work with the Middeck 0-Gravity
Dynamics Experiment. MODE is an instrumented model of a truss structure which
may be used on a future space station. Engineers will use data from the 77
experiment protocols to improve upon designs and procedures for building large
structures such a the International Space Station.
Pilot Andy Allen took time from his day to talk with reporters in Cleveland,
Ohio; Philadelphia, Penn.; and Knoxville, Tenn. Prior to his interview, Allen
discussed the medical tests that crew members are performing before during and
after the flight. Astronauts are collecting blood and urine samples to help
researchers determine the chemical regulatory changes the human body undergoes
while in space. Pre- and post-flight test study the crew members' gait,
steadiness while standing and exercise capacities.
Other crew members checked on the protein crystal growth experiments, performed
some Auroral Photography experiments and checked the orbiter windows for any
debris impacts. Later today, crew members will exercise using the Shuttle's
ergometer.
Columbia continues to function well and as a result is providing an excellent
platform for the mission's microgravity experiments as it orbits 160 nautical
miles above the Earth.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Mission Status Report #12
Wednesday, March 9, 1994, 4 p.m. CST
Five astronauts settled into a routine of medical experiments, crystal
growth experiments, space structure studies and exercise for a sixth day
aboard Columbia, not yet halfway through what is planned to be the second
longest Shuttle flight ever.
Columbia continued to perform trouble-free, allowing the crew's work and
the work of ground-based scientists controlling cargo bay experiments to
proceed uninterrupted. The activities in the cargo bay included
observations with the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument of
the cloud tops below, attempting to understand how clouds affect
satellite observations of the atmosphere. Scientists also studied the
ultraviolet light reflected from Earth's atmosphere above deserts in
North Africa and Saudi Arabia, gathering information that may explain why
such reflections appear different over deserts than they do above oceans
and forests. Using satellites to measure the amount of ultraviolet light
reflected from the atmosphere is a method of determining the amount of
ozone and other gases.
Elsewhere in the payload bay, instruments with the Office of Aeronautics
and Space Technology-2 experiment package remained on schedule with their
observations. The Experiment for the Investigation of Spacecraft Glow,
or EISG, continued observations of a glow around the Shuttle caused by
contact with atomic gases, and it also recorded changes in the phenomena
due to a magnetic storm. An experiment, called BETSU, that studies
supercooling technology in weightlessness through the use of supercold,
or cryogenic gases, and heat pipe radiators, achieved some of the coldest
temperatures ever in orbit. Such supercooling is commonly used for
sensitive scientific instruments.
Columbia's crew took time out today to salute the 60th anniversary of the
birthday of Yuri Gagarin, the cosmonaut who became the first person to
fly in space aboard Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961. Gagarin, born March 9,
1934, died in a 1968 plane crash while in training for a second space
flight. Commander John Casper also sent well-wishes to his fellow
astronauts -- Ken Cameron, Bonnie Dunbar and Norm Thagard -- who are
currently in Russia.
The crew went to sleep at 2:33 p.m. central and will awaken at 10:33 p.m.
for a seventh day in space.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #13
Thursday, March 10, 1994, 8 a.m. CST
Columbia continues to function as expected on the seventh day of its 16th
flight as the STS-62 crew continues to work with the mission's middeck
experiments.
Mission Specialist Sam Gemar, who continued his work with the Middeck 0-
Gravity Dynamics Experiment, took time from his work to talk with Dr.
William Gutsch of the Hayden Planetarium about the structures experiment.
Using a piano wire, Gemar demonstrated how truss structures and mass
react to stresses in space. With fishing floats attached at both ends to
represent mass, each side of the wire bobbed evenly. However, with the
floats both on one end, the free end of the wire bobbled dramatically
while the side with the floats remained stable. Information collected
from MODE during the mission will be used by designers to refine plans
for future space structures such as the International Space Station.
Payload controllers opted to cancel data takes for the Auroral
Photography Experiment and the Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft
Glow this afternoon to conserve the crew's on-board film for the later
phases of the mission. A separate EISG data take was performed as
scheduled. The two experiments are being used to develop an
understanding of the physical processes that lead to the phenomena of
spacecraft glow.
Earlier today, crew members checked the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth
experiments, the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Module and the
Physiological Systems Experiment. All three secondary payloads are
functioning as expected. Columbia currently is in a 164 by 160 nautical
mile orbit, circling the Earth once every 90 minutes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #14
Thursday, March 10, 1994, 3:30 p.m. CST
Columbia's crew wrapped up another smooth day aboard their spacecraft early
this afternoon, completing all of their planned experiments and offering
explanations of some the experiments aboard for those watching on Earth.
Mission Specialist Sam Gemar, who continued his work with the Middeck 0-
Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE), explained the goals of the study, which
features a miniature space truss structure, to Dr. William Gutsch of the Hayden
Planetarium in New York. Gemar also fielded several questions about the
apparatus and how it will assist designers of the space station.
Marine Corps Pilot Andy Allen received notice today from Columbia Commander
John Casper that he had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
effective immediately. During a television downlink from the Orbiter, Allen
explained the operation of the Zeno experiment mounted in the cargo bay. Using
a small vial filled with freon, Allen showed how a gas reaches its critical
point, a temperature and pressure where it is simultaneously liquid and gas.
The Zeno experiment is an investigation to find the critical point of the gas
xenon in weightlessness. Allen described how knowing the critical point of
water has allowed the development of methods to decaffienate coffee, among
other benefits such knowledge about other substances could bring.
The crew rounded out their seventh day with an exercise session, checks of the
crystal growth experiments, and a final description by Gemar of another aspect
of the MODE experiment, a study of crew forces that may be imparted to
structures in the space station through handholds and foot restraints.
In the cargo bay, operations with the OAST-2 payload are continuing on schedule
and are performing as expected. The Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft
Glow (EISG) experiment collected data on atmospheric airglow and ram glow
during six additional night passes. Spacecraft Kinetic Infrared Test (SKIRT)
systems are operating as expected, receiving excellent data on the glow
phenomenon in the infrared (IR) region of the light spectrum. SKIRT
measurements should prove invaluable for planning future Earth Observing System
(EOS) measurements.
The STS-62 crew begain their 8 hour sleep period at 2:13 p.m. CST this
afternoon. They are scheduled to be awakened to begin their eighth day in
space at 10:13 p.m. CST this evening.
|
| 876.36 | USMP-2 Status Report #6 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Mar 11 1994 09:20 | 62 |
| USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #6
9:00 a.m. CST, March 10, 1994
6/01:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama
"One factor that has really contributed to the success of this
flight is the teamwork among all the investigators to maximize
total science return," Assistant Mission Manager Sherwood Anderson
commented as the sixth day of the second United States Microgravity
Payload (USMP-2) mission was winding up this morning.
"Our measurements are progressing as expected. We are acquiring
Seebeck, thermal, and resistance data from our samples and
coorrelating them with the growth conditions," said Dr. Reza
Abbaschian, principal investigator for the MEPHISTO investigation.
"Everything is going extremely well. We are very pleased with the
results."
MEPHISTO, a cooperative French-U.S. solidification investigation,
monitors real-time temperature and other experimental data as a
molten metal turns into a solid. Because the molten material, an
alloy of bismuth and a small amount of tin, is not transparent,
researchers monitor electronic impulses to gain detailed insight
into conditions at the solid-liquid interface where crystal growth
is actually occurring.
A crystal of mercury cadmium telluride in the Advanced Automated
Directional Solidification Furnance (AADSF) is estimated to have
been growing in a steady mode in microgravity for about two days.
Semiconductor crystals are grown at a super slow rate in orbit
which is about the same speed used on Earth in the electronic
production industry. By duplicating this experiment in an
environment free from the effects of gravity, scientists hope to
grow a more perfect crystal with evenly distributed chemical
composition. The chemical composition and crystal structure will
be analyzed to confirm scientific theories about the growth
process.
The Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, called Zeno, is
operating "exceptionally well," Project Manager Richard Lauver
reports. "We expect to learn more about the unique attributes of
the fluid, xenon, in a low-gravity environment. The Zeno
experiment is collecting its primary data set today. These light
scattering optical measurements will help test theories at
temperatures closer to the critical point than is possible on
Earth."
The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) is now acquiring
television images of dendritic crystals being grown to obtain
extraordinarily accurate data at the lowest supercoolings ever
recorded. "These procedures are saving precious onboard
photographic film and permitting the acquisition of unanticipated
scientific results," Dr. Martin Glicksman, principal investigator,
said.
During the past 24 hours, the Space Acceleration Measurement System
continued to monitor the minor accelerations associated with
attitude-control thruster firings and crew activity. These do not
appear to have an adverse effect on the four scientific
experiments.
|
| 876.37 | MCC Status Reports #15-19 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Mon Mar 14 1994 10:07 | 220 |
| Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #15
Friday, March 11, 1994, 8 a.m. CST
The STS-62 mission passed the halfway point this morning as crew members
kept busy with middeck and orbiter activities.
Marking the mid-point of the mission, Commander John Casper switched
several of the environmental control systems to their backups for on-
orbit check out. The procedures require crew members to switch to the
alternate humidity separator, cabin pressure and temperature control
systems, orbiter heaters, and carbon dioxide removal system.
Columbia also changed attitudes for the first time since launch day.
Columbia is now orbiting with its tail pointing toward the Earth and the
payload bay pointing in the direction of travel or the "ram" position.
With the maneuver, Casper closed and opened sample trays for the Long
Duration Space Environment Candidate Material Exposure (LDCE) experiment.
The LDCE consists of three identical sample plates with 264 samples of
various materials used in space vehicles. One of the sample plates will
be exposed to the space environment for most of the mission. One will be
exposed only when the payload bay is pointing in the ram position - or
pointing into the direction of travel - and a third is exposed only when
the orbiter is not in the ram position.
Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins was interviewed by students at the Bronx
High School of Science. The students asked a variety of questions about
the microgravity experiments being conducted during the mission on living
and working in space.
Also today, Mission Specialist Sam Gemar and Pilot Andy Allen each
completed 45-minute ramp tests in the lower body negative pressure unit,
and performed more tests with the Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment.
Astronauts also performed the standard checks of the protein crystal
growth and rodent experiments housed in Columbia's middeck.
PUBLIC:[NASA.HYPERTEXT.STS-62]MCC_16.TXT;1
STS-62 Status Report #16
Mission Control Center
Friday, March 11, 1994
4 p.m. CST
Columbia continues to provide a stable platform for the U.S. Microgravity
Payload and Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology instruments in the
payload bay, as well as a host of materials processing, biomedical and
technology development experiments inside the crew cabin.
Also today, Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins was interviewed by students at the
Bronx High School of Science.
The STS-62 crew began its sleep shift on time at 1:53 p.m. CST, and will
awaken at 9:53 p.m. CST to begin its ninth day of orbit operations.
Flight controllers in Houston were putting the finishing touches on a plan to
uplink more digital video to the crew tomorrow. The plan requires procedural
changes on the ground, but no action by the crew.
During the latter part of the day on Saturday, the crew will unlatch the
shuttle's robot arm and use it to help troubleshoot some off-nominal reception
from the Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft Glow instrument in the
payload bay. The arm's end effector camera will be used to get a birds-eye
view of EISG in operation.
Columbia continues to circle the globe in a 160 by 163 nautical mile orbit with
its tail pointing toward the Earth and its payload bay pointing in the
direction of travel. All orbiter systems are working well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #17
Saturday, March 12, 1994, 8 a.m. CST
The STS-62 crew is putting Columbia's robotic arm to work this morning to
survey the assortment of scientific experiments riding in the payload bay.
Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins will move the arm around to the Experimental
Investigation of Spacecraft Glow equipment to look at the Far Ultraviolet
spectrometer. The survey is part of troubleshooting efforts to regain the full
capabilities of the spectrometer. The FUV spectrometer observed glow spectra
during operations on Friday. Payload controllers now believe that the FUV is
either operating at a lower gain or is partially blocked and are waiting for
the robotic arm inspection to ascertain the status of the optical channel.
One of the highlights of this morning's activities was video of a cyclone in
the Indian Ocean. Columbia passed directly over the eye of the storm on the
spacecraft's 125th orbit of the Earth.
Also today, Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen spent some time working
with the Portable In-flight Landing Operations Trainer. Using a laptop computer
with landing simulation software and a rotational hand controller, Casper and
Allen practiced simulated approach and landings at the Kennedy Space Center.
The test is designed to evaluate a simulator's ability to assist in maintaining
crew members' piloting proficiency during extended-duration missions.
Ivins performed another test of the Ku-Band Communications Adapter. Several
files were sent to the shuttle using the high-speed computer communications
system. The high speed data transfer system will improve the current S-Band
significantly.
Other activities on the middeck included more Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics
Experiment operations and checks on the protein crystal growth experiments, the
Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus and the rodents flying as part of
the Physiological Systems Experiments.
Columbia continues to perform well on its sixteenth flight. Overnight, an
alarm caused by cold temperatures in a steering jet woke the crew. Since that
time the jet has warmed up and is functioning normally.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #18
Saturday, March 12, 1994
7 p.m. Central
Columbia's five astronauts are scheduled to be awakened just before 10 tonight
central time to begin their tenth flight day in space. While traditional
wakeup music will be played, the crew has the first half of the day off, so
little, if any, communications between Mission Control and the orbiter is
planned during that time period.
Just before 5 p.m. the crew was awakened when one of the small thruster jets in
the nose of the vehicle got colder than expected. The problem was quickly
solved by adjusting Columbia's attitude in space by pitching the nose slightly
to create slightly more drag which, in turn, causes the thruster jet to fire
more frequently keeping itself warmer.
The orbiter's tail to the Earth, and belly forward position puts the least
amount of drag on the spacecraft, thus requiring fewer jet firings for
repositioning. The current attitude is required for payload activities
associated with the U.S. Microgravity Payload and Office of Aeronautics and
Space Technology experiments housed in the orbiter's payload bay. The small
pitch change does not impact data gathering in support of those experiments and
should permit more jet firings, thus preventing a recurrence of the alarm.
Earlier today, the crew conducted a survey of Columbia's payloads using the
robotic arm. The RMS, as it is called, was moved around the Experimental
Investigation of Spacecraft Glow equipment to look at the Far Ultraviolet
spectrometer. The survey was part of troubleshooting efforts to regain the
full capabilities of the spectrometer. The FUV spectrometer observed glow
spectra during operations on Friday.
One of the highlights of this morning's activities was video of Litanne (la-
tane), a cyclone in the Indian Ocean.
Also today, Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen spent some time working
with the Portable In-flight Landing Operations Trainer. Using a laptop computer
with landing simulation software and a rotational hand controller, Casper and
Allen practiced simulated approach and landings at the Kennedy Space Center.
The test is designed to evaluate a simulator's ability to assist in maintaining
proficiency during extended-duration missions.
Marsha Ivins performed another test of the Ku-Band Communications Adapter.
Several files were sent to the shuttle using the high-speed computer
communications system. The high speed data transfer system will improve the
current S-Band significantly.
After wakeup tonight and the half day off, the crew will work with many of the
experiments on board, including the commercial protein crystal growth
investigation and the shuttle glow experiment called EISG. Tomorrow's work will
gather data on the glow phenomena around the vehicle during orbiter thruster
firings that routinely occur to maintain attitude.
The crew will also participate in a press conference from space beginning at
about 6:53 a.m. As is routine on all shuttle flights, the crew answers
questions from news media located at several NASA centers around the country.
Tomorrow's press conference will include reporters located at the Johnson
Space Center in Houston and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #19
Sunday, March 13, 1994
8 a.m. Central
After being off duty for the first half of its day, the STS-62 crew is now
working through today's middeck activities.
Crew members answered questions from reporters at the Johnson Space Center in
Houston and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Commander John Casper said
crew members were pleased with the progress of the mission so far. He also
said the experiments flying on STS-62 could some day result in fast computers,
lighter metal alloys for cars, new drugs and new technologies for future space
missions.
"We're proving that we can do world class science on the Space Shuttle," Casper
said.
Today's other activities include the daily checks on the Commercial Protein
Crystal Growth experiment and the Physiological Systems Experiment. They also
will be conducting more data takes with the Shuttle glow experiment called the
Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft Glow (EISG). The EISG gathers data on
the glow phenomena around the vehicle during orbiter thruster firings that
routinely occur to maintain attitude.
During yesterday's sleep period, the crew was awakened when one of the small
thruster jets in the nose of the vehicle got colder than expected. The problem
was quickly solved by adjusting Columbia's attitude in space by pitching the
nose to create slightly more drag which, in turn, causes the thruster jet to
fire more frequently keeping itself warmer.
Since that time, the position of the Orbiter has been tweaked slightly several
times to find an attitude that would keep the jet within temperature limits
without excessive firings that might impact the sensitive microgravity
experiments. Currently, the Orbiter's tail is pointing toward the Earth and
the belly is pointing forward with a five degree pitch and yaw bias. The pitch
and yaw adjustment does not impact data gathering in support of the
experiments.
All major systems on Columbia continue to perform as expected.
|
| 876.38 | USMP-2 Status Reports #7-9 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Mon Mar 14 1994 10:08 | 304 |
| USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #7
9:00 a.m. CST, March 11, 1994
7/01:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
After flying for about 160 hours with its payload bay toward Earth,
Columbia changed its attitude at 3:45 CST this morning, maneuvering
so that Columbia's tail is now facing the Earth for the remainder
of the the second United States Microgravity Payload portion of
the STS-62 mission.
The MEPHISTO solidification furnace team was especially interested
in data collected by their experiment during the Shuttle maneuver,
to evaluate the effect of gravity jitters and other accelerations
associated with the attitude change and new orientation. Tail down
attitude will allow MEPHISTO to better compare data to results from
USMP-1.
A dramatic demonstration in the area of fundamental physics was
provided from Columbia on Wednesday. Pilot Andrew Allen
demonstrated what was taking place in the Critical Fluid Light
Scattering Experiment, known as Zeno, located in Columbia's cargo
bay. Video downlink of the experiment, illustrated in color for
the first time from orbit, showed the phase change as a fluid
crossed its critical temperature and separated into gas and liquid
phases.
"We've never had a chance to carefully observe this phase change on
Earth. The slow motion of the action on orbit was quite dramatic,"
commented Richard Lauver, Zeno project manager.
Allen held the pressurized container -- about the size of a silver
dollar -- against a window of the Shuttle. Light bouncing off
Columbia's tail backlit the fluid encapsulated within the clear
windowed cylinder centered in the container. Heat from Allen's
hand caused the liquid in the cylinder to boil and change to the
single-phase vapor state. As the fluid began to condense it became
turbulent and cloudy -- as opaque as milk.
The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF)
had completed the desired steady-state crystal growth phase of the
experiment by early today. This crystal growth took place during
optimal microgravity conditions provided by Columbia during the
prolonged period of stable orientation, uninterrupted by
maneuvers. "We feel great that the furnace performed exactly as we
had planned," said Ching-Hua Su, a science team member for the
experiment.
The team sent commands early this morning to change the translation
rate, or movement speed, of the container holding the crystal of
mercury cadmium telluride. The sudden growth-rate change created a
demarcation, or reference point in the crystal, which can be
correlated precisely to a specific mission time. After Columbia
lands next week, the team will polish and etch the crystal. The
marker will permit scientists to determine the position and the
shape of the solid-liquid growth interface. This will provide
information for theoretical analysis and serve as a time reference
to correlate other crystal features with orbital events, such as
the Shuttle's attitude change today.
The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) continued to
accumulate photographs and video images of crystalline dendrites
grown in the absence of gravity. These crystals look like
Christmas tree structures. Photographs are taken of each axis each
time the crystal is grown. The photographs together with slow-scan
television images have produced a comprehensive microgravity data
set of "unprecedented accuracy and range" said Martin Glicksman,
principal investigator for the experiment's first flight. The data
will provide a standard for testing solidification theories and
mathematical models.
The Space Acceleration Measurement Sysstem (SAMS) monitored the
small disturbances to the Shuttle's microgravity environment during
the attitude transition. The real-time monitoring capability of
the SAMS instruments provides a mechanism to monitor such
vibrations which can have an effect, similar to gravity, on the
USMP experiments.
The USMP-2 mission is managed for NASA by the Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville, Ala.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #8
8:00 a.m. CST, March 12, 1994
7/24:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
The Shuttle's capability to conduct "telescience" or remotely
monitor the experiments and change their processes using
communications technology is greatly enhancing the final few days
of the second United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2) portion
of the STS-62 mission.
Since three of the USMP-2 investigations are flying for the first
time, investigators are able to adjust their experiments based on
findings gained during the past few days about how their
experiments react in a microgravity environment. Changes are being
implemented on the experiment in near real time rather than waiting
for a second mission.
"'Telescience' aboard Columbia is the closest thing a scientist can
get, without actually being there, to the way he would conduct his
experiment on Earth. Investigators are seeing the data and
fine-tuning the research operations by sending commands to the
cargo bay from the ground," Don Reiss, assistant mission scientist,
said.
Science teams are excited about the greatly enhanced quality of the
data they will be able to analyze after Columbia lands next
Friday.
A semiconductor sample made up of three elements, mercury, cadmium
and tellurium, has entered the third and final stage of crystal
growth in the Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace
(AADSF). After Columbia lands, scientists will determine the
composition of the crystal at the beginning, middle and end of the
solidification process, to understand the atomic-level movement of
the mercury and cadmium constituents while the material was
molten. They expect more mercury atoms to be present in the
crystal grown during this third phase.
"This material is used in the most sensitive infrared detectors,"
Dr. Frank Szofran, AADSF co-investigator, said, "but it also yields
excellent information on a purely scientific level. It is
difficult to grow a good crystal on Earth from the molten state of
a liquid because of convection -- the movement of fluids caused by
gravity. In a microgravity environment, the substantial reduction
of convection makes it possible to grow much better crystals,"
The "telescience" capability also is allowing a great deal of
flexibility for the scientists and engineers operating the MEPHISTO
directional solidification furnace. They have been able to adjust
their procedures in real time to enhance the quality of data.
During the past 24 hours, team members have been sending commands
to optimize the conditions for their "Peltier sample runs," named
after J.C.A. Peltier, a French watchmaker-turned-scientist.
Peltier observed that if an electrical current is pulsed through
the junction between two conductors, heat is either absorbed or
released at the junction depending on the direction of the
current. Using this effect, the shape of the solid-liquid
interface during crystal solidification can be physically marked.
While the three stationary, rod-shaped samples of bismuth and tin
have been processed simultaneously to date, scientists now want to
"freeze" a portion of the sample containing the Peltier marks for
further study after Columbia lands. Therefore, this part of the
experiment was scheduled for the final three days of the USMP-2
portion of STS-62. This experiment will help scientists better
understand the effects of gravity on crystal solidification.
The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment team analyzed the effect
of Columbia's new maneuver to a new attitude early Friday. "We
observed an eight to ten percent change in dendritic growth
velocity when the Shuttle changed to a tail down attitude," Dr.
Matthew Koss, IDGE project scientist, said. "This indicates the
exquisite sensitivity of dendritic growth -- at a very small
temperature difference below its freezing point -- and our
instrument's capability to detect small differences in the
microgravity environment."
The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) relies on
"telescience" to aid the other USMP experiments "to better capture
important scientific events," said Julio C. Acevedo, SAMS interface
engineer.
At the request of principal investigators, controllers for SAMS
have been sending manual commands more frequently during the past
24 hours to turn SAMS recorder disk drives on and off, optimizing
memory capacity.
The team monitoring the Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment,
called Zeno, is manually sending commands in real time to change
the temperature to which their fluid sample, xenon, is being
cooled.
In orbit, the computer programmed temperature manipulations, in
response to xenon fluid's temperature, were not easily interpreted
when the fluid approached its critical temperature. The
temperature was being automatically changed, be extremely small
amounts, every 30 minutes. Computers plotting the data here at
Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., indicated that
very slow fluid response was not allowing the optical measurement
to reach a plateau. Consequently, investigators are manually
issuing each temperature-change command only after a new, steady
measurement response has been seen. This permits a more efficient,
closer approach to the critical temperature of xenon, which the
scientists want to identify as precisely as possible during the
remainder of the mission.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #9
9:00 a.m. CST, March 12, 1994
9/01:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
A microgravity investigation has set a scientific precedent in
critical phenomena measurements, previously unattainable on Earth
during the ninth day of the second United States Microgravity
Payload (USMP-2) mission.
Scientists with the Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment used
their Zeno apparatus to more precisely pinpoint the critical
temperature of the xenon fluid by manually commanding it through a
temperature-scanning process.
Following that, the Zeno team commanded the instrument to collect
more dynamic light-scattering measurements of the critical point
behavior. Each of these measurements involves an extended period
at a fixed temperature, which is precisely offset from the critical
temperature. The scattered light is modulated by density
fluctuations in the fluid -- appearing like twinkling stars. Both
the frequency and the intensity of the scattered light are analyzed
by the Zeno instrument. As the temperature of the fluid xenon
approaches its critical point, the fluctuations of the fluid become
larger and slower as the xenon sample begins separating into liquid
and vapor phases from the initial single fluid phase.
"Measuring the dynamics of these 'critical fluctuations' is the
core of the Zeno experiment. We are exploring a realm of fluid
temperatures not accessible on Earth," Zeno Project Manager Richard
Lauver commented.
Up to this point of STS-62, investigators with the Isothermal
Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) have set their sample's
temperature at specific levels below its freezing point and
carefully controlled where and when each dendrite grew inside the
experiment chamber. This provided the best opportunity for
photographing and measuring the dendrites.
"Yesterday, once again, we tried using our 'telescience' capability
to accomplish some enhanced science. We measured how far below the
freezing point we could cool our sample before it spontaneously
solidifies," said Dr. Martin Glicksman, IDGE principal
investigator. "In this mode we nucleated the dendrites at some
unknown location, probably on the chamber wall, and established the
operating supercooling limit in microgravity."
The IDGE team continues to use careful manipulations of their
sample temperature for growth cycles. Today, they will try to
determine how small a temperature difference below the freezing
point they can introduce and still spontaneously grow a dendrite.
MEPHISTO team members are continuing to gather scientific data and
using remote commanding to permanently mark the interface between
solid and liquid as solidification is carried out at different
speeds. They have also started a new series of "Seebeck
measurements." (These are named for medical doctor-turned-
physicist, T.J. Seebeck, who observed the first major
thermoelectric effect. Seebeck noted that the junctions between
two different metals maintained at different temperatures generate
an electric current inside the materials.) This behavior allows
scientists to measure temperature in the MEPHISTO instrument. This
technique is used to measure the interface undercooling in real
time, while the alloy freezes, without interfering with the growth
process.
"The solidification interface itself acts as a thermocouple," said
Dr. Jean-Jacques Favier, French co-investigator for MEPHISTO.
"This is great because we do not disturb the solidification front
at all. It is a natural junction. The Seebeck thermoelectric
effect is a very sensitive technique to track any change in the
morphologies (shape) of the forming solidification structure."
The joint U.S.-French investigation is making interface demarcation
and Seebeck measurements to gain information about growth rate
through electrical resistance measurements, interface shapes and
interface undercooling. These findings are important for
understanding solidification and crystal growth dynamics that can
be used to improve processes for making materials ranging from
heavy metals to airplane turbine blades and electronic equipment on
Earth.
Columbia executed an 180-degree roll turning its belly into the
direction of travel Saturday morning. Orbiter maneuvers are one of
the activities being monitored by instruments of the Space
Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) on USMP-2. "The
acceleration levels for the 180-degree roll were 10 times less than
for the tail-down attitude change on Friday," John Heese, SAMS
mechanical engineer, said. "We saw the effects of the thruster
firings for 10 seconds."
The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF)
is continuing in the final phase of its experiment. Scientists
predict the sample will complete its solidification cycle within
the next 24 hours. This is an estimate based on past ground-based
experiments and downlinked data, because the nature of the sample
prevents locating sensors inside the sample. Therefore, the
furnace will continue operations through Tuesday to ensure that all
of the semiconductor sample comprised of mercury, cadmium and
tellurium has solidified.
Science operations continue to go smoothly at the Marshall Space
Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Early this morning, science team
members were especially gratified to see spectacular real-time
video of their instruments in the Shuttle cargo bay with a
panoramic view of the Earth in the background.
|
| 876.39 | MCC Status Reports #20-27 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Thu Mar 17 1994 20:00 | 290 |
| Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #20
Sunday, March 13, 1994
5 p.m. Central
The five member crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia is in its sleep shift after
completing a 10th day in orbit.
The crew began its standard eight hour sleep shift a little before two this
afternoon and is scheduled to wake up at 9:53 tonight.
Commander John Casper, Pilot Andy Allen and Mission Specialists Pierre Thuot,
Sam Gemar and Marsha Ivins enjoyed a relatively light day of work, taking the
first half of the day off, and spending the second half working with middeck
experiments.
During an in-flight news conference, the crew responded to questions ranging
from budget cutbacks and safety, to experimentation and life on the planned
international space station.
Activities this evening in the Mission Control Center will focus on preparing,
reviewing and uplinking messages outlining any changes to the crew's scheduled
activities for flight day eleven in space.
Flight Day 11 will involve work with the Dexterous End Effector (DEE) as well
as many of the middeck materials processing, protein crystal growth and
biomedical experiments being carried in the Orbiter's middeck.
DEE, a magnetic grappling device, will be evaluated while connected to the end
of the Shuttle's robot arm. The current grappling device utilizes wire snares
to lock on to deployable and retrievable payloads.
Casper and Allen will lower the Shuttle's altitude early Monday morning from
164 nautical miles to 140 nautical miles with orbital maneuvering system burns
at 1:03 a.m. and 1:44 a.m. The lower altitude provides an additional data
source supporting several payloads on board, including Shuttle glow
observations.
With Columbia's systems performing near flawlessly, the vehicle continues to
provide a stable platform for the conduct of science experiments in support of
the STS-62 mission. The orbiter is presently in a 164 by 159 nautical mile
orbit, circling the Earth every 90 minutes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #21
Monday, March 14, 1994
6 a.m. Central
Awakened for their tenth day in space to the song "Starship Trooper" performed
by the group Yes, Columbia's crew started the day by lowering the Shuttle's
orbit by about 20 nautical miles and shifting the focus of science onboard to
the second major goal of the flight.
Experiments and observations in the cargo bay now focus on the interaction of
the Shuttle with atomic oxygen, nitrogen and other gases in orbit, an
interaction that causes a well-known glowing effect around the surfaces of the
spacecraft. The lower orbit increases the effect, and instruments with the
Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 (OAST-2) package have now taken
center stage for the mission.
Early this morning, Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen fired Columbia's
orbital maneuvering system engines twice to descend from a 161 by 157 nautical
mile high orbit to a 140 nautical mile circular orbit. Shortly thereafter,
observations by OAST-2 began with a three-minute release of nitrogen gas from a
canister in the cargo bay and a study of its effect on the glow of a special
plate, constructed of materials that may be used on future satellites. Later,
Columbia, with tail pointed toward Earth, performed a 25- minute long series of
360-degree spins to allow observations by OAST-2's Spacecraft Kinetic Infrared
Test instrument. Such observations by both instruments will set the pace for
the ensuing days of the flight.
Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins and Sam Gemar each took a turn evaluating a
tracking system for Columbia's mechanical arm today as well. Part of the
Dexterous End Effector (DEE) experiment, the system uses a mirror near the end
of the arm, flashing light-emitting diodes, a cargo bay camera and a portable
computer to assist an astronaut in finely aligning the arm, an alignment that
may one day be required for delicate construction tasks. Each crew member also
took a turn at exercise as has been the daily routine during the long-duration
flight.
The astronauts will continue to work with these expeiments for the remaining
part of their day, and they will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 1:53 p.m.
central and awaken at 9:53 p.m. to start Day Eleven. On its 159th orbit,
Columbia is in excellent condition and flight controllers have noted no new
problems with the spacecraft's systems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #22
Monday, March 14, 1994
4 p.m. Central
As payload cameras showed the Earth vista from 140 nautical miles up, the The
STS-62 crew of Columbia sent a special goodnight message -- the Bette Midler
song "From a Distance" -- for the men and women watching over them from below
in Houston.
The message came at the end of a busy 11th day of on-orbit operations that
featured a shift in focus from United States Microgravity Payload-2 to work
with the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 (OAST-2) package.
Observations in the cargo bay are now concentrating on the interaction of
Shuttle surfaces with atomic oxygen, nitrogen and other gases as they ram
through the rarified atmosphere at 17,500 miles an hour. Early in the day,
Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen lowered Columbia's orbit by 20
nautical miles to support the OAST-2 shuttle glow observations.
Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins, Sam Gemar and Pierre Thuot each took a turn
evaluating a tracking and grapple system for Columbia's robot arm. The
Dexterous End Effector (DEE) demonstration also looked at the forces generated
by arm movements when its magnetic end effector was engaged. The forces were
recorded by a Force Torque Sensor that also is part of the DEE equipment.
The astronauts are scheduled to awaken at 9:53 p.m. to start their 12th day of
work in space. Columbia is in excellent condition and flight controllers have
noted no new problems with the spacecraft's systems.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #23
Tuesday, March 15, 1994
8 a.m. Central
Columbia's crew spent the first half of their 12th day in space evaluating new
technologies that may one day expand the reach of the Shuttle's mechanical arm.
Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins, Pierre Thuot and Sam Gemar took turns
operating the arm to test new technology called the Dexterous End Effector
(DEE). DEE includes a magnetic grasping mechanism, a sensor that determines
the force being applied by the arm and displays that information to the
operator, and a tracking system that allows the arm to be precisely aligned.
The crew gave good reviews to the technology during the morning, testing it by
using the 50-foot-long arm to insert pins into sockets that had progressively
smaller clearances, ranging from 12/100ths of an inch of clearance for the
loosest to 3/100ths of an inch for the tightest. Later, a foot-wide flat beam
was inserted into a slot and then moved back and forth to correlate readings by
the force sensor, technology that also was highly complimented by the crew.
While DEE operations progressed on the flight deck, Gemar and Pilot Andy Allen
each had one ramp session in the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) device. A
medical experiment, LBNP imitates gravity by using low air pressure around the
lower half of the body to pull body fluids downward. Body fluids shift upward
in weightlessness, away from the lower extremeties, and LBNP, in addition to
gathering medical data, serves to counteract this effect and helps astronauts
more easily readapt to gravity upon their return to Earth.
The crew was awakened to the song "View From Above," written and performed by
Allison Brown, who was inspired to write the song by Ivins. Columbia,
continuing to perform in excellent shape, remains in an orbit with a high point
of 141 nautical miles and a low point of 139 nautical miles. The crew will
begin an eight-hour sleep period at 1:53 p.m. Central today.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
STS-62 Status Report #24
MISSION CONTROL CENTER
Tuesday, March 15, 1994
4 p.m. Central
Columbia's robot arm drivers engaged in some light-hearted competition with the
Dexterous End Effector (DEE) today and sent down a video tour of their aft
flight deck work station.
Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins, Pierre Thuot and Sam Gemar took turns
operating DEE, which includes a magnetic grasping mechanism, a sensor that
determines the force being applied by the arm and displays that information to
the operator, and a tracking system that allows the arm to be precisely
aligned. At one point, Ivins challenged her cohorts to match the precision
with which she was able to maneuver the robot arm.
The crew used the 50-foot-long arm to insert pins into sockets that had
progressively smaller clearances, ranging from 12/100ths of an inch of
clearance for the loosest to 3/100ths of an inch for the tightest. Later, a
foot- wide flat beam was inserted into a slot and then moved back and forth to
correlate readings by the force sensor.
The Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 payload took center stage
among the scientific investigations in the payload bay. The crew cooperated
with investigators of the Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft Glow
instruments, positioning the robot arm's camera above its sample plate in
between DEE runs. A low-light camera in the payload bay that was supposed to
have recorded the effects of gaseous nitrogen releases and their effect on
shuttle glow failed earlier in the mission.
The Space Shuttle Backscatter Ultraviolet instruments in the payload bay also
continued to take readings that will be used to help calibrate free-flying
satellites that continually monitor the ozone content of Earth's atmosphere.
The crew began an eight-hour sleep shift at 1:53 p.m. CST, and will be
awakened at 9:53 p.m. CST. About 2:08 a.m. CST, a fifth orbital maneuvering
system burn will lower the perigee of Columbia's orbit to 105 nautical miles
for additional spacecraft glow measurements.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #25
Wednesday, March 16, 1994
7:30 a.m. CST
Columbia's Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen started out their 13th
day in orbit with an eye toward the trip home, performing a standard check of
the systems Columbia will use for entry and landing.
For the first part of the morning's flight control systems checkout, the crew
used auxiliary power unit 3, one of three units that supply power for the
spacecraft's hydraulic systems during launch and landing. APU 3, which had
been the subject of scrutiny early in the mission due to high pressure readings
in a fuel line, operated normally.
Following the checkout, the crew fired Columbia's orbital maneuvering system
engines for 38 seconds, dropping one side of the Shuttle's orbit by about 35
nautical miles to the lowest orbital altitude of any Shuttle flight to date.
Columbia is now in an elliptical orbit with a high point of 140 nautical miles
and a low point of 105 nautical miles. The lower orbit is required for
continuing observations of the glowing effect created as the Shuttle interacts
with atomic oxygen and other gases in low orbit.
During the first shuttle glow observations in the new orbit, Mission Specialist
Pierre Thuot reported the glowing effect was much more pronounced at the lower
altitude. The crew also activated the Limited Duration Candidate Materials
Exposure, or LDCE, experiment, exposing materials to the low-orbit environment
that are under study for use on future spacecraft.
The crew also began another series of evaluations of the Dexterous End Effector
equipment using the shuttle's mechanical arm, testing the technology's magnetic
grapple system, alignment system and force sensor.
The crew was awakened last night by the song "Traveling Prayer" performed by
Billy Joel. Columbia remains scheduled for a landing Friday morning.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #27
Thursday, March 17, 1994
7 a.m. CST
Columbia's five astronauts this morning performed final checks of their
spacecraft, wrapped up their experiments and began packing their bags in
preparation for a return to Earth tomorrow.
Columbia is scheduled to fire its orbital engines at 6:18 a.m. Central on
Friday to begin a descent that will culminate with a touchdown on the Kennedy
Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility runway at 7:09 a.m. CST. Weather
conditions in Florida are forecast to be favorable for the landing.
Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen test-fired Columbia's 38 primary
steering jets early this morning, finding them all in good shape for the trip
home. Later, Casper and Allen each spent time practicing landings using a
portable computer simulation designed for the Shuttle.
Meanwhile, Mission Specialist Sam Gemar spent four hours in the Lower Body
Negative Pressure Device (LBNP) a medical device that may assist astronauts to
more easily readapt to Earth's gravity. The LBNP is a bag-like device that
lowers the pressure around the lower half of the body, pulling body fluids down
in an imitation of the effects of gravity on the body.
Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins powered down Columbia's mechanical arm and
latched it in its cradle for the trip home, and Pierre Thuot completed
operation of the two protein crystal growth experiments onboard, preparing them
for the entry and landing.
Several final observations of the Shuttle glow effect, a phenomena created as
atomic oxygen and other gases impact the spacecraft, were conducted. Columbia
performed another series of spins for the investigations that included more
releases of nitrogen gas from cargo bay canisters.
The final few hours of the crew's day will be devoted to stowing gear and
preparing Columbia for the mission's end.
The crew was awakened for the 14th day of the flight to the song "Living in
Paradise" by the Brothers Cazimero. Columbia is in an orbit with a high point
of 139 nautical miles and a low point of 105 nautical miles.
|
| 876.40 | USMP-2 Status Report #10 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Thu Mar 17 1994 20:01 | 147 |
| USMP-2 Public Affairs Status Report #10
4:00 p.m. CST, March 14, 1994
10/08:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
After more than nine days of around-the-clock research in fundamental
solidification and fluid physics, the second United States Microgravity Payload
(USMP-2) successfully concluded planned science activities late last night, and
the Columbia was maneuvered to support other mission objectives. However,
three instruments will continue to gather data until the end of the flight.
"The USMP-2 mission has gone extraordinarily well," Dr. Peter Curreri, USMP-2
Mission Scientist, said. "We've achieved our primary science for all our
payloads. We have made basic science discoveries that we had not anticipated.
It has been, in my opinion, a fantastically rich mission scientifically."
IDGE
"The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment was a resounding success," Dr.
Martin Glicksman, principal investigator, said. "The investigation exceeded
virtually every expectation regarding flawless operation of the instrument and
delivered a figurative 'goldmine' of scientific data."
Television images from the experiment revealed that the dendrites developed
more quickly than anticipated. This allowed additional mission time for
observing growing dendrites under varying conditions. "'Telescience' and
time-critical commanding permitted full use of quality microgravity time,"
Glicksman said.
The IDGE team had the opportunity to observe the tip splitting of dendrites at
extremely small temperature differences below the freezing point, which they
believe have never been observed on Earth. Scientists received considerably
more data than they anticipated before Columbia took off.
"These discoveries and their subsequent development simply could not have been
accomplished without going into low-Earth orbit, where gravity is reduced up to
a million times," Glicksman said. "We are certain that the basis of current
theories about dendritic growth are seriously corrupted by convective effects
due to gravity. It will require a lot of thinking by many scientists and
engineers to explore fully this scientific goldmine."
He added, "We are confident that the images and data collected during the IDGE
experiment will become 'the standard' for the scientific field for some time to
come." These data will permit refinement of theoretical and practical
mathematical models for terrestrial solidification of metals.
ZENO
"We have gone where no one has gone before," said Dr. Robert Gammon, principal
investigator for the Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, nicknamed
Zeno. Gammon is referring to the fact that he has been able to make accurate
measurements over 100 times closer to xenon's critical point than is possible
on Earth. At the critical point, a material is neither a gas nor a liquid, it
is both; more precisely, the material rapidly changes back and forth from one
state to another so that either state is indistinguishable. Materials at this
sensitive point exhibit very interesting behavior, but scientists on the ground
have been unable to study it so closely in normal gravity. On USMP-2, however,
Gammon and his team "have explored the responses of the xenon sample with
unprecedented precision."
The microgravity environment produced by the Shuttle has allowed Gammon to
perform measurements in a uniform, uncompressed sample, that cannot be made on
Earth, and to see things that he has "spent his career waiting to see."
Sending commands from the ground, Gammon has been able to manually fine-tune
and adjust experiment parameters to find and study the critical point.
"Telescience" is allowing Gammon to extend his data range, gathering more
information than he previously expected.
Scientists use their observations from experiments like Zeno to explain
phenomena ranging from small scales, such as atomic interactions, to global
scales, such as weather warming. Information gathered from this experiment can
strengthen the physics theories that may form the foundation for changes of
state such as the magnetization of an iron bar, as well as how electrons can be
arranged into superconducting materials. For Gammon, it is "a dream realized."
MEPHISTO
"The first Seebeck signals of dendritic crystals grown in microgravity were
captured by the MEPHISTO directional solidification furnace," Dr. Reza
Abbaschian, principal investigator, said. MEPHISTO is a acronym for Material
pour L'Etude des Phenomenes Interessant la Solidification sur Terre et en
Orbite.
The joint U.S.-French team also was able to get real-time information on the
motion of the liquid-solid interface as it responded to imposed growth
conditions. This is very important information to the crystal growth process,
Abbaschian explained.
The furnace's "telescience" capability allowed a great deal of flexibility in
operating the furnace. Scientists have been able to use remote commanding to
adjust their procedures in real time to enhance the quality of data they
received.
Cross-sectional analysis of these samples after they are returned to Earth will
give additional information on the shape of the solid-liquid interface and
crystal growth process for study by the science and technical communities to
improve processes for making materials ranging from heavy metals to airplane
turbine blades and electronic equipment on Earth.
AADSF
Dr. Sandor Lehoczky, principal investigator for the Advanced Automated
Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF), is also pleased with his results.
"Our theories suggest that the Shuttle environment was just right to solidify,
under precisely controlled low gravity conditions, the longest semiconducting
crystal of this type grown to date in space," he said. Analysis of the
downlinked data indicated that the temperature distribution in the furnace
during growth was exactly as predicted for the necessary seven days.
"Our sophisticated high-temperature furnace is operating perfectly in
microgravity. In fact, the experiment has gone so well we were able to use
'telescience' to create a demarcation, or reference point, on the crystal at a
critical time in our growth process," Lehoczky said. The marker will help
determine the position and shape of the solid-liquid growth interface.
After Columbia lands, the crystal will be sliced and polished for study .
These findings will help scientists learn about the effect of convection -- the
movement of fluids caused by gravity - during growth of crystals on Earth for
advanced electronics use in the photo electronics industry.
SAMS
During its ninth flight, the Space Acceleration Measurements System (SAMS) "has
run flawlessly" according to Ron Sicker, SAMS program manager. SAMS is
designed to monitor and record the onboard accelerations and vibrations
experienced during Shuttle orbital flight. Since knowledge of the acceleration
environment aboard the Shuttle is essential for the experiments on this
mission, SAMS data is downlinked in real-time as well as stored for post-flight
analysis.
"It is exciting to look at data while it is happening," Sicker said.
Scientists are particularly interested in measurements made during specific
Shuttle maneuvers, crew activity and operations using the robot arm. Armed
with this SAMS data and 'telescience', researchers can "time their experiments
and conserve resources."
Since the scientists will learn what types of accelerations affected their
experiments, they can make new designs for future missions which take these
into account.
"This is what it's all about!" Dave Jarrett, USMP-2 Program Manager, said.
"Watching the USMP-2 principal investigators getting the data they've worked so
long and hard to get is really inspiring and makes all the hard work everyone
has done seem that much more worthwhile."
|
| 876.41 | MCC Status Report #28 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Mar 18 1994 11:02 | 40 |
| Mission Control Center
STS-62 Status Report #28
Thursday, March 17, 1994
4 p.m. CST
Columbia's astronauts began their final planned sleep period at 1:53 p.m. CST
Thursday, and will be awakened at 9:53 p.m. to begin final preparations for
Friday's landing at Kennedy Space Center.
Columbia is scheduled to fire its engines at 6:18 a.m. CST on Friday to begin
the trip home. Landing is scheduled for 7:09 a.m. CST. Weather conditions in
Florida are forecast to be favorable.
Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen operated Columbia's flight control
surfaces Wednesday and test-fired its primary steering jets Thursday, finding
them all in good shape for the trip home.
Casper and Allen each spent time practicing landings using a portable computer
and standard hand controller simulation system.
Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins powered down Columbia's mechanical arm and
latched it in its cradle for the trip home, and Pierre Thuot completed
operation of the two protein crystal growth experiments onboard, preparing them
for the entry and landing.
The crew performed a brief in-flight maintenance procedure to restore two-way
communications through the Ku-band Communications Adapter, a new computer file
transfer system being operated for the first time on STS-62. The repair was
successful, and the crew was able to downlink 283 files containing documents,
graphics and digitized photographs and video. Over the course of the flight,
the KCA was operated for 86 minutes. It would have taken the Shuttle's
standard 2400 baud computer modem system 3 days, 22 hours to transfer the same
amount of data. The system's hardware and software were developed by the
Johnson Space Center's Tracking and Communications Division to improve payload
data compatibility.
Columbia is in an eliptical orbit with a high point of 139 nautical miles and a
low point of 104 nautical miles.
|
| 876.42 | She's down and safe -- 08:09 ET. | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Fri Mar 18 1994 11:03 | 8 |
| CNN let us watch it land for a couple of minutes. BEAUTIFUL day to land.
Spectacular photography of it coming in (the sun illuminated the belly and
it provided a lot of detail).
- dave
|
| 876.43 | It was a picturesque landing | SPARKL::KLAES | Be Here Now | Fri Mar 18 1994 18:35 | 56 |
| Article: 3869
From: [email protected] (AP)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.local.florida
Subject: Shuttle Ends 2-Week Flight
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 94 5:20:17 PST
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Columbia returned to Earth Friday
with five astronauts and a slew of science experiments after the
second-longest flight in space shuttle history.
The 100-ton shuttle glided through a clear sky and touched down
on the Kennedy Space Center runway at 8:09 a.m. EST -- 13 days, 23
hours and 16 minutes after blasting off on the research mission.
That's 57 minutes short of the longest shuttle flight, by Columbia
last fall.
``Welcome home. Thanks for a great job and a fantastic two weeks
of microgravity research,'' Mission Control told commander John
Casper and his crew.
NASA's oldest shuttle traveled 5,820,146 miles and circled Earth
224 times during its journey. It was the space agency's 61st shuttle flight.
On the way back, Columbia flew over the entire length of the
United States, crossing just north of San Francisco, down over the
Southwest, across northern Texas, Louisiana and the southern tips
of Mississippi and Alabama, and on into Florida.
Columbia was launched March 4 with 11 primary experiments, worth
nearly $100 million. Most were commanded by remote control from the ground.
In one, researchers grew more than a yard of metal alloy in a
French-built furnace in hopes of making better semiconductors. In
another, 60 snowflakelike crystals were produced that could lead to
stronger metals on Earth.
Many of the studies were geared toward putting an international
space station in orbit around the turn of the century.
The astronauts snapped together a model of a space station
frame and shook the 6-foot oblong tower to see how it would hold up
under stress in orbit. The crew also tested a new magnetic gripper,
tracking system and force gauge for the shuttle robot arm; the devices
could help astronauts build the space station later this decade.
Accelerometers recorded every vibration during Columbia's flight
so researchers could see how spacecraft maneuvers and crew movement
affect experiments. That investigation could also benefit space
station operations.
NASA on Thursday called the flight a success.
``It's been a great ship. It's been a great flight,'' said
mission operations director Lee Briscoe. ``We've gotten all the
stuff done we think we needed to do.''
|
| 876.44 | Good ride home for Columbia.... | LEVERS::BATTERSBY | | Sat Mar 19 1994 10:58 | 24 |
| At the post landing press briefing, there were some questions about
the ride of the shuttle down the runway after touch-down. Apparently
there was some very mild "fish-tailing" of the shuttle just prior
to the deply of the drag chute. I got a chance to see this while
watching the video of the NASA Select landing replays over at a
friends house last night. They also showed two of the 5 crew members
doing a walk-around of the oldest shuttle (Casper * Allen). They
were inspecting the tires, belly of shuttle etc. There was very little
cross wind, but what one saw in either the front or rear view of the
landing was what looked like some rudder correction, which might have
been some over-correction, and then some very mild fish-tail which
was then dampened out. There also appeared to be some tiles (possibly)
which broke loose at about the time that the front landing gear was
lowered while making the approach. The press folks also saw that and
inquired about this. The NASA folks responded to both these questions
by saying they would have to look at data, tape, and talk to both
Casper & Allen at the post landing de-brief before thay could comment
further. It didn't look like a big deal, but the reporters who saw it
had to ask about it more than once. Other than that it looked like a
nice home for the Shuttle Columbia.
One has to wonder if they might have some criteria for when they retire
a Shuttle ship.
Bob
|
| 876.45 | KSC Shuttle Status Report - 03/20/94 | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | Dave Griffin | Sun Mar 20 1994 20:58 | 55 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Friday, March 18, 1994
_______________________________________________________________
KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham
MISSION: STS-62 -- U.S. Microgravity Payload - 2
LANDING DAY/FLIGHT DAY - 15
_____________________________________________________
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 ALTITUDE: 121 x 161 sm
LOCATION: Shuttle Landing Facility INCLINATION: 39 degrees
LAUNCH DATE/TIME: March 4/8:53 a.m. EST CREW SIZE: 5
MISSION DURATION: 13 days/23 hours/17 minutes
KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: March 18/8:10 a.m.
NOTE: Columbia landed today on the first opportunity officially ending Space
Shuttle mission STS-62 at 8:10 a.m. Main gear touch down was at about 8:09.41,
nose gear touchdown was at 8:10.00 and wheels stop was at 8:10.35. Columbia
landed on KSC runway 33, touching down about 3500 feet from the threshold. The
crew is scheduled to depart in two groups today at 2:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. The
vehicle will be towed to OPF bay 2 by early afternoon.
CREW: Commander John H. Casper; Pilot Andrew M. Allen; and Mission Specialists
Pierre J. Thuot, Charles D. (Sam) Gemar and Marsha S. Ivins
MISSION: STS-59 -- SPACE RADAR LABORATORY
_____________________________________________
VEHICLE: Endeavour/OV-105 ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 138 sm
LOCATION: VAB high bay 3 INCLINATION: 57 degrees
TARGET LAUNCH DATE: April 7 CREW SIZE: 6
LAUNCH TIME: 8:07 a.m. EDT WINDOW: 2 hours/30 minutes
KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: April 17/1:24 p.m. EDT
MISSION DURATION: 9 days/5 hours + (1 day)
IN WORK TODAY:
* Shuttle interface verification testing
* Rollout preparations
WORK SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK:
* Rollout to pad 39A (First motion set for 7:30 a.m. Saturday)
* Install main propulsion system hydrogen flow control valve
* Launch pad validations
* Terminal countdown demonstration test (Crew arrives at 8 p.m.
Monday, March 21. T-0 is set for Thursday at 11 a.m.)
* Launch Readiness Review (Tuesday)
* Flight Readiness Review (Thursday)
WORK COMPLETED:
* Orbiter/external tank umbilical foaming
* Monoball electrical mates and closeouts
|