| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 934.1 | Payload Status report Apr 6 KSC status April 7 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Tue Apr 11 1995 14:22 | 36 |
| [Downloaded from ftp.pao.hq.nasa.gov
PAYLOAD STATUS REPORT
April 6, 1995
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center
407/867-2468
STS-73/USML-2
Columbia/Sept. 21
Closeout of the experiment racks is underway this week and next week.
The Geophysical Fluids Flow Cell (GFFC) which leaked during the Mission
Sequence Test has been repaired and is being reinstalled on its experiment
rack today, with retest on Friday. Installation of the experiment racks into
the module is scheduled for April 19.
[Downloaded from NASA Spacelink]
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1995 (10:35 AM EST)
NOTE: The orbiter Columbia is expected to begin its ferry flight from
Palmdale, Calif., to KSC on April 11 with an arrival at the Shuttle
Landing Facility targeted for mid-day April 12. Columbia has spent the
last six months undergoing structural inspections and modifications at the
Rockwell facility in Palmdale. Columbia's next mission is STS-73, a 16-day
flight targeted for launch in September. Upon arrival, Columbia will be
stored temporarily in the Vehicle Assembly Building until Atlantis is
rolled out of the Orbiter Processing Facility for external tank mating
operations.
|
| 934.2 | Shuttle Status Report May 8th | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Tue May 09 1995 20:12 | 18 |
| KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
MONDAY, MAY 8, 1995 (1:15 PM EDT)
KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax 407-867-2692)
MISSION: STS-73 -- U.S. MICROGRAVITY LABORATORY-2
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 21 at 10:37 a.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 7 at 8:31 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 16 days CREW SIZE: 7
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 167 statute miles/39 degrees
NOTE: Columbia is powered-up. Work to install the 5th cryogenic tank set is
underway today. Also, the main propulsion system is being configured for a
systems test.
|
| 934.3 | Columbia completes maintenance period | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Tue Jun 06 1995 12:20 | 154 |
| Mark Hess
Headquarters, Washington, DC April 12, 1995
(Phone: 202/358-1778)
Rob Navias
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 713/483-5111)
Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center, FL
(Phone: 407/867-2468)
Alan Buis
Rockwell Space Systems Division, Downey, CA
(Phone: 310/922-1856)
RELEASE: 95-49
COLUMBIA COMPLETES MAINTENANCE PERIOD
The Space Shuttle Columbia, the oldest Space Shuttle in NASA's four-
Orbiter fleet, rolled out of Rockwell's modification center, Palmdale,
CA, this week completing a six-month Orbiter maintenance period.
Today, on the 14th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle launch, the
747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, with the 100-ton reusable spaceplane bolted
on top, is at Ellington Field, near the Johnson Space Center, Houston, en
route to the Kennedy Space Center, FL, to be readied for its 18th
mission, currently set for September.
Astronaut John Young, a veteran pilot who flew Gemini, Apollo and
Space Shuttle missions, commanded the STS-1 flight. Rookie astronaut
Robert Crippen, who would go on to command three flights on the Space
Shuttle and take over the reins of the program as its director, was the
pilot on that first flight.
Columbia arrived in Palmdale for its third modification and
inspection period in October 1994. Maintenance periods are conducted on
each Orbiter every three years. Previous inspection/modification periods
were conducted in 1984-85 and 1991-92.
While in Palmdale, more than 66 improvements and modifications were
made to Columbia. The enhancements were to improve performance, meet
mission requirements or reduce turnaround time. Included were wiring
changes to allow Shuttle crews to monitor downlink data on laptop
computers, installing filters in hydrogen flow control valves to reduce
the potential for contamination, and corrosion control measures.
Engineers also performed a structural inspection on Columbia.
Nearly 488 nondestructive and visual inspections, using boroscopes,
ultrasonic devices, eddy currents and X-rays were performed. These
inspections showed Columbia to be in excellent condition, and fully
capable of meeting its 100-mission lifetime requirement.
Rockwell completed construction of Columbia in March 1979. Its 17
missions to date have accumulated more than 62 million miles and over
2,300 orbits.
Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102) Facts
Columbia became the first Space Shuttle to fly into Earth orbit when it
rocketed Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen into space on
April 12, 1981.
Columbia's first mission lasted 54 hours, 20 minutes and 32 seconds
during which time the world's first reusable spaceplane circled the globe
36 times and traveled over 1 million miles.
Columbia has made 17 missions into orbit, including the four-flight
Orbital Flight Test program. Columbia deployed the first commercial
communications satellites launched from the Shuttle and carried up the
first flight of the European-built Spacelab laboratory module.
Columbia's next mission will be STS-73, a planned 16-day mission carrying
the second United States Microgravity Laboratory. Launch is planned for
September.
Miles Flown 62,894,846
Astronauts Flown 88 (including 3 from Germany, 1 from
Japan and 1 from Canada)
Satellites Deployed 4 (SBS, Telesat, Lageos, Satcom KU)
Satellites Retrieved 1 (LDEF)
Flights of Columbia (OV-102)
Flt. Crew Launch Landing Payload
Date/Pad Date/Site
1. STS-1 Young, Crippen 4/12/81 4/14/81 DFI
39A Edwards AFB
2. STS-2 Engle, Truly 11/12/81 11/14/81 OSTA-1
39A Edwards AFB
3. STS-3 Lousma, Fullerton 3/22/82 3/30/82 OSS-1
39A White Sands, NM
4. STS-4 Mattingly,Hartsfield 6/27/82 7/4/82DoD 82-1
39A Edwards AFB
5. STS-5 Brand, Overmyer 11/11/82 11/16/82 SBS-C
Lenoir, Allen 39A Edwards AFB Anik C-3
6. 51-C Gibson, Bolden 1/12/83 1/18/83 Satcom Ku 1
Chang-Diaz, Hawley 39A Edwards AFB
7. STS-9 Young, Shaw, Parker 11/28/83 12/8/83 Spacelab
Garriott, Merbold 39A Edwards AFB
Lichtenberg
8. STS-28 Shaw, Richards 8/8/89 8/13/89 DoD
Leestma, Adamson 39B Edwards AFB
Brown
9.STS-32 Brandenstein, 1/9/90 1/20/90 Syncom IV-5
Wetherbee, Dunbar 39A Edwards AFB LDEF retrieve
Ivins, Low
10.STS-35 Brand, Gardner, 12/2/90 12/10/90 Astro-1
Lounge, Hoffman 39B Edwards AFB
Parker, Parise
11.STS-40 O'Connor, 6/5/91 6/14/91 SLS-1
Gutierrez, Jernigan,39B Edwards AFB
Seddon, Bagian
12.STS-50 Richards, Bowersox 6/25/92 7/9/92 USML-1
Dunbar, Baker, 39A KSC
Meade, DeLucas, Trinh
13.STS-52 Wetherbee, Baker 10/22/92 11/1/92 Lageos II
Veach, Jernigan 39B KSC USMP-1
Shepherd, MacLean
14.STS-55 Nagel, Hendricks 4/26/93 5/6/93 Spacelab D2
Ross, Precourt 39A KSC
Harris, Walter, Schlegel
15.STS-58 Blaha, Searfoss, 10/18/93 11/1/93 SLS-2
Seddon, McArthur 39B Edwards AFB
Wolf, Lucid, Fettman
16.STS-62 Casper, Allen, Thuot 3/4/94 3/18/94 OAST-2
Geman, Ivins 39B KSC USMP-2
17.STS-65 Cabana, Halsell, Hieb 7/8/94 7/23/94 IML-2
Walz, Chiao, Thomas 39A KSC
Mukai
|
| 934.4 | KSC Status report June 2nd | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Jun 08 1995 12:38 | 21 |
|
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1995 (10:31 AM EDT)
KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax 407-867-2692)
MISSION: STS-73 -- U.S. MICROGRAVITY LABORATORY-2
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102
LOCATION: Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3
TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME: Sept. 21 at 10:37 a.m.
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 7 at 8:31 a.m.
MISSION DURATION: 16 days CREW SIZE: 7
ORBITAL ALTITUDE and INCLINATION: 172 statute miles/39 degrees
NOTE: Today, fuel cells no. 2 and 3 will be installed into the orbiter. The
extended duration orbiter (EDO) pallet is being prepared for installation
tomorrow.
|
| 934.5 | | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Thu Sep 28 1995 04:17 | 29 |
| Launch September 28, 1995 at 9:35 a.m (ESTIMATED) Launch window is 2
hours 30 min. The countdown began at 4am on Monday, September 25, 1995
and the crew arrived at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at 8:20
a.m. (ReferenceKSC Shuttle Status 9/25/1995).
The second United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) Spacelab
mission will be the prime payload on STS-73. The 16-day flight will
continue a cooperative effort of the U.S. government, universities and
industry to push back the frontiers of science and technology in
"microgravity", the near-weightless environment of space.
Some of the experiments being carried on the USML-2 payload were
suggested by the results of the first USML mission that flew aboard
Columbia in 1992 during STS-50. The USML-1 mission provided new
insights into theoretical models of fluid physics, the role of gravity
in combustion and flame spreading, and how gravity affects the
formation of semiconductor crystals. Data collected from several
protein crystals grown on USML-1 have enabled scientists to determine
the molecular structures of those proteins.
USML-2 builds on that foundation. Technical knowledge gained has been
incorporated into the mission plan to enhance procedures and
operations. Where possible, experiment teams have refined their
hardware to increase scientific understanding of basic physical
processes on Earth and in space, as well as to prepare for more
advanced operations aboard the international Space Station and other
future space programs.
|
| 934.6 | Launch scrubbed ... | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Thu Sep 28 1995 06:36 | 11 |
|
Shuttle Launch Status
The launch attempt of Columbia on September 28, 1995 at 9:35 a.m was
scrubbed due to indications of a hydrogen leak in Space Shuttle Main
Engine (SSME) #1. The scrub was called at 4 a.m. on 9/28/95. At this
time it is unknown what the problem is so it is unclear how long the
delay will be. Due to the configuration of the vehicle the next
possible launch opportunity will be Saturday, September 30th, 1995.
|
| 934.7 | A ~700lb valve (some primary valve?) was found leaking | NETCAD::BATTERSBY | | Thu Sep 28 1995 14:32 | 14 |
| Before I left the house, I heard them say on NTV that it was a
valve that was leaking. I think they also said that it will take
about a week to replace the valve. There was a question raised
as to whether this valve had ever flown on a shuttle before, and
if so how many times. The answer came back that this particular
valve had never flown on a shuttle but had been installed on an
engine which had experienced several static firings.
I'm curious myself if this specific engine SSME #1 is one of the newer
engines or of the older engine design.
It's fortunate that a sensor detected the leak rather than it not
being detected. Who knows whether the leaking hydrogen could have
resulted in a pad explosion or during liftoff.
Bob
|
| 934.8 | Launch Date Set (We know they missed it) | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Sep 28 1995 16:43 | 84 |
| Ed Campion
Headquarters, Washington, DC September 14, 1995
(Phone: 202/358-1780)
Rob Navias
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 713/483-5111)
NOTE TO EDITORS: N95-60
LAUNCH DATE AND BRIEFINGS SET FOR STS-73/USML-2 MISSION
NASA has set Thursday, September 28, as the official launch date for
Shuttle Mission STS-73. The 16-day microgravity research flight aboard
Shuttle Columbia is designed to increase scientific understanding of basic
physical processes on Earth and in space, as well as prepare for more
advanced operations aboard the international Space Station.
As always, the launch date is contingent upon closure of any mission
operation issues that could arise during the current Shuttle mission being
flown by Endeavour or any of the ongoing hardware inspections--including solid
rocket boosters--used during Endeavour's launch on September 7. The STS-69
booster inspections to date have found no anomalies and post-flight inspection
work is expected to be completed by early next week.
The launch window on September 28 opens at 9:35 a.m. EDT and extends for
2 1/2 hours. The planned mission duration is 15 days, 21 hours and 54 minutes.
An on-time launch on September 28 would result in a landing around 7:30 a.m.
EDT on Saturday, October 14.
Flight controllers and astronauts will conduct a series of media
briefings on September 20 previewing the mision, which is the second flight of
the United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2).
Briefings will originate from the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston,
where Orbiter operations will be controlled during the flight, and the
Marshall Space Flight Center (MFSC), Huntsville, AL, where a variety of
scientific experiments in the Spacelab science workshop in Columbia's cargo
bay will be orchestrated from the Payload Operations Control Center.
Briefings will begin at 9 a.m. EDT with a mission overview conducted by
Lead Flight Director Al Pennington and USML-2 Mission Manager Paul Gilbert,
originating from JSC.
A briefing on USML-2 science will be conducted at Marshall at 10 a.m. EDT.
The crew news conference, involving the seven astronauts who will fly the
16-day dual-shift mission,will begin at 3 p.m. EDT, concluding the day's
briefings.
Preflight briefings will allow for two-way question and answer capability
from all participating NASA centers.
Following is the briefing schedule (all times are EDT):
September 20, 1995
9 a.m. Mission Overview (originating from JSC)
Al Pennington, STS-73 Lead Flight Director
Paul Gilbert, USML-2 Mission Manager
10 a.m. USML-2 Science Briefing (originating from MSFC)
Dr. Marcus Vlasse, USML-2 Mission Scientist
Dr. Raymond Bula, Principal Investigator, Astroculture Experiment
Dr. Taylor Wang, Principal Investigator, Drop Dynamics Experiment
Dr. Simon Ostrach, Principal Investigator, Surface Tension Driven
Convection Experiment
Dr. David Larson, Principal Investigator, Crystal Growth Furnace
Dr. Alexander McPherson, Principal Investigator, Advanced Protein
Crystallization Facility
3 p.m. STS-73 Crew News Conference (originating from JSC)
Ken Bowersox, Commander
Kent Rominger, Pilot
Catherine Coleman, Mission Specialist 1
Michael Lopez-Alegria, Mission Specialist 2
Kathryn Thornton, Payload Commander
Fred Leslie, Payload Specialist 1
Albert Sacco, Payload Specialist 2
NASA Television will carry all briefings live on
Spacenet 2, Transponder 5, Channel 9 at 69 degrees West
longitude. The transponder frequency is 3880 Mhz and the
audio subcarrier is 6.8 Mhz. Polarization is horizontal.
|
| 934.9 | STS 73 Launch timelines | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Sep 28 1995 16:44 | 251 |
| NASA News
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
John F. Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899
AC 407 867-2468
Bruce Buckingham For Release:
407/867-2468 Sept. 22, 1995
KSC RELEASE NO. 96 - 95
SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-73 LAUNCH COUNTDOWN TO BEGIN MONDAY
The countdown for launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on mission
STS-73 is scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 25 at 4 a.m. EDT, at the T-43
hour mark. The KSC launch team will conduct the countdown from Firing Room
3 of the Launch Control Center.
The countdown includes 34 hours and 35 minutes of built-in hold time
leading to the opening of the launch window at 9:35 a.m. (EDT) on Sept. 28.
The launch window extends for 2 1/2 hours.
STS-73 is the sixth Space Shuttle mission for 1995. It will be the
18th flight of the Shuttle Columbia and the 72nd flight overall in NASA's
Space Shuttle program.
The primary objective of mission STS-73 is to successfully perform
the planned operations of the second U.S. Microgravity Laboratory. USML-2
experiments cover a variety of scientific disciplines including fluid
physics, materials science, biotechnology and combustion science.
Columbia was rolled out of Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 on Aug. 21
and mated with the external tank and solid rocket boosters in the Vehicle
Assembly Building. The Shuttle stack was then transported to Pad 39-B on
Aug. 28.
This mission will be Columbia's first in over a year. Columbia was
sent to Palmdale, Calif., for about six months where it underwent various
structural inspections and modifications. It was returned to KSC on April 14.
Columbia last flew in July 1994.
The STS-73 crew are: Commander Ken Bowersox, Pilot Kent Rominger,
Mission Specialists Kathryn Thornton, Catherine Coleman and Michael
Lopez-Alegria, and Payload Specialists Fred Leslie and Albert Sacco.
The crew is scheduled to arrive at KSC at about 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 25.
Their activities at KSC prior to launch will include equipment fit checks,
medical examinations and opportunities to fly in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.
(end of general release)
COUNTDOWN MILESTONES
All times Eastern
Launch - 3 Days (Monday, Sept. 25)
* Prepare for the start of the STS-73 launch countdown
* Perform the call-to-stations. All Firing Room console operators report on
station.
* All members of the launch team report to their respective consoles in
Firing Room 3 in the Launch Control Center for the start of the countdown.
* Countdown begins at 4 a.m. EDT at the T-43 hour mark
* Start preparations for servicing fuel cell storage tanks
* Begin final vehicle and facility close-outs for launch
* Begin stowage of flight crew equipment
* Load backup flight system software into Columbia's general purpose computers
* Check out back-up flight systems
* Inspect the orbiter's mid-deck and flight-deck and remove crew module
platforms
* Review flight software stored in mass memory units and display systems
Enter first planned built-in hold at T-27 hours for duration of four hours
(8 p.m.)
* Clear launch pad of all personnel
* Perform test of the vehicle's pyrotechnic initiator controllers
Resume countdown (12 midnight)
Launch - 2 Days (Tuesday, Sept. 26)
* Begin the 12-hour operation to load cryogenic reactants into Columbia's
fuel cell storage tanks and Extended Duration Orbiter storage tanks.
Enter eight-hour built-in hold at T-19 hours (8 a.m.)
* After cryogenic loading operations, re-open the pad
* Resume orbiter and ground support equipment close-outs
* Begin installation of mission specialists' seats in crew cabin
Resume countdown (4 p.m.)
* Activate spacelab and begin late stowage of spacelab equipment and
experiments
* Demate orbiter mid-body umbilical unit and retract into fixed service
structure
* Start final preparations of the Shuttle's three main engines for main
propellant tanking and flight
* Activate flight controls and navigation systems
* Close-out the tail service masts on the mobile launcher platform
* Perform orbiter ascent switch list in crew cabin
* Install film in numerous cameras on the launch pad
* Activate the orbiter's communications systems
* Activate orbiter's inertial measurement units
Launch - 1 Day (Wednesday, Sept. 27)
Enter planned hold at T-11 hours for 19 hours, 15 minutes (12 midnight)
* Fill pad sound suppression system water tank
* Safety personnel conduct debris walkdown
* Move Rotating Service Structure (RSS) to the park position at about 2 p.m.
* Following the RSS move, continue final stowage of mid-deck experiments and
flight crew equipment
Resume countdown (7:15 p.m.)
* Start fuel cell flow-through purge
* Install time critical flight crew equipment
* Perform pre-ingress switch list
* Activate the orbiter's fuel cells
* Configure communications at Mission Control in Houston for launch
* Activate the solid rocket booster s joint heaters
* Clear the blast danger area of all non-essential personnel
* Switch Columbia's purge air to gaseous nitrogen
* Activate auxiliary power unit heaters
Launch Day (Thursday, Sept. 28)
Enter planned one-hour built-in hold at the T-6 hour mark (12:15 a.m.)
* Launch team verifies no violations of launch commit criteria prior to
cryogenic loading of the external tank
* Verify pad is clear of all personnel
Resume countdown (1:15 a.m.)
* Begin loading the external tank with cryogenic propellants (1:15 a.m.)
* Perform inertial measurement unit preflight calibration
* Align Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA) tracking antennas
* Complete filling the external tank with its flight load of liquid hydrogen
and liquid oxygen propellants (4:15 a.m.)
Enter two-hour hold at T-3 hours (4:15 a.m.)
* Perform open loop test with Eastern Range
* Conduct gimbal profile checks of orbital maneuvering system engines
* Close-out crew and Final Inspection Team proceeds to Launch Pad 39-B
Resume countdown at T-3 hours (6:15 a.m.)
* Crew departs Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Pad 39-B (6:20 a.m.)
* Complete close-out preparations in the white room
* Check cockpit switch configurations
* Flight crew enters orbiter
* Astronauts perform air-to-ground voice checks with Launch Control and
Mission Control
* Close Columbia's crew hatch
* Begin Eastern Range final network open loop command checks
* Perform hatch seal and cabin leak checks
* Complete white room close-out
* Close-out crew moves to fallback area
* Primary ascent guidance data is transferred to the backup flight system
Enter planned 10-minute hold at T-20 minutes (8:55 a.m.)
* NASA Test Director conducts final launch team briefings
Resume countdown (9:05 a.m.)
* Transition the orbiter's onboard computers to launch configuration
* Start fuel cell thermal conditioning
* Close orbiter cabin vent valves
* Transition backup flight system to launch configuration
Enter final 10-minute hold at T-9 minutes (9:16 a.m.)
* Launch Director, Mission Management Team and NASA Test Director conduct
final polls for go/no go to launch
Resume countdown at T-9 minutes (9:26 a.m.)
* Start automatic ground launch sequencer (T-9:00 minutes)
* Retract orbiter crew access arm (T-7:30)
* Start mission recorders (T-5:30)
* Start Auxiliary Power Units (T-5:00)
* Arm SRB and ET range safety safe and arm devices (T-5:00)
* Start liquid oxygen drainback (T-4:55)
* Start orbiter aerosurface profile test (T-3:55)
* Start MPS gimbal profile test (T-3:30)
* Pressurize liquid oxygen tank (T-2:55)
* Begin retraction of the gaseous oxygen vent arm (T-2:55)
* Fuel cells to internal reactants (T-2:35)
* Pressurize liquid hydrogen tank (T-1:57)
* Deactivate SRB joint heaters (T-1:00)
* Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power (T-0:50 seconds)
* Ground Launch Sequencer go for auto sequence start (T-0:31 seconds)
* Ignition of three Space Shuttle main engines (T-6.6 seconds)
* SRB ignition and liftoff (T-0)
SUMMARY OF BUILT-IN HOLDS FOR STS-73
T-TIME LENGTH OF HOLD HOLD BEGINS HOLD ENDS
T-27 hours 4 hours 8 p.m. Monday 12 midnight Monday
T-19 hours 8 hours 8 a.m. Tuesday 4 p.m. Tuesday
T-11 hours 19 hours, 15 minutes 12 a.m. Wednesday 7:15 p.m. Wednesday
T-6 hours 1 hour 12:15 a.m. Thursday 1:15 a.m. Thursday
T-3 hours 2 hours 4:15 a.m. Thursday 6:15 a.m. Thursday
T-20 minutes 10 minutes 8:55 a.m. Thursday 9:05 a.m. Thursday
T-9 minutes 10 minutes 9:16 a.m. Thursday 9:26 a.m. Thursday
CREW FOR MISSION STS-73
Ken Bowersox Commander (CDR) Red Team
Kent Rominger Pilot (PLT) Red Team
Catherine Coleman Mission Specialist (MS1) Blue Team
Michael Lopez-Alegria Mission Specialist (MS2) Blue Team
Kathryn Thornton Mission Specialist (MS3) Red Team
Fred Leslie Payload Specialist (PS1) Blue Team
Albert Sacco Payload Specialist (PS2) Red Team
SUMMARY OF STS-73 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES
Wednesday, Sept. 27
7 p.m. Wake up (Blue Team)
7:30 p.m. Breakfast (Blue Team)
Thursday, Sept. 28
12:30 a.m. Lunch (Blue Team)
4 a.m. Wake up (Red Team)
* 5:10 a.m. Breakfast/Dinner and Crew Photo
5:40 a.m. Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
5:40 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (MS1, MS3, PS1, PS2)
5:50 a.m. Don launch and entry suits (CDR, PLT, MS2)
* 6 a.m. Crew suiting photo
* 6:20 a.m. Depart for Launch Pad 39B
* 6:50 a.m. Arrive at white room and begin orbiter ingress
* 8:05 a.m. Close crew hatch
* 9:35 a.m. Launch
* Televised events (times may vary slightly)
All times Eastern
|
| 934.10 | Bit more info | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Fri Sep 29 1995 04:21 | 32 |
| Thursday, October 5 at 9:40am EDT. (Estimated). Launch window is 2
hours 30 min. (ReferenceKSC Shuttle Status 9/28/1995).
The launch attempt of Columbia on September 28, 1995 at 9:35 a.m was
scrubbed due to indications of a hydrogen leak in Space Shuttle Main
Engine (SSME) #1 (SN#-2037) . The scrub was called at 4 a.m. on
9/28/95. The hydrogen main fuel valve will need to be replaced which
will delay the launch approximately one week.
During the launch postponement press conference, Jim Harrington, KSC
Launch Director and John Plowden, Rocketdyne Site Director reported
that Tanking operations had begun approximately an hour later than
planned primarily due to lightning in the area of the launch pad.
Liquid hydrogen was in recirculation for about 30 minutes and the main
fuel valve had begun to chill down. When it reached the temperature of
-10F degrees the valve started to leak. Tanking operations were stopped
when the temperature on the valve reached the Launch Commit Criteria
cuttoff limit of -250F degrees at the downstream side of the valve.
Normal temperature on the valve runs at -100F to -150F degrees.
This would have been the first launch of SSME engine SN#-2037 and the
failed valve but it had been thru 7 static firings during ground tests.
The engine and valve were last tested at cryogenic temperatures during
hot firing June 15, 1995 at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. A
failure of this nature has occured only once before during the STS-2
tanking test. That failure was due to metallic contamination in the
downstream seal of the valve. The valve is accessable via the AFT
engine compartment. It weighs about 75 pounds with a flow path of 2.5
inches. It will be replaced at the pad. The bad valve will be sent back
to the Rocketdyne factory in California for testing.
|
| 934.11 | Weather delaying takeoff. | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Fri Oct 06 1995 04:39 | 10 |
| Shuttle Launch Status
Launch is scheduled for Friday, October 6 at 9:40am EDT.
Launch was originally scheduled for Thursday, October 5 at 9:40am
EDT, but was postponed due to bad weather. The launch countdown
began 10/2/95 at 4:00am EDT at the t-43 hour mark.(ReferenceKSC
Press Release 99-95).
|
| 934.12 | Air bubbles in landing gear hydraulic lines found | NETCAD::BATTERSBY | | Fri Oct 06 1995 10:52 | 8 |
| Well this morning they found a problem in the Shuttle systems
landing gear hydraulics. Apparently there was some type of indication
that there was some air/air bubbles. and they decided to check it out.
Something was said that if they need to purge the hydraulic lines
of alot of air bubbles they might have to delay the launch until
Sunday. Apparently they will know more later today.
Bob
|
| 934.13 | another day .. | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Fri Oct 06 1995 12:18 | 8 |
| Shuttle Launch Status
Launch is scheduled for Saturday, October 7 at 9:40am EDT. The launch
on 10/6/95 was scrubbed at 3:33am for a minimum of 24 hours due to an
air bubble in the hydraulic line of Columbia's nose wheel steering
system.
|
| 934.14 | Scrub on Saturday as well... | skylab.zko.dec.com::FISHER | How may I be honest with you today?-Tuvok | Sat Oct 07 1995 15:26 | 7 |
| Another scrub. This time there was a problem with one of the two
redundant master events controllers on Columbia...it failed to respond
to ground test commands. Turnaround will apparently be at least two
days.
Burns
|
| 934.15 | Another delay | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Mon Oct 09 1995 04:22 | 45 |
| Shuttle Launch Status
Launch no earlier than October 14 9:46 a.m EDT (Date under review)
Launch window is 2 hours 30 min. This is a preliminary launch date
assessment. Over the next several days, managers will be discussing
this assessed launch date and its implications impacting other
missions. For a 10/14/95 launch, the countdown would begin Wednesday
morning, Oct. 11. (Reference KSC Shuttle Status 10/07/1995).
The launch scheduled for Saturday, 10/7/95 at 9:41am EDT was scrubbed
at 10:05am EDT ( T-minus 20 minute mark ) by KSC Launch Director Jim
Harrington and the Mission Management Team due to a problem with one of
Columbia's two Master Events Controllers (MEC). The MECs control all
critical functions that occur on the Shuttle at T-0 and through flight,
including routing commands from the Shuttle s onboard computers to fire
the explosive bolts that hold the solid rocket boosters to the mobile
launcher and the pyrotechnics that separate the boosters from the
external tank during flight.
The countdown had started and proceeded with little difficulty. During
tanking operations, the only minor problem was an overvoltage failure
of a ground pump (Primary Pump 126). Tanking was picked up using the
backup pump 127 and the count proceeded normally. The flight crew had
departed the Operations and Checkout Building for Pad 39-B at 6:25am
EDT and was onboard Columbia. At 8:56am (T-minus 29 minutes), the
launch team called a Launch Commit Criteria violation due to a failed
self test on B-Core (Port 1, bit 5) of Columbia's Master Events
Controller #1. The four cores are all redundant allowing the Shuttle
quad-redundancy. Launch commit criteria rules require all four cores to
be operating properly for safe flight. The launch countdown was placed
on hold at the T-minus 20 minute mark while commands were issued to
determine if the problem was with the controller or with
instrumentation. It was determined the problem was with the controller
which will need to be replaced.
At this time, the external tank will be drained and purged, the
rotating service structure moved back around the vehicle and
preparations made to gain access to the aft engine compartment to
remove and replace the MEC. The MEC is scheduled to be removed on
Monday 10/9/95 and the replacement MEC tested on Tuesday 10/10/95. Some
of the experiments in the USML-2 spacelab module must be serviced
before another launch attempt can be made and the onboard cryogenic
tanks must be off-loaded and then re-loaded with liquid hydrogen and
liquid oxygen reactants.
|
| 934.16 | KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT | ERMTRD::CLIFFE | I'll warp my own space-time ... | Tue Oct 10 1995 05:04 | 56 |
| SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1995 (2:37 PM EDT)
KSC Public Affairs Contact: Bruce Buckingham 407-867-2468 (fax
407-867-2692)
MISSION: STS-73 -- U.S. MICROGRAVITY LABORATORY-2
VEHICLE: Columbia/OV-102 LOCATION: Pad 39B TARGET LAUNCH DATE/TIME:
Oct. 14 at 9:46 a.m. EDT (NET & U/R) LAUNCH WINDOW: 2 hours, 30 minutes
TARGET KSC LANDING DATE/TIME: Oct. 30 at 7:41 a.m. MISSION DURATION: 15
days, 21 hours, 55 minutes CREW SIZE: 7 ORBITAL ALTITUDE and
INCLINATION: 172 statute miles/39 degrees (NET = no earlier than) (U/R
= under review)
NOTE: Launch of Space Shuttle Columbia was scrubbed today at the T-20
minute mark due to the failure of a Master Events Controller (MEC).
The postponement came at about 10 a.m. EDT. The problem was first
noticed during the MEC self-test at about T-29 minutes.
The MECs control all critical functions that occur on the Shuttle at
T-0 and through flight, including routing commands from the Shuttle s
onboard computers to fire the explosive bolts that hold the solid
rocket boosters to the mobile launcher and the pyrotechnics that
separate the boosters from the external tank during flight.
There are two MECs aboard the vehicle and they are located in the aft
engine compartment. Each MEC has two cores. The failure was in the B
core on MEC no. 1. (The four cores are all redundant allowing the
Shuttle quad-redundancy. Launch commit criteria rules require all four
cores to be operating properly for safe flight.)
At this time, the external tank will be drained and purged, the
rotating service structure moved back around the vehicle and
preparations made to gain access to the aft engine compartment to
remove and replace the MEC. The MEC is scheduled to be removed on
Monday and the replacement MEC tested on Tuesday. Also, some of the
experiments in the spacelab must be serviced before another launch
attempt can be made and the onboard cryogenic tanks must be off-loaded
and then re-loaded with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen reactants.
Managers believe that with a success oriented schedule, Columbia could
be ready to fly as early as Saturday, Oct. 14. This is a preliminary
launch date assessment. Over the next several days, managers will be
discussing this assessed launch date and its implications impacting
other missions. If we continue with plans to launch Saturday, the
countdown would begin Wednesday morning, Oct. 11.
The crew is scheduled to return to their homes in Houston. The Red Team
of Bowersox, Rominger, Thornton and Sacco, will return later today. The
Blue Team of Coleman, Lopez-Alegria and Leslie will return on Monday.
Also, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, slated for mission STS-74, is
scheduled to be rolled out to Pad 39A on Tuesday. First motion from the
Vehicle Assembly Building is set for 7 a.m.
|
| 934.17 | High-Packed Digital TV from Columbia.... | NETCAD::BATTERSBY | | Wed Oct 25 1995 12:04 | 53 |
| Another local Mass. company gets a shot at show-casing their hardware.
The NASA TV commentary refers to this as "High-Packed Digital
Communications". The hardware is a highly enhanced digitizing
of analog TV pictures. I've been watching some of the NASA TV
coverage pictures of the new technology, and I'm quite impressed
with the lack of jerkiness seen. If there isn't alot of movement
of people in the pictures, it's difficult to tell at first glance
that one is looking at digitized TV pictures. The large advantage
to this use is that the Principle Investigators for the Spacelab
projects are getting almost continuous coverage of their experiments,
whereas on the last flight where some of the same experiments were
flown, there had to be a prioritized scheduling of video for the
investigators to see.
It's funny, I remember some teleconferencing we did a couple of
projects ago with some engineering folks in Reading. The video
had so much delay, & jerkiness (lack of bandwidth), that you
could watch the video, and as the camera at the other site panned
to another person talking, when the camera panned back in another
direction, a person would be missing (they left the room), or the
video frame would freeze/pause while a person was in the middle of
speaking as in watching freeze-frame video from your VCR. Technologies
inevitably make vast improvements.
Bob
[the following has been copied without permission]
Technology from PictureTel to let shuttle crew keep an eye on Earth
-------------------------------------------------------------------
[article from Boston Globe 10/21/95]
[by Jon Auerbach Globe Staff]
In the popular movie Apollo 13, a television camera mounted in the
space capsule beamed images of the mission's astronauts back to earth.
But while the control team in Houston could clearly see the crew, the
three men in space couldn't see Houston.
Twenty-five years later - and on the 72d space shuttle mission
videoconferencing is finally a two-way affair. Danvers-based PictureTel
Corp. a leader in teleconferencing, supplied the technology that blasted
off with the Columbia yesterday morning.
Cameras and computers installed in the space shuttle and at NASA's
Johnson Space Center in Houston will allow the mission's seven astronauts
to communicate back and forth via video with their families and doctors
on earth.
PictureTel's equipment will also be used during experiments carried out
aboard the 23-foot Columbia Spacelab. Similarly, the technology should
make conducting maintenance work in space easier.
If the Apollo 13 mission had been equipped for two-way videoconferencing,
for example, it would have been much more simple for the engineers in
Houston to explain to the astronauts how to build the carbon monoxide filter
they needed to reduce the increasing level of the toxic gas inside their
lunar module.
But the movie wouldn't have been as dramatic.
|
| 934.18 | MCC Status Report #1 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Oct 26 1995 18:52 | 20 |
| Mission Control Status Report #1
Friday, October 20, 1995 noon CDT
The Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off from its Florida launch pad at
8:53 a.m. CDT today after a heavy cloud cover that earlier had shrouded
the area cleared. Today's launch tied the record for launch attempts set by
STS-61C which launched on its seventh try in January of 1986.
The STS-73 seven member crew on board will work around the clock
for 16 days conducting 14 major experiments and a variety of other medical
and engineering investigations. The experiments are part of the planned
operations of the United States Microgravity Laboratory 2 payload.
Once on orbit, the crew members set to work configuring Columbia
for on-orbit operations. Columbia's payload bay doors were opened about
90 minutes into the flight, followed by a "go" for on-orbit operations.
With all systems aboard Columbia performing well, the orbiter
continues to circle the Earth every 92 minutes at an altitude of 150 nautical
miles or 172 statute miles.
|
| 934.19 | MCC Status Report #3 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Oct 26 1995 18:59 | 28 |
| STS-73 Mission Control Status Report #3
7 a.m. CDT, Saturday, October 21, 1995
Columbia's crew continued research work in the United States Microgravity
Lab-2 during the night uninterrupted by any problems with the spacecraft.
The Blue Team crew members -- Mission Specialists Mike Lopez-Alegria and
Cady Coleman and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie -- wrapped up their first,
full 12-hour shift in the lab at about 6:38 a.m. CDT. During the last part of
the Blue shift, new shuttle equipment being carried aboard Columbia for the
first time this mission that allows television to be sent from the ground to
the crew was tested. The ground-to-air television test, which included live
scenes from Mission Control, appeared good onboard the shuttle, reported
Columbia Pilot Kent Rominger.
The Red Team crew -- Commander Ken Bowersox, Rominger, Payload Commander Kathy
Thornton and Payload Specialist Al Sacco -- awoke from their first night in
orbit at about 3:53 a.m. CDT today and relieved the Blue Team in the lab
module this morning. The Red Team will remain on duty until 6:53 p.m. CDT.
Highlights of NASA Television today will include the Flight Day 2 Mission
Update program airing at 11:30 a.m. CDT; a Mission Status Briefing press
conference at 1 p.m.; and an interview of the Red Team by the Florida Radio
Network at 5:58 p.m. CDT that may include phone-in questions from listeners
Columbia remains in a 169 by 167 statute mile orbit, completing one revolution
of Earth every 90 minutes. The Johnson Space Center newsroom will be open
today and Sunday for media inquiries from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
|
| 934.20 | MCC Status Reports #4, 5 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Oct 26 1995 19:02 | 51 |
| STS-73 Mission Control Status Report #4
2 p.m. CDT, Saturday, October 21, 1995
All systems aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia continue to work well as the
orbiter's seven member crew continues its microgravity work in the United
States Microgravity Lab-2.
The Red Team crew -- Commander Ken Bowersox, Pilot Kent Rominger,
Payload Commander Kathy Thornton and Payload Specialist Al Sacco --
spent today in the lab module working on a variety of experiments and
tasks. The Red Team hands over its duties to the Blue Team at 6:53 p.m.
today. The Blue Team crew - Mission specialists Mike Lopez-Alegria and
Cady Coleman, and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie -- then will take a turn in
the lab. The Blue Team's shift ends at 6:38 a.m. Sunday.
The first in-flight special event is scheduled for 5:58 p.m. CDT today when
available crew members talk to Alan McBride of the Florida Radio Network.
The event will be audio only.
Columbia remains in a 167 by 170 statute mile orbit, completing one
revolution of the Earth every 90 minutes. The Johnson Space Center
newsroom is closed for the remainder of the day but will reopen at 8 a.m.
Sunday. The newsroom will close at 2 p.m. Sunday.
STS-73 Mission Control Status Report #5
7:30 a.m. CDT, Sunday, October 22, 1995
Columbia sailed through a second smooth night in orbit, continuing around-the-
clock research in its cargo bay laboratory.
The spacecraft remains in excellent condition, and the focus in Mission Control
has been on assisting with the experiment operations when needed. The Red
Team crew -- Commander Ken Bowersox, Pilot Kent Rominger, Payload
Commander Kathy Thornton and Payload Specialist Al Sacco -- is now on duty
in the United States Microgravity Lab-2, having started a 12-hour shift at 6:38
a.m. CDT. The Blue Team -- Mission specialists Mike Lopez-Alegria and Cady
Coleman, and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie -- will begin an eight-hour sleep
period at 8:53 a.m.
Highlights on NASA Television today include the Flight Day 3 Mission Update
program airing at 11:30 a.m.; the Mission Status Briefing at 1 p.m.; and a
replay of video highlights from the past 24 hours of STS-73 airing on the
Flight Day Video File at 3:30 p.m. Other activities upcoming today include a
second test of a system that allows television to be transmitted to the
shuttle from Mission Control to be conducted at about 5:03 p.m. The
ground-to-air shuttle television equipment is flying aboard Columbia for the
first time on STS-73 as a test objective of the mission.
Columbia is in a 170 by 167 statute mile orbit, completing one revolution of
Earth every 90 minutes. The Johnson Space Center newsroom will be open from 8
a.m. to 2 p.m. today.
|
| 934.21 | MCC Status Reports #6, 7 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Oct 26 1995 19:06 | 40 |
| STS-73 Mission Control Status Report #6
Noon, Sunday, October 22, 1995
Space Shuttle Columbia continues to perform well in its supporting role for
the U.S. Microgravity Lab-2. Since Friday morning's launch, the orbiter has
remained a steady host, providing electrical power, cooling and other needs to
keep the orbiting laboratory in business.
The seven-member crew continues to work around the clock in two shifts.
Columbia is in a 170x167 statute mile orbit, circling the Earth every 90
minutes. The JSC newsroom will reopen at 7 a.m. Monday.
STS-73 Mission Control Status Report #7
9:30 a.m. CDT, Monday, October 23, 1995
Columbia continued to perform nearly perfectly overnight, providing no
interruptions to the around-the-clock research under way in the cargo bay lab.
The Red Team crew -- Commander Ken Bowersox, Pilot Kent Rominger, Payload
Commander Kathy Thornton and Payload Specialist Al Sacco -- began a 12-hour
shift at 6:38 a.m. CDT. Their Blue Team crewmates began eight hours of sleep
at 8:53 a.m. CDT.
This morning, Bowersox and Rominger took part in the third test thus of a new
shuttle system that allows the transmission of television from Mission Control
to Columbia. The crew discussed the progress of the flight with Capcom Tom
Jones and Flight Director Rob Kelso in Mission Control. Bowersox reported that
he has been impressed by Columbia's performance so far and complemented
workers at the Kennedy Space Center that prepared the shuttle for flight. The
test was the first to involve two-way television -- simultaneous transmissions
to and from Columbia -- and was highly successful.
Upcoming on NASA Television will be the Flight Day 4 Mission Update program
airing at 11:30 a.m. CDT; a Mission Status Briefing press conference at 1 p.m.
and a replay of highlights from the past 24 hours in the Flight Day Video File
at 3:30 p.m.
Columbia remains in an orbit of 170 by 167 statute miles, circling Earth every
90 minutes.
|
| 934.22 | MCC Status Reports #8-14 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Oct 26 1995 19:22 | 201 |
| Mission Control Status Report # 8
Monday, October 23, 1995
All systems aboard Space Shuttle Columbia continue to function well as the
orbiter and seven-member astronaut crew are in the fourth flight day of
science operations on STS-73.
Circling the Earth at over 17,000 miles an hour and at an altitude of
approximately 170 statute miles, Columbia is flying in the gravity gradient
attitude, tail to Earth in its most stable and vibration-free condition to
facilitate the delicate microgravity experiments being conducted.
The astronaut crew, divided into Red and Blue teams, works shifts for
around-the-clock science in 14 major areas of experimentation.
The 16-day mission, known as U.S. Microgravity Laboratory-2, continues until
November 5 when it is scheduled to end in a landing at the Kennedy Space
Center, Florida.
Mission Control Status Report # 9
8 a.m. CDT Tuesday, October 24, 1995
Columbia's crew worked through the night in the shuttle's cargo bay research
lab with no significant spacecraft problems encountered.
Flight controllers in Mission Control have virtually no issues of concern with
Columbia�s systems, which continue to operate nearly perfectly. The Red team
began a 12-hour shift at 6:38 a.m. CDT, relieving the Blue team crew members
who had worked through the night.
During the night, there was a short loss of communications with Columbia. The
shuttle was out of touch with the ground for a few minutes longer than planned
following a normal loss of communication that occurs each orbit as it moves out
of range of the NASA communications satellites. The extended loss of signal
was due to a ground problem with the communications network and did not
interrupt any lab or spacecraft operations nor pose any problem for the crew.
The ground problem was quickly corrected and Columbia's communication systems
were confirmed to be in excellent condition with no functional problems.
On NASA Television today, Mission Update will air at 11 a.m. CDT; a Mission
Status Briefing press conference will air at 12 noon; and video highlights of
STS-73 will air on the Flight Day Video File at 3:30 p.m.
Columbia is in a 169 by 165 statute mile orbit, completing a revolution of
Earth each 90 minutes.
Mission Control Status Report #10
5 p.m. CDT Tuesday, October 24, 1995
Crew members aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia continued their science
investigations in the Spacelab module as the STS-73 flight entered its
fifth flight day with no significant spacecraft problems reported.
The seven member crew is divided into two teams, the Red Team and the Blue
Team, working around the clock on a myriad of science investigations. For
the past two days crew members have concentrated on fluid physics experiments.
The Red Team members will hand over science operations to their colleagues on
the Blue Team at 6:38 p.m. CDT today, then resume work in the Spacelab at 6:38
a.m. CDT Wednesday.
On Wednesday's schedule for televised events is an NBC News Channel interview
with Mission Specialist Michael Lopez-Alegria at 5:43 a.m. CDT and a special
video downlink at 7:23 a.m. CDT in anticipation of Game Five of the 1995 World
Series. The crew will downlink video of STS-73 Commander Ken Bowersox
throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. The video will be played on the
Jacobs Field TV screen in Cleveland before Thursday's game.
Columbia is in a 169 by 165 statute mile orbit, completing a revolution of
Earth each 90 minutes.
Mission Control Status Report #11
7:30 a.m. CDT Wednesday, October 25, 1995
Columbia's fifth night in orbit went smoothly as members of the Blue Team
crew completed another 12 hours of laboratory research.
As the Blue Team was finishing up it's shift, Mission Specialist Mike Lopez-
Alegria was interviewed by the NBC Newschannel. During the 5:23 a.m.
CDT interview, Lopez-Alegria said the crew was well-adjusted to the
onboard routine and "having a ball".
The Blue Team completed it's shift at 6:38 a.m. CDT and the Red Team --
Commander Ken Bowersox, Pilot Kent Rominger, Payload Commander Kathy
Thornton and Payload Specialist Al Sacco -- is now on duty. During the Red
Team shift today, Bowersox, Thornton and Sacco will all have a half -day
off. Shuttle crew members are each given a day off to relax during long-
duration shuttle missions such as STS-73. Bowersox and Thornton will have
time off during the first part of the shift and Sacco will have time off
during the later part of today's shift.
The port payload bay door on Columbia remains partially closed, about 51
degrees from fully open. However, at about 8:43 a.m. CDT, Bowersox will
fully open the door. It will remain open for about one hour to allow for a
dump of water from the condensate tank associated with the United States
Microgravity Lab-2 module. The lab condensate tank collects water from
dehumidifiers in the lab and must be dumped periodically, about each six
days, during lab flights. The door is being opened during the dump to ensure
there is ample clearance for the wastewater, which is ejected from a nozzle
on top of the lab's forward end cone. Once the dump is completed, the door
will again be closed partially to protect the radiators and cooling lines along
its interior from debris impacts in orbit due to the shuttle's orientation and
extended stay in space.
Columbia remains in a 169 by 164 statute mile orbit, completing one orbit
of Earth every 90 minutes. On NASA Television today, the crew sent down
a taped segment for Major League Baseball at 7:23 a.m. CDT; Mission
Update will air at 11:30 a.m.; a Mission Status Briefing is planned at 12:30
p.m.; and the day's highlights will be replayed on the Flight Day Video
File at 3:30 p.m.
Mission Control Status Report #12
5 p.m. CDT Wednesday, October 25, 1995
Columbia's crew members participated in two special events during
their sixth flight day as the orbiter itself continued to perform
problem-free as did science investigations underway in the Spacelab.
Early Wednesday Mission Specialist Michael Lopez-Alegria participated in an
interview with NBC Newschannel.
Also on Wednesday, STS-73 crew members gathered in the shuttle's
middeck and taped the ceremonial first pitch that will open Game Five of the
World Series Thursday night in Cleveland, Ohio. The taped message and the
first pitch will be played on the �Jumbotron� screen at Jacobs Field
in Cleveland and viewed by a nationwide audience on ABC-TV. Commander
Ken Bowersox wished the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians good
luck before he threw the slow-spinning pitch, marking the first time a World
Series first pitch thrower has not been in the ballpark to make the pitch.
Columbia's astronauts will sign the on-board baseballs and give them to
Major League Baseball to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in
Cooperstown, N.Y.
Crew members on the Red Team mark the end of their work day at
6:38 p.m. CDT and will return to their work shift in the Spacelab at 6:38
a.m.
Columbia is in a 169 by 164 statute mile orbit, completing a revolution of
the Earth each 90 minutes.
Mission Control Status Report #13
8 a.m. CDT Thursday, October 26, 1995
Research work continued on schedule overnight aboard Columbia as the
crew also continued a schedule of staggered half-days off duty to relax
from the around-the-clock operations.
Mission Specialist Cady Coleman and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie each
had a half-day off during the night. The Red Team of crew members is now
at work aboard Columbia, having begun their 12-hour shift at 6:38 a.m.
Although it had no effect on the research work, a ground system problem
caused two extended communications outages between Columbia and the
ground during the night. The time frame for the outages was known in
advance by Mission Control and the crew was informed. All data from the
experiments and the shuttle itself during the communications loss was
recorded aboard Columbia and has since been played back to the ground.
The communications loss was due to an equipment failure at the ground
terminal for NASA�s tracking and communications satellites. The failure
prohibited communications using the eastern Tracking and Data Relay
Satellite (TDRS-E), a satellite stationary above the Atlantic Ocean used
during about the last one-third of each orbit by Columbia. On two
successive orbits during the early morning hours, communications were
unavailable on TDRS-E, the first time for about 36 minutes and the second
time for about 27 minutes, while the ground equipment was being repaired.
On NASA Television today, Mission Update will air at 11 a.m. CDT; an STS-73
Mission Status Briefing is scheduled for 12 noon; a press conference
regarding the Ulysses solar probe will air at 1p.m.; highlights from the day
aboard Columbia will air on the Flight Day Video File at 3:30 p.m.; and
Columbia Commander Ken Bowersox will be interviewed by WISH-TV,
Indianapolis, at 5:03 p.m.
Columbia is in a 169 by 165 mile orbit, completing a revolution of Earth
every 90 minutes. The spacecraft remains in excellent condition, and there
are no issues of concern in Mission Control regarding its performance.
Mission Control Status Report #14
5 p.m. CDT Thursday, October 26, 1995
Work on board the Space Shuttle Columbia continued to go smoothly as
members of the Red Team monitored orbiter systems and conducted
scientific experiments in the Spacelab.
Red Team members spent their seventh flight day working diligently in the
science lab which is nestled in Columbia's cargo bay. The Red Team will
wrap up its day at 5:38 p.m. CDT, a little earlier than they have the last few
days. They will hand over to Blue Team members who will continue work in
the Spacelab. The Red Team will return to duty at 5:38 a.m. CDT.
Friday's scheduled telelvision events include: an ABC "World News Now"
interview at 8:23 a.m. with STS-73 Commander Kenneth Bowersox and
Payload Commander Kathyrn Thornton; Mission Update at 11:30 a.m.; and
a Mission Status Briefing at 1 p.m.
Columbia is in a 169 by 165 mile orbit, completing a revolution of Earth
every 90 minutes. The spacecraft is in excellent condition and flight
controllers did not have any issues they are working regarding the orbiter's
performance.
|
| 934.23 | MCC Status Reports # 2, 15 16 17 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Mon Oct 30 1995 15:42 | 120 |
|
[Downloaded from ftp.pao.hq.nasa.gov]
STS-73 Mission Control Status Report #2
5 p.m. CDT, Friday, October 20, 1995
Space Shuttle Columbia was launched Friday morning at 8:53 a.m. CDT from the
Kennedy Space Center, FL, to begin the 16-day U.S. Microgravity Laboratory-2
mission. Shortly after reaching orbit, the seven-member astronaut crew was
given a "go for orbit operations" and began configuring Columbia and its
Spacelab module for the long flight.
The astronauts set up the Spacelab module mid-day Friday and began work which
will cover 14 major research activities and a number of other medical and
engineering studies.
Columbia is in a 172-statute mile high orbit with all systems functioning
well. Handover from the Red Team to the Blue Team of astronauts is scheduled
for approximately 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Red Team picks up work again Saturday
morning at about 6:30 a.m. CDT after their wakeup call.
The Johnson Space Center Newsroom will be open this weekend from 8 a.m. to
2 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
[Downloaded from ftp.pao.hq.nasa.gov]
Mission Control Status Report #15
8 a.m. CDT Friday, October 27, 1995
Flight controllers in Houston had a quiet shift last night as orbiter systems
continue to perform well, allowing work on board the Space Shuttle
Columbia continue uninterupted.
Red Team members are now spending their their eighth day in space. Earlier
this morning, Commander Ken Bowersox and Payload Commander Kathy
Thornton took a moment to talk to ABC's World News Now about the
progress of the flight and life on board Columbia. In response to a question
about the living conditions on the orbiter, Thorton explained that the extra
space provided by the Spacelab laboratory module and the fact that the
crew is split into two teams for 24-hour payload operations, makes the
living space quite comfortable.
Also on NASA Television today, Mission Update will air at 11:30 a.m. CDT;
an STS-73 Mission Status Briefing is scheduled for 1 p.m and highlights
from the day aboard Columbia will air on the Flight Day Video File at
3:30 p.m.
Columbia is in a 169 by 165 mile orbit, completing a revolution of Earth
every 90 minutes.
[Downloaded from ftp.pao.hq.nasa.gov]
Mission Control Status Report #16
5 p.m. CDT Friday, October 27, 1995
Systems on board the Space Shuttle Columbia continue to work well despite a
temporary glitch concerning two steering jets.
About 1:15 p.m. CDT two vernier jets - R5R and R5D - failed off at the same
time. However, about 40 minutes later, after ground controllers reviewed data,
the crew hot fired the jets and they were recovered. There was no loss of
science data and minimal impact on the day�s activities.
Each orbiter has 38 primary thrusters and six smaller vernier thrusters which
provide vehicle steering. Shortly after the two vernier jets failed this
afternoon, the crew took the orbiter from a gravity gradient attitude, which
requires sporadic firing of steering jets, to free drift. Columbia had been
flying in a gravity gradient attitude - which has the tail of the orbiter
facing the Earth and its nose facing deep space - to minimize shuttle movement
in support of science operations in the Spacelab, particularly the growth of
protein crystals. The temporary loss of the two vernier jets occurred while
crystals growing in the Spacelab were cooling down so there was no impact on
the experiment.
Early this afternoon crew members also downlinked views of a ding in one of the
orbiter's front windows. There are six windows along the front of the orbiter,
three on the commander's side and three on the pilot's side. The ding was in
the center window on the commander's side or the second window from the left.
Shuttle windows encounter dings from orbital debris or natural material such as
meteoroids from time to time. The dings are analyzed by scientists after the
shuttle has landed to determine size and material source. JSC debris
scientists said the largest ding returned on a shuttle window thus far occurred
on STS-59 in April 1994. The ding measured one-half an inch in diameter and
was caused by an orbiting paint chip. Based on what they saw in the downlinked
video, scientists estimated the Columbia's ding was most likely no larger than
about one-eighth of an inch across, but said exact measurements and a
determination of the source material would have to await the shuttle's return
to Earth.
Columbia is in a 169 by 165 mile orbit, completing a revolution of the Earth
every 90 minutes.
The JSC Newsroom will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
[Downloaded from ftp.pao.hq.nasa.gov]
Mission Control Status Report #17
8 a.m. CDT Saturday, October 28, 1995
The Space Shuttle Columbia continues to perform well on its 18th mission,
allowing crew members and flight controllers time to concentrate on the
United States Microgravity Payload experiments. This morning, Columbia
passed the midway mark of its marathon mission.
Flight controllers in Houston had another quiet shift last night with orbiter
systems functioning normally. This gave the team plenty of time to fine tune
the timeline for the Red Team's ninth day in space. Columbia's smooth
operation also is allowing orbiter crew members to assist in the science
operations in the Spacelab module.
Columbia is now in a 169 by 165 mile orbit, completing a revolution of
Earth every 90 minutes.
NASA Television programming today includes Mission Update at 11:30 a.m.
CDT and the Flight Day Video File at 3:30 p.m.
|
| 934.24 | USML-2 Status Reports #1-6, 9-12, 14 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Mon Oct 30 1995 15:51 | 1111 |
| USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #1
6:00 p.m. CDT, Oct. 20, 1995
0/09:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
The second United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission is underway
after Columbia's launch this morning at 8:53 a.m. This 16-day mission will
build on the foundation of its predecessor, USML-1, which flew in 1992.
USML-2 will continue microgravity investigations in fluid physics, materials
science, biotechnology, combustion science and commercial space processing
technology. These experiments support work that historically yields
long-range benefits to the quality of life, and will play a vital role in
work on the International Space Station. Mission Scientist Marcus Vlasse
observed, "The results from these experiments will provide important input
into our future technology needs."
More than 400 hours of the crew's time will be dedicated to the USML-2
experiments. The seven-member crew onboard Columbia will work dual 12-hour
shifts which allows the experiment operations to continue around the clock in
the "shirt-sleeve" microgravity environment of the Spacelab module.
Microgravity is approximately one millionth the gravity experienced on Earth,
made possible in low Earth orbit by a condition known as freefall. Freefall
provides the microgravity environment for the occupants and experiments
onboard as the Shuttle falls around the Earth in such a way that it stays the
same height above ground.
About two hours after launch, red team Payload Commander Kathy Thornton and
Payload Specialist Al Sacco went to work activating the Spacelab, while the
blue team members slept in preparation for their shift.
Thornton began processing experiment samples in the Commercial Generic
Bioprocessing Apparatus, a tool which allows a variety of sophisticated
biological experiments to be performed in one piece of hardware. Its 132
test-tube size chambers allow multiple commercial customers to take advantage
of the microgravity environment. Major areas of investigation include
biomedical testing and drug development, ecological test systems, and
biomaterials products and processes. Thornton mixes the samples by turning a
plunger or activator on the facility. After mixing, some of the samples will
then be placed in an incubator at a prescribed temperature, while others will
be placed in a rack at room temperature.
Thornton also activated and began check-out of the Crystal Growth Furnace, a
facility to further understand and find better ways of processing
semiconductor crystals which are used for products such as computer chips and
infrared detectors. In microgravity, melting and resolidifying the
specialized semiconductor materials or growing crystals by vapor diffusion
(heating the substance to a vapor and then cooling it, causing material to
deposit in thin layers), the elements are distributed more evenly. This makes
a purer metal and a better end product.
Crew members activated one of two protein crystal growth facilities on this
flight: the European Space Agency's Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility.
Because a protein's structure determines its function, scientists are aiming
to grow the largest, most perfect crystals possible. That way they can more
easily see how a particular protein functions in the human body.
Later in the day, the crew lowered the Shuttle's cabin temperature after it
caused a slight rise in the temperature of a Commercial Protein Crystal Growth
experiment thermoelectric cooler. Ideal temperature in the coolers is four
degrees Celsius. Investigators anticipate the situation will be resolved soon
as the Shuttle naturally cools to its normal post-launch temperature. There
has been no impact on crystal growth.
Payload Specialist Sacco activated two instruments which will determine what
effect crew movements, equipment operations and Shuttle maneuvers can have on
sensitive USML-2 experiments. The Space Acceleration Measurement System
collects data for post-mission evaluation, while the Three Dimensional
Microgravity Accelerometer collects acceleration data for both post mission
and real time data analysis. Armed with data collected by these instruments,
scientists can make changes to their experiments to compensate for on-orbit
disturbances, thus utilizing their microgravity time to the fullest.
Sacco powered on the High-Packed Digital Television Technical Demonstration,
a new digital television system which will be tested on this flight. This
experiment could allow researchers on the ground at the Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville, Ala., and at numerous remote research sites around the
country, to choose from up to six channels of experiment video being
transmitted simultaneously from orbit.
During the next 12 hours, blue team Mission Specialist Catherine Coleman and
Payload Specialist Fred Leslie will continue activating experiments in the
Spacelab, including the Surface Tension Driven Convection experiment and the
Astroculture plant growth facility.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #2
6:00 a.m. CDT, Oct. 21, 1995
0/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
The second United States Microgravity Laboratory's "blue team" -- Mission
Specialists Mike Lopez-Alegria and Cady Coleman, and Payload Specialist Fred
Leslie -- spent a busy first shift putting more of the mission's
microgravity experiments into operation.
Alegria activated the Protein Crystallization Apparatus for Microgravity
experiments located in two Shuttle middeck lockers. During USML-2, the
experiments will grow more than 800 protein crystals -- six times the
number normally accommodated in the same space. Principal Investigator
Dr. Dan Carter of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center who has flown the
apparatus on several Shuttle missions has grown protein crystals with
enhanced internal order.
Because a protein's structure determines its function, researchers analyze
the improved crystals to understand the structure in greater detail. For
instance, a number of pharmaceutical companies have samples in USML-2
protein crystal growth facilities. Improved crystals will aid their
design of new drugs. The superior crystals grown in space contribute
insights that otherwise might not have been possible, despite huge
investments in ground-based research.
Another USML-2 protein facility, the University of Alabama at Birmingham's
Commercial Protein Crystal Growth vapor diffusion apparatus, had
experienced somewhat elevated temperatures yesterday due to warmer than
normal crew cabin temperatures after launch. After the cabin cooled, the
temperature in the refrigerated incubator was down to about 40 degrees
Fahrenheit (4.5 degrees Celsius), well within satisfactory limits.
Coleman spent the first portion of her shift activating more of the
biological samples in NASA's Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus.
The facility, managed by Bioserve Space Technologies at the University of
Colorado in Boulder, is a generic research tool for a wide variety of
life-science experiments. Subjects range from molecules and cells to tiny
organisms. Groups of eight syringe-like fluid containers are packaged
together so they can be activated simultaneously by turning a crank on the
pack.
Leslie's first major assignment was loading six samples into the Marshall
Center's Crystal Growth Furnace, a multi-user facility for growing
crystals of semiconducting material, metals and alloys. Crew members also
installed a flexible glovebox atop the furnace, which they will use later
in the mission to remove crystallized samples and replace them with new
sample cylinders. An automatic sample exchanger within the furnace allows
ground controllers to command processing of multiple crystals in sequence,
freeing the Spacelab crew for other duties.
Just after midnight, Crystal Growth Furnace team members began vapor
crystal growth of their first semiconductor sample, a mercury cadmium
telluride compound provided by Dr. Heribert Wiedemeier of the Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Wiedemeier is examining the
initial phase of vapor crystal growth in a complex alloy semiconductor.
The vapor transport method deposits layers, or thin films, of mercury
cadmium telluride on a cadmium telluride substrate, or base. The material
is used in infrared detectors for products such as cancer detection
devices and the military's night-vision goggles.
Wiedemeier's analysis of the mercury cadmium telluride crystal he grew
during USML-1 revealed new information about how microgravity affects
formation of the initial layer on the substrate. His USML-2 experiment
zeros in on that stage of growth, which determines the atomic arrangement
of the entire crystal and thus the ultimate quality of the material.
Later, Coleman checked out power, lighting, ventilation and video in the
versatile Glovebox facility, provided by the European Space Agency. The
transparent enclosure, which also flew on USML-1, is a self-contained work
area for experiment handling and observation that protects against
possible contamination of the Spacelab environment. USML-2 crew members
will use the Glovebox for seven investigations, several of which will
enhance other mission experiments.
The Spacelab crew then turned their attention to the Lewis Research
Center's Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment, another facility
returning after a USML-1 debut. The apparatus allows investigators to
view in great detail the basic fluid mechanics and heat transfer of
thermocapillary flows, motions created within fluids by non-uniform
heating of their free surfaces. Though masked by gravity in ground-based
processing, such flows during melting and resolidifying can create defects
in high-tech crystals, metals, alloys and ceramics. Leslie installed the
facility's infrared imager, video cassette recorder, and the first test
module. Coleman then checked out the video system, which allows ground
controllers to see how changes in heating and surface shape affect flows
within the fluid.
During the upcoming shift, Payload Specialist Al Sacco will work with his
Glovebox Zeolite Crystal Growth experiment, and Payload Commander Kathy
Thornton will start up the Drop Physics Module. Initial operations for
the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment are scheduled for later this
afternoon.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #3
6:00 a.m. CDT; Oct. 22, 1995
1/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
The seven-member crew of the second United States Microgravity Laboratory
had a busy 24 hours during their second day in space. Experiments
continue to operate smoothly and on schedule.
Fluids physics Payload Specialist Fred Leslie spent his shift overnight
conducting initial experiment runs in the Surface Tension Driven
Convection Experiment. The investigation examines subtle fluid motions,
called thermocapillary flows, created by variations in temperature on a
fluid's surface. Though overshadowed by gravity-driven flows on Earth,
thermocapillary flows during melting and resolidifying can create defects
in high-tech crystals, metals, alloys and ceramics.
The goal of USML-2 surface tension experiments is to measure the
transition from steady, two-dimensional flows to oscillatory, or
three-dimensional, flows within silicone oil. Leslie reported the onset
of oscillations early in the first experiment run, as ground controllers
watched three different views of the experiment chamber transmitted
simultaneously by Hi-Pac TV. While data from the July 1992 flight
confirmed the model for steady thermocapillary flows proposed by the
science team from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, it
also indicated that smaller chambers and less viscous fluid would be
needed to study the transition from steady to oscillatory flow. These
improvements were made, and a new optical system was added so
investigators can observe how changes in surface shapes influence the
beginning of oscillations.
After crew members activated the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell experiment,
the University of Colorado science team took over operation from the
ground. The investigation models flows in oceans and atmospheres of
planets and stars using silicone oil between two rotating hemispheres --
one of stainless steel inside another of transparent sapphire.
Controllers can vary electrical charges which simulate gravity, fluid
temperature and rotation speed of the spheres in order to reflect
conditions in the different environments.
The geophysical cell's first experiment run mimicked the sun's plasma
flows, repeating its primary study during Spacelab 3 in 1985. "This
allows us to compare USML-2 results with our previous experiment," said
Principal Investigator Dr. John Hart. "The instrument seems to be working
great." Solar physics researchers at the University of Colorado will use
data from this experiment to build better computer models of fluid
behavior on the sun.
Glovebox Protein Crystal Growth experiments occupied Mission Specialist
Cady Coleman for the majority of last night's shift. Coleman used a
variety of procedures to manually mix protein and activator solutions in
the Glovebox enclosure. Crew members will observe crystallization of the
samples as the mission progresses and adjust upcoming Glovebox protein
activations accordingly. Shuttle protein experiments over the past decade
have frequently produced more perfect crystals than those grown on Earth,
and investigators are constantly refining methods to improve that quality.
Modifications made during the USML-1 Glovebox experiment resulted in
several crystals of much higher quality than had ever been grown before.
Earlier in the day, Payload Commander Kathy Thornton made videotapes of
proteins growing in Principal Investigator Dr. Alex McPherson's handheld
diffusion test cells. In liquid-liquid diffusion, fluids are not mixed
but diffuse into each other by random motion of molecules. This method is
difficult on Earth because gravity causes solutions with different
densities to mix. Also, the denser crystals settle to inappropriate parts
of the cell.
Thornton used sound waves to control positions of marked Styrofoam and
plastic balls inside the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Drop Physics Module.
In addition to giving her practice operating the equipment, Thornton's
success assured investigators that free-floating liquid drops can be
manipulated as desired during upcoming experiment operations. Improved
understanding of fluid physics would produce advances in industries from
chemical engineering to pharmaceuticals.
Payload Specialist Al Sacco is principal investigator for two USML-2
investigations into the growth of zeolite crystals, widely used as
catalysts and filters in the chemical processing industry. Video downlink
Saturday from the Shuttle showed Sacco's hands in the Glovebox facility as
he mixed 16 samples of alumina and silica solutions to initiate growth in
the Zeolite Crystal Growth Glovebox experiment. Sacco then used the most
effective mixing procedures to prepare other samples for heating in the
Zeolite Crystal Growth Furnace.
The Astroculture facility team was elated to see video downlink of their
potato plants on day two of the mission. Ten small tubers are being grown
in the chamber to test how microgravity affects starch accumulation in
plants. This information will play an important role in future
long-duration space missions such as the International Space Station,
where plants could provide food, water and oxygen for crews, as well as
removing carbon dioxide from the space habitat.
On Saturday, the Crystal Growth Furnace completed its first sample, a
semiconductor crystal grown by the vapor transport technique. A six-hour
growth period deposited a thin mercury cadmium telluride crystal onto a
cadmium telluride substrate, or base. The infrared-detecting
semiconductor crystal will be analyzed to determine whether defects from
the base material were translated to the atomic structure of the crystal
grown in microgravity.
Furnace team members then began melting a semiconductor sample aimed at
eliminating defects in a substrate material. The alloying element zinc is
added to this cadmium telluride substrate to minimize strain where the two
crystals join. Processing of the semiconductor compound, from the
Northrop-Grumman Corp. in Bethpage, New York, will continue for more than
90 hours.
More Glovebox Protein Crystal Growth, Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment and Drop Physics Module activities are scheduled for the
upcoming 24 hours.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #4
6:00 a.m. CDT; Oct. 23, 1995
2/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Research in microgravity continues around the clock as crew
members of the second United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-
2) onboard the Shuttle Columbia work in dual 12-hour shifts. The
red and blue Spacelab teams devoted the majority of the time on
their last shifts to the Drop Physics Module, the Surface Tension
Driven Convection Experiment and Glovebox Protein Crystal Growth
operations.
Drop Physics Module Project Scientist Arvid Croonquist and his
science team watched downlink video of the first liquid drop
deployment in their facility during an initial test run on Sunday.
Payload Commander Kathy Thornton deployed the 3/4-inch (4 cubic
centimeter) drop of water, then released it, using precisely
controlled sound waves to manipulate the drop's movements.
Thornton reported that the drop's performance was close to
expectations, its rotation visible by following the movement of
tiny plastic particles suspended in the water drops as reference
points.
Thornton spent a good portion of her shift deploying and
manipulating different-sized drops in the facility. Mission
Specialist Cady Coleman also devoted several hours last night to
familiarizing herself with the operation of the Drop Physics
Module. These preliminary runs give crew members valuable
practice injecting, controlling and retrieving liquid drops in the
unique environment of weightlessness. The runs also allow ground
controllers to fine-tune procedures in preparation for upcoming
science investigations. Insights gained into basic fluid physics
and the properties of liquid surfaces will benefit a variety of
industries, from pharmacology to industrial chemistry.
Payload Specialist Al Sacco and Coleman finished the mission's
initial round of protein crystal growth activations in the
Glovebox facility. The experiment, provided by the Center for
Macromolecular Crystallography in Birmingham, Ala., will help
improve protein crystal growth procedures for future Shuttle
missions and on the International Space Station. Among the
proteins Sacco activated was feline calcivirus, similar to a virus
that causes digestive problems in humans. He also set up initial
conditions for growth of a collagen binding domain protein,
important in the study of arthritis and joint disease. One of the
proteins Coleman activated last night was duck delta crystallin.
Derived from the eye of a duck, it is much like a protein that
causes a rare but deadly inherited disease in humans.
Thornton and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie continued tests in the
Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment, an investigation
which could eventually lead to better, stronger high-tech
crystals, metals, alloys and ceramics by modeling the transition
from steady thermocapillary fluid flows to oscillatory (or
varying) flows. Unsteady flows in materials processing such as
crystal growth could reduce the quality of the final product.
"Once we understand when and how oscillations occur, we should
eventually be able to design processes to control them," said Co-
Investigator Dr. Yasuhiro Kamotani of Case Western Reserve
University.
In this series of convection tests, crew members drew down the
volume of silicone oil in the experiment chamber to create a
concave surface. As a laser gradually heated the surface, team
members were able to identify the transition point where
oscillations began to occur in each run. "We've never seen this
kind of transition before, because we have no way to create a
large curved liquid surface on the ground," said Lewis Research
Center Project Scientist Alex Pline.
Crew members initiated another Lewis Research Center
investigation, the Colloidal Disorder-Order Transition experiment.
This Glovebox study researches what happens at the boundaries
between solid and liquid states during crystallization of a
colloid. Colloids are suspensions of finely divided solids or
liquids in gaseous or liquid fields. For instance, paint, ink and
milk are colloids found in everyday life. Investigators will use
results to model the complex interactions of atoms -- the basic
building blocks for everything in the universe.
Thornton worked Sunday with the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell
Experiment, which models fluid flows on Earth, planets and stars.
Thornton set up different scenarios, adjusting fluid temperature,
speed of sphere rotation, and electrical charges (which simulate
gravity) to mimic various environments. Investigators hope to one
day use information gleaned from experiments such as this to aid
in forecasting ocean flows and weather patterns. The science team
is currently working a problem relaying scenario temperature
parameters to the experiment hardware, but Principal Investigator
Dr. John Hart says they are getting good data.
The cadmium zinc telluride crystal is just over a third of the way
through its growth in the Crystal Growth Furnace. The predecessor
experiment on USML-1 yielded a crystal of the infrared-detecting
semiconductor a thousand times more perfect than any cultivated on
Earth. Principal Investigator Dr. David Larson hopes to
demonstrate that equivalent quality can be reproduced with the
USML-2 crystal.
The Astroculture team has noticed new growth on the 10 small
potato tubers in their facility onboard Columbia. The potatoes
will be analyzed post-mission to determine how microgravity
affected starch accumulation. In addition, this flight of
Astroculture is the last in a series to evaluate each of the
critical subsystems needed for the construction of a reliable
plant growth unit. After it is flight qualified, the unit will be
available for sale or lease to commercial enterprises. Plants may
provide food, water and oxygen for crews on long-duration space
flights.
Science activities scheduled for the next 12 hours include more
Drop Physics Module and Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment activities.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #5
6:00 p.m. CDT, Oct. 23, 1995
3/09:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
As the fourth day of the second United States Microgravity
Laboratory (USML-2) got underway this morning, red team
Payload Commander Kathy Thornton and Payload Specialist Al
Sacco began another day of intensive microgravity science
onboard the Shuttle Columbia. Science missions like USML-2
serve as a proving ground for research to be conducted
onboard the International Space Station.
Following a series of successful test runs Sunday, Thornton
began conducting the first science runs in the Drop Physics
Module today. An astronaut uses the drop physics facility to
flatten and oscillate free-floating liquid drops using sound
waves emitted by acoustic speakers � one on each side of the
chamber's bottom wall. Thornton deployed numerous 3/4 inch
(4 cubic centimeter) drops of water, releasing them from the
facility's prong-like injector tips, and changing their
shapes by varying the sound waves. Astronauts will continue
efforts to split a single drop into two. In later experiment
runs, additives will be put in the liquid drops to study how
they alter the drop's behavior. This ability to control the
shapes and behavior of fluids could have applications in many
industries that mix fluids, from the chemical engineering
field to that of biomedical technology.
Dr. Simon Ostrach of Case Western Reserve University in
Cleveland, Ohio, and his Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment team have been immensely pleased with live Hi-Pac
downlink video of their experiment. The surface tension
investigation studies thermocapillary flows, motions
generated by temperature variations across the free surface
of a liquid. Today, Sacco conducted constant temperature
baseline tests on both flat and curved surfaces using a
submerged heater that increased the temperature until
convective flows began. The science team, located at
Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.,
periodically gave instructions to Sacco to adjust the surface
temperatures, thereby obtaining different flow patterns.
Possible applications for this research include welding
applications on Earth, as well as life support and heat
exchange systems on Earth and in space.
During the last 12-hours, crew members observed the small
potato tubers growing in the Astroculture facility. This
research will provide investigators with information on using
plants to supply long-duration space crews with food, water
and oxygen. To verify the apparatus as a viable plant growth
facility, USML-2 is also testing Astroculture subsystems
which supply temperature, water and humidity to the plants.
Sacco also spent time working in the Glovebox activating
protein crystal growth experiments. Noticing bubbles in the
activator solution, Sacco was instructed by scientists from
the ground to avoid the bubbles with the needle as he drew
solution from the container before adding it to the protein.
If a growing crystal came in contact with a bubble, the
crystal could actually grow on the bubble, thus distorting
the desired purity of the crystal.
As these and other experiments continue to operate, the
microgravity environment must be checked to see what effect
Shuttle and crew activity have on the sensitive experiments
onboard. Scientists can use data from the Space Acceleration
Measurement System in their post-mission analysis, taking
into account disturbances which occurred during their
experiment runs. Acceleration data from the Three
Dimensional Microgravity Accelerometer and the Orbital
Acceleration Research Experiment deliver their data to the
ground in real time - a first for any Spacelab mission. This
will allow ground teams to compare onboard acceleration data
from multiple sources.
Another first for a Shuttle mission occurred today when
astronauts aboard the orbiting Shuttle saw live camera video
of cadre members on their consoles at the Marshall Center,
during a test of a digital signal compression system here
known as Ground-to-Air TV. This system, managed by Marshall,
compresses a television signal on the ground, then sends it
to the orbiting Space Shuttle. Its future use may allow the
Shuttle crew to view necessary live television here or at JSC
for information and evaluation.
The next shift will be a busy one, as blue team Payload
Specialist Fred Leslie continues a series of runs with the
Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment. Mission
Specialist Catherine Coleman is scheduled to pick up where
Thornton left off manipulating fluid drops in the Drop
Physics Module.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #6
6:00 a.m. CDT, Oct. 24, 1995
3/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Experiments aboard the Shuttle Columbia continue to operate extremely well
as the second United States Microgravity Laboratory enters its fifth day
in space. Fluid physics studies, unhampered by the distortions caused by
gravity, again took center stage.
As he had for the previous two nights, Payload Specialist Fred Leslie
devoted most of his shift to the Lewis Research Center's Surface Tension
Driven Convection Experiment. The study seeks a precise understanding of
flows created by temperature differences across a liquid's surface, called
thermocapillary flows. In particular, the USML-2 experiment should
determine the conditions under which thermocapillary flows begin to
oscillate, or become irregular. While thermocapillary flows are almost
impossible to study on the ground because of the overpowering influence of
gravity, they can affect processing of molten materials on Earth such as
formation of semiconductor crystals or precision welding.
Leslie used a larger experiment chamber than he had on previous surface
tension experiment runs -- 3/4-inch (2 cm) diameter as opposed to 1/2-inch
(1.2 cm) -- and heated the silicone oil surface with a laser. The surface
was flat for the first three runs and curved for the fourth. Principal
Investigator Dr. Simon Ostrach believes that the onset of oscillations is
affected by a number of factors, including heat source, temperature
distribution on the fluid surface, surface shape and container size.
USML-2 experiments are using multiple combinations of conditions to build
a through understanding of oscillatory thermocapillary flow in
microgravity.
The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment team controlled their
investigation remotely from Marshall's Spacelab control center, with input
from colleagues at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Payload
Specialist Leslie, a co- investigator for the experiment, calls it "a
planet in a test tube." Silicone oil between two rotating hemispheres can
be manipulated to simulate fluid flows in the atmospheres of giant gas
planets, the sun or the Earth. Last night's experiment simulated
atmospheric dynamics of the sun .
When ground-based experiments use spheres as planetary models, gravity
exerts force in a single direction. Therefore, a uniform gravitational
force cannot be exerted on all the sphere's surfaces. In space, simulated
gravities can be varied as necessary. This experiment should give
theorists insights for interpreting and predicting problems in complex
fluid systems, including Earth's atmosphere, oceans, core and mantle.
Mission Specialist Cady Coleman is conducting the mission's first run of
the Glovebox Interface Configuration Experiment for Principal Investigator
Dr. Paul Concus of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in California. The
study examines how movements of fluids in microgravity, such as fuel in
spacecraft tanks, are influenced by the shapes of their containers. On
Earth, gravity causes fuel and other liquids to drain from containers in
predictable ways. When planning space-based operations, it is important
to be able to predict the locations and configurations that fluids will
assume in containers under low-gravity conditions. Thus far, mathematical
models exist for only a few container shapes. Coleman used a wedge-shaped
vessel for this run, adjusting the wedge angle to see how different angles
affect fluid behavior.
Earlier, Coleman spent several hours following up on Glovebox Protein
Crystal Growth experiments she began on previous shifts. Experiment team
members at the Center for Macromolecular Crystallography in Birmingham,
Ala., sent Coleman instructions for modifying conditions as she activated
a new batch of proteins. She will compare growth progress in the various
samples to determine which conditions work best for specific types of
proteins.
Mission Specialist Mike Lopez-Alegria and Coleman also monitored other
protein crystal experiments onboard. This mission carries a record number
of protein samples and protein crystal growth facilities. The European
Space Agency's Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility enables
videotaping of three different methods of crystal growth. Marshall Space
Flight Center has two protein crystal growth experiments on USML-2, which
use a total of four facilities. In addition to their Glovebox experiment,
the Center for Macromolecular Crystallography is growing more crystals in
the often-used Vapor Diffusion Apparatus as well as by a newer batch
method.
Proteins are molecules which serve biological functions. Understanding
the structure of these molecules gives scientists an idea what other
molecules would interact with the protein and change the way it functions,
for instance to help cure or treat an illness. Space-based protein
crystal growth experiments have consistently produced high-quality
crystals for structural analysis, as well as providing better
understanding of the dynamics of protein crystal growth.
Red team members will devote the majority of their upcoming shift to Drop
Physics Module, Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment and Glovebox
Protein Crystal Growth operations.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #9
6:00 p.m. CDT, Oct. 25 1995
5/09:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
A short period of leisure time was built into the schedule
for the red shift science crew of the second United States
Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission today. Payload
Commander Kathryn Thornton took her break in the morning,
leaving Payload Specialist Al Sacco to enjoy his time off in
the afternoon.
Sacco spent the first part of his shift working in the
Glovebox facility on protein crystal growth experiments.
Various proteins from laboratories around the world are being
grown in this facility. Activating one of these protein
crystal growth experiments involves mixing a selected protein
solution with another solution, which activates growth. The
crystals are then placed in an incubator facility at a
precise temperature. Sacco today initiated new protein
crystal growth experiments, based on his observations of
previous sets of investigations. He adjusted experiment
parameters in order to modify protein crystal growth
conditions such as mixing procedures, crystal seeding,
crystal mounting and crystal preservation.
Sacco brought on line the last of the 14 major experiment
facilities during his morning shift. Marshall Space Flight
Center's Suppression of Transient Accelerations by Levitation
Evaluation (STABLE) is a test designed to isolate a small
science experiment from high-frequency accelerations,
including Shuttle operations and crew activity. The device
uses a suspended platform controlled by electromagnetic
actuators. Accelerometers on the platform provide data on
Shuttle disturbances � data which allows position sensors to
locate the platform with respect to the base, keeping the
platform centered between disturbances. This greatly reduces
accelerations and gives the experiment a smoother ride. An
experiment known as CHUCK will debut on STABLE later in the
mission.
Sacco continued work today in the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell
Experiment facility. The experiment uses a stainless steel
hemisphere about the size of a baseball, surrounded by a
sapphire hemisphere, with silicone oil between the two. By
applying an electric charge to the hemispheres, a crew member
creates artificial gravity. Other parameters changed with
each run are the temperature of the silicone oil and the
speed of the hemispheres' rotation. In this way, a variety
of fluid flows in oceans, planets and stars are mimicked,
possibly helping forecast ocean flows and weather patterns.
According to Principal Investigator Dr. John Hart, "We've
already discovered several interesting things, and we've been
able to modify our experiment operations and investigate
things we wouldn't have been able to do otherwise."
Pilot Ken Rominger and Sacco kept a close check on growing
zeolites in the Zeolite Crystal Growth furnace today.
Zeolites are inorganic compounds of aluminum, silicon and
oxygen whose porous structures make them valuable catalysts
and purifiers for the chemical processing industry.
"We want to learn more about how zeolites nucleate and grow,
and more about their structure, so we can apply that
knowledge to different processes on Earth," said Co-principal
Investigator Dr. Nurcan Bac of the Worcester Polytechnic
Institute. "For instance, one of the zeolites in this
experiment is widely used by the petroleum refining industry
to crack heavy oils into gasoline. If we can increase the
efficiency of this type of zeolite, we could get more refined
petroleum products from the same amount of crude oil."
Near the end of his shift, Sacco conducted a purge of the
argon gas in the Crystal Growth Furnace. Sacco vented the
gas then pumped fresh argon into the experiment chamber.
This prepared the furnace for the third crystal to be grown
in the facility on USML-2: a sample of gallium arsenide, a
semiconductor material. Gallium arsenide crystals are
valuable for use in electronic devices and a variety of other
products. Provided by the Case Western Reserve University,
the experiment principal investigator is Professor David
Matthiesen, also an alternate payload specialist for USML-2.
This crystal of gallium arsenide will enable scientists to
refine techniques for more uniformly distributing a dopant,
or impurity, during growth. Impurities are added to these
semiconductor compounds to improve or precisely control their
electronic characteristics. To produce high quality gallium
arsenide crystals, scientists need to understand the process
by which these impurities are distributed within the compound
during crystal growth.
Sacco set up the Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment, getting it ready for Thornton to begin experiment
runs after her break. While Thornton conducted constant
temperature baseline tests on the fluid's curved surface,
creating a variety of kaleidoscope-like patterns in the oil,
video was downlinked to investigators on the ground. They
periodically relayed commands to Thornton to increase or
decrease temperatures across the surface of the fluid,
allowing investigators to study the transition from stable
fluid flows to the more unstable ones that result when the
temperature is increased. One key factor prompting this
research is that unwanted fluid flows can create defects in
the production of high-tech crystals, metals, alloys and
ceramics. Thus investigators are seeking to understand how
and why they occur.
During the next shift, blue shift science team members Cady
Coleman and Fred Leslie will continue work in the Surface
Tension Driven Convection Experiment. They will also get
their half-day breaks from work in the Spacelab.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #10
6:00 a.m. CDT, Oct. 26, 1995
5/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Crew activities were relatively quiet aboard the second United States
Microgravity Laboratory overnight, as Mission Specialist Cady Coleman and
Payload Specialist Fred Leslie took turns getting a few hours rest from
their busy schedules. The mission's many crystal growth experiments
continued uninterrupted, taking advantage of unique opportunities for
discovery available only in the low-gravity environment of space.
The Crystal Growth Furnace team finished melting Dr. David Matthiesen's
gallium arsenide crystal and began slowly resolidifying the semiconductor
sample. At almost 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit (1,255 degrees Celsius), the
furnace is operating at the highest temperature it will reach during the
mission. A new Crystal Growth Furnace feature for USML-2 will
periodically mark the point where the melted material is solidifying with
an electric pulse. When the crystal is analyzed after landing, the marks
will indicate the exact growth rate of the crystal and the location of the
solid/liquid boundary at each stage of solidification.
Electronic devices using gallium arsenide semiconductors, such as
high-speed digital circuits, operate at higher speeds and use less power
than those using silicon crystals. Matthiesen's experiment investigates
techniques for uniformly distributing a small amount of selenium within
the crystal as it grows in microgravity.
"There is less than one part per million of selenium in this sample," said
furnace team member Dr. Frank Szofran of Marshall Space Flight Center.
"Yet it greatly alters the electrical conductivity of the semiconductor."
Trace materials, called dopants, are often added to semiconductors to
improve or precisely control their electronic characteristics. To produce
high quality crystals, scientists need to understand the process by which
dopants are distributed within a compound during crystal growth. Growing
the crystals in microgravity greatly reduces uneven dopant distribution
caused by gravity on Earth, allowing more subtle influences to be
identified.
Leslie and Coleman spent most of their on-duty hours working with the
Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment (STDCE). Last night's runs
were the first to use the experiment's largest chamber, almost 1-1/4
inches (3 centimeters) in diameter. As they have for the past five days,
the science team in Huntsville and the Spacelab crew on orbit worked
together to precisely adjust temperatures on the silicone oil surface.
Again, they were able to pinpoint when surface- temperature-driven flows
within the fluid became unsteady, or oscillatory. This was the first time
oscillatory flows had ever been observed in such a relatively large
container. Coleman reported seeing especially dramatic, wave-like
oscillations near the center of the fluid flow during some of her
experiment runs. Unwanted fluid flows affect the quality of materials
solidified from a molten state on Earth. Understanding the subtle factors
which control those flows gives researchers tools for eventually
controlling them.
Several factors are contributing to the success of the USML-2
surface-tension experiments. A new optics system developed by Dr. H.
Philip Stahl and students from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology in
Terre Haute, Indiana, gives the crew and ground controllers precise
pictures of oil surface shapes and flow patterns. Spacelab's new
six-channel Hi-Pac Television system is simultaneously downlinking video
of those images, along with a three-dimensional view of the chamber and
infrared temperature readings, giving the science team a complete
representation of the experiment.
STDCE team members also have been keeping a close eye on real-time data
from the Three-Dimensional Microgravity Accelerometer, or 3-DMA. The
low-frequency vibration detector has a sensor located in the rack next to
the surface tension experiment. "3-DMA allows us to make a judgment as to
whether to wait for external movements to settle down before beginning an
experiment run," said Project Scientist Alex Pline.
On its first Shuttle flight, 3-DMA was developed as a low-cost commercial
accelerometer system by the University of Alabama at Huntsville's
Consortium for Materials Development in Space. The instrument measures
both the absolute level of microgravity acceleration (the difference
between zero acceleration and what is experienced during the mission) and
microvibrations which could affect the investigations onboard. Principal
Investigator Jan Bijvoet worked in Huntsville for the European Space
Agency when it was developing the Spacelab over a decade ago. "It's good
to have an experiment aboard 'my' Spacelab," he said.
The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment team is wrapping up another
six-hour solar atmosphere simulation, and growth continues in the Zeolite
Crystal Growth Furnace and the many USML-2 protein crystal growth
experiments.
USML-2 crew members will go back to a full-time work schedule today. Their
tasks include a Drop Physics Module experiment to study how an additive
affects liquid surface behavior, as well as a photography session for the
Glovebox Colloidal Disorder-Order Transition investigation.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #11
6:00 p.m. CDT, Oct. 26, 1995
6/09:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Payload Commander Kathy Thornton and Payload Specialist Al
Sacco had a busy day conducting a wide variety of experiments
in the microgravity environment aboard the Shuttle Columbia
in the second United State Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2).
The Colloidal Order-Disorder Transition experiment, an
investigation into the solidification process in crystal
growth, revealed unexpected results today. In studying
electronic still photographs provided by Sacco this morning,
researchers saw that crystals of varying sizes were formed in
the samples. This is something they haven't seen on Earth.
Sacco told researchers on the ground that particles in the 15
sample vials were randomly spaced, and ranged in size from 10
to 150 microns (millionth of a meter). Scientists are
interested in what happens at the boundaries between solid
and liquid states during crystallization of a colloid,
allowing them to see how atoms and molecules move and arrange
themselves when they form a crystal. This may help improve
materials processing methods on Earth, as well as in
microgravity.
A crystal of the semiconductor material gallium arsenide has
grown about
1 inch (2-1/2 centimeters) since it was placed in the Crystal
Growth Furnace last night. The temperature in the Crystal
Growth Furnace is the hottest it has been during this mission
� between 22 and 23 hundred degrees Fahrenheit . The crystal
is growing at a rate of 1.8 millimeters per hour. Although
this is a slow growth period, gallium arsenide crystals have
the potential to make computers, satellites and other
electronics work much faster than with silicon chips. Chips
made of gallium arsenide are now too expensive for widespread
use - current processing techniques yielding only one good
chip out of every ten that are made.
Thornton this morning began deploying liquid drops in the
Drop Physics Module in tests to help the science team
finalize a procedure to slow down the rotation of the drops.
Later, the USML-2 crew will add a small amount of chemical,
called a surfactant, to the drop in an experiment known as
Science and Technology of Surface Controlled Phenomena,
managed by Principal Investigator Dr. Robert E. Apfel, of
Yale University. Scientists are comparing characteristics of
drops containing surfactants to drops of pure water.
Surfactants are substances which alter the surface properties
of a liquid, aiding or inhibiting the way it adheres to or
mixes with other substances. Applications of this research
apply to many industrial processes, among them the production
of cosmetics and improvement of oil recovery.
University of California � Riverside's Dr. Alex McPherson is
principal investigator for the handheld diffusion test cells
experiment. The experiment is growing proteins by liquid-
liquid diffusion, a process in which fluids diffuse into each
other by random motion of molecules, rather than being mixed
together. This method is difficult on Earth because gravity
causes solutions with different densities to mix. The
experiment is a precursor for long-duration crystallization
experiments aboard the International Space Station and Mir.
The Three-Dimensional Microgravity Accelerometer experiment
ground support team continues to troubleshoot the cause and
resolution of a data downlink problem. This has not impacted
science since all data is recorded onboard the Shuttle. This
experiment measures accelerations and vibrations that could
affect investigations in the Spacelab.
Thornton spent the afternoon working with the Surface Tension
Driven Convection Experiment. Researchers on the ground
relayed instructions for Thornton to raise the temperature of
the silicon oil surface in order to study the change from
steady thermocapillary fluid flows to oscillatory (or
unsteady) flows. This investigation could one day lead to
better, stronger high-tech crystals, metals, alloys and
ceramics.
Sacco spent the last part of his shift working in the
Glovebox activating new protein crystal growth experiments,
based on his observations of results from previous
experiments. An advantage of a longer mission like USML-2 is
that it allows science teams on the ground to perform several
experiment runs, analyze their data, and have the crew devise
a new set of experiments. This allows investigators to
quickly capitalize on their observations in real time.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #12
6:00 a.m. CDT, Oct. 27, 1995
6/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
"We feel like we're back home at Marshall in the Payload Crew
Training Complex," said Mission Specialist Cady Coleman last
night, referring to the Marshall Space Flight Center Spacelab
mockup where she and her crewmates spent many hours preparing
for the second United States Microgravity Laboratory mission.
Overnight, Coleman and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie
performed now-familiar duties with protein crystal growth and
fluid flow experiments, and also tested a new vibration-
isolation facility.
Coleman completed the mission's first technical demonstration
with the Suppression of Transient Acceleration by Levitation
Evaluation, or STABLE. Developed cooperatively by the
Marshall Space Flight Center and McDonnell Douglas, STABLE is
the first facility to use electromagnetic levitation to
isolate sensitive experiments from disturbances in the
Shuttle.
Coleman activated a simple experiment within the levitation
device by heating a fluid-filled cell, then observed it with
a laser light. To the delight of the science team in
Huntsville, the experiment's small optical system recorded
the resulting heat diffusion. This experiment, known as
"CHUCK," was designed in Marshall's Space Sciences Lab as a
small, simple system to study materials processes in
microgravity that are applicable to crystal growth mechanics.
For the first run, the STABLE platform floated free through
the action of electromagnets. The platform was locked in
place for a repeat run. Comparisons should help determine
the effectiveness of STABLE for reducing background
vibrations.
Both STABLE and CHUCK were produced in less than five months,
from the time designers got the go-ahead for construction
this past January until they delivered the equipment to
Kennedy Space Center in June. Engineers on these projects
were working under a new NASA committment to streamline the
development of lower cost space hardware.
Later in the shift, Coleman examined growing protein crystals
under the Glovebox microscope. Commercial Protein Crystal
Growth team members watched downlink video of the magnified
crystals from their home lab at the University of Alabama in
Birmingham. Coleman reported that the crystals were bigger
and seemed to be growing in isolation rather than in clumps.
One crystal in particular was so well-formed that the fist
look at it elicited applause from the Birmingham team.
Coleman then activated more samples of the same proteins
based on observations of growth progress thus far. She
jokingly told the experiment team that she has given up
caffeinated coffee just for them, "since you have to be so
careful with these things," referring to the delicate
handling required for protein crystals.
The Glovebox protein crystal growth evaluation is one of
several USML-2 experiments aimed at determining the best
methods for growing protein crystals. In the middeck, the
European Space Agency's Advanced Protein Crystallization
Facility is growing protein crystals by three different
methods. An internal camera is recording video images of
the growing crystals. After the mission, researchers will
study development of the crystals in microgravity to
determine why and how proteins nucleate and begin to form
crystals.
A decade of Shuttle protein crystal growth experiments has
led to improved methods for ground-based experiments, as well
as producing well-ordered crystals which have allowed the
structures of several proteins to be determined.
Understanding the structures of proteins, such as those
related to diseases, is important for developing custom-
tailored molecules, such as drugs, to interact with them.
As has been true for the majority of the mission, Leslie
spent most of his shift working with the Surface Tension
Driven Convection Experiment. The Lewis Research Center
investigation is gathering extyensive new data on subtle
fluid flows created by surface temperature variations. In a
typical operation, Leslie drew down the volume of silicone
oil within a 1-1/4 inch (3 centimeter) cylinder until it
formed a deeply concave surface -- a surface shape possible
only in microgravity with a container this large. Leslie
heated the fluid, first very steadily, and again in several
pronounced steps. The Case Western Reserve University
science team reported seeing distinct differences in the
heating power levels at which fluid flows became unsteady, or
began to oscillate, with the two heating scenarios. A
thorough understanding of fluid physics forms a valuable base
for improvements in sophisticated materials processing.
Also last night, Coleman reset a Drop Physics Module circuit
breaker which tripped yesterday when some film jammed, and
the facility is ready for experiment operations later today.
More Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment runs are
also scheduled. Growth of a gallium arsenide semiconductor
within the Crystal Growth Furnace will continue until early
tomorrow morning.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #14
6:00 a.m. CDT, Oct. 28, 1995
7/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Mission Specialist Cady Coleman and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie
took turns conducting investigations within the European Space
Agency's versatile Glovebox enclosure as the second United States
Microgravity Laboratory-2 mission reached its half-way point.
Leslie worked with two Glovebox investigations sponsored by NASA's
Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. First, he photographed
several containers holding different concentrations of microscopic
plastic spheres suspended in liquid for the Colloidal Disorder-
Order Transition experiment. Dr. Paul Chaikin of Princeton
University hopes to determine at which concentration the
collisions between the spheres change the mixture from a
disordered fluid state, with the spheres moving haphazardly, to an
ordered crystalline state in which they are arranged in a
symmetrical way.
"We are studying the most fundamental transition between liquid
and solid states, to find what is really important in the
formation of solids and crystals," said Chaikin. The behavior of
the spheres in space, essentially free from the disruption of
gravity, is a basic model for the way atoms interact with one
another. All physical properties of matter such as weight,
hardness and color are determined by the kind of atoms present and
how they interact.
Leslie's next Glovebox activity, the Interface Configuration
Experiment, studied the behavior of a fluid in microgravity as it
filled a specially shaped chamber. Glovebox Investigator Dr. Paul
Concus of the University of California at Berkeley and Co-
Investigators Dr. Robert Finn of Stanford University, and Mark
Weislogel of NASA's Lewis Research Center watched live video as
ruby-tinted fluid began flowing into three containers, each with
slightly different internal angles. The scientists were able to
see definite differences in the way the fluid adhered to chamber
walls in the various containers, and some of the behavior was
different from that predicted by the classic mathematical model.
"This shows that we cannot rely completely on the current theory
of how surfaces form in low gravity, which is based on an equation
developed in the 1800's," said Weislogel. "We saw that physical
factors which are not included in the purely mathematical theory
do indeed play a significant role." Insights will aid design of
fluid systems for space such as those for liquid fuels.
Coleman activated more proteins for the Glovebox Protein Crystal
Growth experiment, this time using larger drops of protein
solution. She has initiated growth of new protein samples during
several recent shifts, adjusting conditions based on the progress
of previously activated crystals. This hands-on involvement of
crew members will help Dr. Larry DeLucas of the University of
Alabama at Birmingham determine the best growth methods for
various proteins during future Shuttle and Space Station
experiments.
Mission Specialist Mike Lopez-Alegria deactivated a crystal growth
chamber for a portion of Dr. Dan Carter's Protein Crystallization
for Microgravity Apparatus experiment. This was one of eight
chambers, activated early in the flight, which contain two salt
solutions rather than actual proteins. The two solutions, with
different concentrations of salt, will gradually diffuse into one
another until the salt concentration is uniform. The crew is
deactivating one container about every two days to detect the
point in time when the diffusion is completed. Carter will use
results to estimate the rate at which solutions will diffuse
during actual protein crystal growth experiments in microgravity.
"We know that proteins grow more slowly in space than on Earth,
but we don't know why," said protein specialist Brenda Wright of
Marshall Space Flight Center. "We've wanted to do an experiment
for a long time that would help us predict the rate at which
certain crystals will grow, so we can be more efficient with these
valuable proteins and our time in orbit. But up until now, we
haven't had the room to fly anything but actual proteins."
Because Carter's apparatus holds many times more samples in the
same volume of space than traditional crystallization facilities,
room was available for the test on USML-2 . Scientists use the
well-formed crystals grown in space to analyze protein structures,
a key to determining how these "building blocks of life" function
in the human body and other biological systems.
Early this morning, Lopez-Alegria rolled the orbiter's position
about 17 degrees to put its left wing directly into the path of
flight, an attitude the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC)
experiment scientists believe might further reduce disturbances to
its experiment. The Shuttle will maintain that orientation until
about 8 a.m. CDT. The fluid flow cell team is running solar
atmosphere simulations at a slower rotation, to determine if the
special Shuttle attitude makes a discernible difference. The
facility uses a combination of rotation, temperature and
gravitational variables to simulate fluid flows in the atmospheres
of the sun and planets.
The Suppression of Transient Acceleration by Levitation
Experiment, or STABLE, completed its final run for the mission
during the Shuttle maneuver. After the mission, a Marshall Center
team will analyze video of a small experiment inside the
levitation device to see if STABLE isolated the experiment from
disturbances as the orbiter changed position.
Later today crew members will remove the three crystals which have
already been processed in Crystal Growth Furnace, replacing them
with three more before melting the next sample. The crew will
also work with Glovebox Protein Crystal Growth and Surface Tension
Driven Convection Experiments.
|
| 934.25 | MSFC Launch Report | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Mon Oct 30 1995 15:53 | 203 |
| STS-73 LAUNCH REPORT
STS-73
MISSION DATA SUMMARY
PAYLOAD MANIFEST:
PAYLOAD BAY United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) Spacelab
Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE)
INSTRUMENTATION: None Assigned
LAUNCH DATE: October 20, 1995
LAUNCH WINDOW: 8:50 am - 11:20 am CDT
LAUNCH TIME: 95:293:13:53:00.013 GMT
8:53 am CDT
SSME#3 START TIME: 95:293:13:52:53.458
SSME#2 START TIME: 95:293:13:52:53.577
SSME#1 START TIME: 95:293:13:52:53.690
LAUNCH SITE: KSC Pad 39B
MOBILE LAUNCH PLATFORM: MLP-3
ORBITAL INCLINATION: 39 degrees
ORBITAL ALTITUDE: 150 nautical miles
INSERTION MODE: Direct
MISSION DURATION: 16 days nominal
PRIMARY LANDING SITE: Kennedy Space Center, FL
ABORT LANDING SITES: TAL (Prime) - Ben Guerir, Morocco
TAL Alternates - Moron, Spain
Zaragoza, Spain
VEHICLE DATA
ORBITER: Columbia OV-102 (18th Flight)
EXTERNAL TANK: ET-73
MAIN ENGINES: 2037(BLK-I), 2031(PH-II), 2038(BLK-I)
POWER LEVEL: Nominal...........104/67/104%
Abort....................104%
To Avoid Ditching........109%
SRBs: BI-075
SRM Set Nr.: Left - 360L050A
Right - 360L050B
SRM Burnrate (Delivered): LH - 0.369 IPS at 60 deg F
RH - 0.369 IPS at 60 deg F
CREW
COMMANDER: Kenneth Bowersox
SHUTTLE PILOT: Kent Rominger
PAYLOAD COMMANDER: Kathryn Thornton
MISSION SPECIALIST: Michael Lopez-Alegria
MISSION SPECIALIST: Catherine Coleman
PAYLOAD SPECIALIST: Albert Sacco, Jr.
PAYLOAD SPECIALIST Fred Leslie
1.0 STS-73 FLIGHT SUMMARY
The STS-73 mission was successfully flown from Launch Pad 39B (MLP-3) at
the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on October 20,1995. This is a civilian
mission of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with
the primary objective of placing the Marshall managed USML-2 in a 150 nm
orbit. The other payload for this flight is the OARE.
This was the seventy second (72nd) flight of the Space Shuttle program.
RSRM ignition occurred at approximately 8:53 A.M. Central Daylight Time
(CDT) (95:293:13:53:00.013 GMT). There were no unscheduled holds. Winds
at liftoff were from approximately 304.6 degrees at 5.52 knots; the
ambient temperature was 77.2 B0 F; the barometric pressure was 29.88 in.
Hg; and the relative humidity was 98.8%.
The successful launch of STS-73 followed vehicle scrubs on 9/28/95,
10/6/95, 10/7/95, and 10/16/95; and two delays on 10/5/95 and 10/14/95.
The first scrub occurred during propellant loading and was due to a
leaking MFV on SSME #1. The second scrub occurred prior to propellant
loading and was caused by an air bubble in the orbiter hydraulic system
#1. Scrub #3 was caused by the Orbiter master events controller #1 which
had 2 failures during the self test at T-20 minutes. Scrub #4, on
10/16/95, was due to launch site weather. The 2 delays were due to
Hurricane Opal (10/5/95) and ultrasonic inspection of the HPOTP discharge
duct on each SSME.
2.0 FLIGHT RESULTS
2.1 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - SRBs BI-075,
RSRMs 360L050A, 360L050B
All Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) systems performed as expected. The SRB
prelaunch countdown was normal, and no SRB or RSRM Launch Commit Criteria
(LCC) or Operational Maintenance Requirements Specification Document
(OMRSD) violations occurred.
Power up and operation of all igniter, and field joint heaters was
accomplished routinely. All RSRM temperatures were maintained within acceptable
limits throughout the countdown. For this flight, the low pressure heated
ground purge in the SRB aft skirt was used to maintain the case/nozzle
joint temperatures within the required LCC ranges. At T-15 minutes, the
purge was changed to high pressure to inert the SRB aft skirt.
Preliminary data indicates that the flight performance of both RSRMs was
well within the allowable performance envelopes, and was typical of the
performance observed on previous flights. The RSRM propellant mean bulk
temperature (PMBT) was 79 degrees F at liftoff.
Both SRBs were successfully separated from the External Tank (ET) at T +
TBD seconds, and reports from the recovery area, based on visual
sightings, indicate that the deceleration subsystems performed as
designed. Both SRBs were observed during descent, and are currently
floating near the retrieval ships.
2.2 EXTERNAL TANK - ET-73
All objectives and requirements associated with External Tank (ET)
propellant loading and flight operations were met. All ET electrical
equipment and instrumentation operated satisfactorily, with the exception
of LOX 100% liquid level sensor #2 (waiver #EK03399), and one LOX tank
ullage temperature (IPR 234). ET purge and heater operations were
monitored and all performed properly.
No ET LCC or OMRSD violations were identified.
Typical ice/frost formations were observed on the ET during the countdown.
There was no observed ice or frost on the acreage areas of the ET. Normal
quantities of ice or frost were present on the LO2 and LH2 feedlines and
on the pressurization line brackets, and some frost or ice was present
along the LH2 PAL ramps. These observations are acceptable per NSTS
08303. The Ice/Frost "Red Team" reported that there were no anomalous TPS
conditions.
The ET pressurization system functioned properly throughout engine start
and flight. The minimum LO2 ullage pressure experienced during the ullage
pressure slump was 14.4 psid.
ET separation was confirmed, and since Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) occurred
within expected tolerances, ET reentry and breakup is expected to be
within the predicted footprint.
2.3 SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINE - SSMEs 2037(BLK-I), 2031(PH-II), 2038(BLK-I)
All SSME parameters appeared to be normal throughout the prelaunch
countdown and were typical of prelaunch parameters observed on previous
flights. Engine "Ready" was achieved at the proper time; all LCC were
met; and engine start and thrust buildup were normal.
Preliminary flight data indicate that SSME performance during mainstage,
throttling, shutdown and propellant dump operations was normal. HPOTP and
HPFTP temperatures appeared to be well within specification throughout
engine operation. Space Shuttle Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) occurred at T
+ 509.32 seconds. There were no Failure IDs (FIDs), and no significant
SSME problems have been identified.
2.4 MAIN PROPULSION SYSTEM - MPS OV-102
The overall performance of the Main Propulsion System (MPS) was as
expected. LO2 and LH2 loading were performed as planned with no stop
flows or reverts. There were no OMRSD or LCC violations.
Throughout the period of preflight operations, no significant hazardous gas
concentrations were detected. The maximum hydrogen concentration level
in the Orbiter aft compartment (which occurred shortly after the start of
fastfill) was approximately 150 ppm, which compares favorably with
previous data for th= is vehicle.
A comparison of the calculated propellant loads at the end of replenish,
versus the inventory loads, results in a loading accuracy of 0.040 percent
for LH2, and 0.066 percent for LO2.
Ascent MPS performance appeared to be completely normal. Preliminary data
indicate that the LO2 and LH2 pressurization systems performed as planned,
and that all NPSP requirements were met throughout the flight.
2.5 SHUTTLE RANGE SAFETY SYSTEM - SRSS
Shuttle Range Safety System (SRSS) closed loop testing was completed as
scheduled during the launch countdown. All SRSS Safe and Arm (S&A)
devices were armed and system inhibits turned off at the appropriate
times. All SRSS measurements indicated that the system operated as
expected throughout the countdown and flight.
As planned, the SRB S&A devices were safed, and SRB system power was
turned off prior to SRB separation. The ET system remained active until ET
separation from the Orbiter.
2.6 VEHICLE PERFORMANCE
A quick-look determination of vehicle performance was made using vehicle
acceleration and preflight propulsion prediction data. From these data,
the average flight derived engine Isp determined for the time period
between SRB separation and start of 3-G throttling was 452.87 seconds as
compared to an MPS tag value of 452.76 seconds.
3.0 CANDIDATE IN-FLIGHT ANOMALIES AND SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS
No In-Flight Anomalies or significant problems associated with the MSFC
elements have been identified at this time.
|
| 934.26 | MCC Status Reports #18, 19, 20 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Wed Nov 01 1995 12:39 | 81 |
|
Mission Control Status Report #18
5 p.m. CDT Saturday, October 28, 1995
With all continuing to proceed smoothly aboard Columbia on the 72nd Space
Shuttle mission, the seven astronauts that make up this microgravity
laboratory mission have passed the mid-point of the flight.
A short while ago, four the crew members completed their ninth workday in
space and were relieved by the remaining three astronauts. The crew is
split into two shifts working around the clock to support the many
experiments that make up this second dedicated United States Microgravity
Laboratory mission.
Ken Bowersox, Kent Rominger, Kathy Thornton and Al Sacco turned in for the
evening about 6 p.m. and are scheduled to take over for Mike
Lopez-Alegria, Cady Coleman and Fred Leslie about three tomorrow morning.
With no systems problems being tracked by Mission Control, Columbia
continues on its 18th voyage in space at an altitude of 170 miles,
circling the Earth every 90 minutes.
NASA Television programming tomorrow includes Mission Update at 11:30 a.m.
CDT and the Flight Day Video File at 3:30 p.m.
Mission Control Status Report #19
9 a.m. CST Sunday, October 29, 1995
After spending eight hours with its belly pointed toward the sun, Columbia
is back in position to support the sensitive United States Microgravity
Laboratory-2 experiments.
For this mission, Columbia's normal attitude has its left wing pointing in
the direction of travel and its tail pointed toward the Earth. This
attitude, however, exposes some portions of the orbiter to the extreme
cold of space for long periods of time. To keep the pressure in the tires
at the levels necessary to support landing operations, the flight control
team is implementing its pre-flight plan for "thermal conditioning" of the
cold areas.
The maneuver, which will be conducted four times during the mission, calls
for crew members to reposition Columbia so that the sun shines directly on
the lower portion of the orbiter. At the conclusion of the first
conditioning period, the tire pressure was measured at 334 pounds per
square inch (psi), an increase from 328 psi before the period. The
nominal end of mission pressure is targeted at 330 psi.
With no systems problems, Columbia continues on its 18th voyage in space
at an altitude of 170 miles, circling the Earth every 90 minutes.
NASA Television programming today includes Mission Update at 11:00 a.m.
CST and the Flight Day Video File at 3:30 p.m. CST.
Mission Control Status Report #20
8 a.m. CST Monday, October 30, 1995
On its eleventh day on orbit, the Space Shuttle Columbia continues to provide
the United States Microgravity Laboratory-2 with a stable platform above the
Earth for the astronauts to conduct a myriad of experiments.
Flying at an altitude of 170 miles, Columbia is positioned with its tail
pointing toward the Earth and its port wing pointing in the general direction
of travel. This "gravity gradient" attitude is maintained with only minimal
thruster firings. The orbiter will stay in this position until around midnight
tonight when Columbia will begin a 14-hour thermal conditioning period with its
belly pointed toward the sun.
All activities on the orbiter continue to go smoothly, and there are no orbiter
systems problems.
NASA Television programming today includes Mission Update at 11:00 a.m. CST;
the Mission and Science Status Briefings at noon CST; and the Flight Day Video
File at 3:30 p.m. CST. An interview with WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh will air at
8:28 p.m. CST.
|
| 934.27 | USML-2 Status Reports #15 16 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Wed Nov 01 1995 12:41 | 211 |
| USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #15
6:00 a.m. CST, Oct. 29, 1995
8/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Research in the unique laboratory environment of space continued at a
steady pace over the last 24 hours aboard the second United States
Microgravity Laboratory.
During one experiment run yesterday, the Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment team observed a phenomenon that had never been seen before.
Fluid flows were erratic, with no obvious organization or pattern, as
Payload Commander Kathy Thornton increased the silicone oil surface
temperature beyond the point at which flows within the fluid began to
oscillate, or become unsteady. Overnight, the ground team conducted
several test runs remotely from the Spacelab control center, freeing the
crew for other activities. The experiment seeks to define the factors
which cause subtle, surface-temperature- driven fluid flows to become
oscillatory. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio
will use the extensive data gathered during USML-2 to graph the onset of
oscillations under many conditions. A better understanding of how and why
such fluid flows occur will be valuable for industrial applications from
fuel management and storage to materials processing methods such as
welding.
In a related Glovebox investigation, Payload Specialist Fred Leslie
performed the mission's first run of the Oscillatory Thermocapillary Flow
Experiment.
Though it uses much simpler equipment, the purpose and procedure are
similar to Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment tests. The major
difference is the proportions of the container. The STDCE chamber's
diameter is twice its own height, while this Glovebox investigation used a
very shallow chamber with a diameter four times its height. Different
chamber sizes provide even more variables for determining the onset of
unstable surface-temperature-driven fluid flows.
Thornton and Payload Specialist Al Sacco exchanged sample cartridges in
the Crystal Growth Furnace yesterday, replacing three processed samples
with three new ones. Last evening, the facility completed its shortest
crystal growth cycle, depositing a thin layer of infrared-detecting
mercury cadmium telluride on a base material, or substrate, in just one
and a half hours.
"We're examining ways to reduce what we call crystal 'birth defects,'
which are transferred from defects in the substrate material which can't
be eliminated, " said Principal Investigator Dr. Heribert Wiedemeier of
the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "In the crystal we grew on USML-1,
the interface between the substrate and the first layer was much smoother
than in crystals produced on the ground. This was totally new, something
we had never seen before and had not expected."
On USML-2, Wiedemeier is growing much thinner layers to see how far
substrate defects propagate into the first crystal layer. On the ground,
the crystal material first forms separate "islands" on the base, which
join to form a complete layer after about two hours of growth. Wiedemeier
grew his first USML- 2 crystal on Sunday for two and one-half hours to be
sure a compete layer was produced. "With last night's sample, we
deliberately stopped growth in less time than it takes for a layer to form
on Earth. However, there is a good chance that under microgravity we may
get a complete layer in the shorter time period," he said.
If this mission demonstrates that certain reduced convection conditions
produce more uniform initial layers in a shorter growth time, Wiedemeier
feels it could lead to crystal growth methods on Earth that are faster,
require less material and energy, and therefore are less costly.
Sacco completed activating protein crystal growth experiments in the
Glovebox facility yesterday afternoon. Thus far, more than 50 individual
experiments have been set up using seven different proteins -- from viral
disease proteins to several involved in the human immune system. USML-2
crew members will observe the samples on Thursday to monitor the growth of
the crystals. Proteins play vital roles in daily life, from providing
nourishment to fighting disease. Many areas of biotechnology benefit from
new information on the structure of proteins, such as development of food
crops with higher protein content and basic research toward more effective
drugs.
Team members for the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment slowed down
the rotation of their experiment hemisphere to get additional data which
relates to fluid motions in Earth's core -- motions that cause such
phenomena as the forced drift of the Earth's continents. The fluid flow
cell is an investigation in fluid dynamics that models fluid flows in
planets, stars and oceans, using silicone oil between two rotating
hemispheres. Controllers can vary electrical charges which simulate
gravity, as well as fluid temperature and rotation speed of the
hemispheres, to reflect conditions in different environments.
Overnight, Mission Specialist Cady Coleman patiently worked through
problems with computer equipment to complete several runs of the Glovebox
Colloidal Disorder-Order Transition (CDOT) investigation. CDOT uses
microscopic plastic spheres suspended in a liquid to model the behavior of
atoms. As planned, red shift crew members will complete the CDOT
activities later today.
When he came back on duty early this morning, Payload Specialist Al Sacco
began a series of experiments in the Drop Physics Module to examine how
chemical additives, called surfactants, affect liquid drop behavior. The
drop studies will continue throughout today's shift.
The Crystal Growth Furnace will begin a 50-hour processing run for its
second gallium arsenide semiconductor sample at around 6:30 a.m. CST.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #16
6:00 a.m. CST, Oct. 30, 1995
9/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Drop physics studies and Glovebox investigations dominated crew activities
during the tenth day in orbit for the United States Microgravity
Laboratory-2, while the mission's many remotely controlled experiments
collected valuable data as well.
Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) experiment runs yesterday seem to
validate predictions in a mathematical model of planetary and solar fluid
flows designed by Co-Investigator Dr. Tim Miller. GFFC scientists saw
different heat-driven, or thermocapillary flow patterns when the same
conditions were initiated at different rates. For instance, voltage,
temperature and rotation speed parameters applied slowly to the
experiment's silicone-oil-filled hemispheres produced one thermocapillary
fluid flow, and a different flow resulted when the same parameters were
applied to the experiment quickly.
"These particular flows are relevant to cases where you might have a
planet with a core that's still moving around -- still convecting -- and
also planets with atmospheres that are rotating very slowly," said Miller.
The experiment facility, which simulates fluid flows in oceans, planets
and stars, is operated from the ground with only occasional adjustments
and monitoring by the crew.
Research in thermocapillary flow phenomena could one day aid in forecasting
ocean flows and weather patterns.
The Crystal Growth Furnace finished melting its second gallium arsenide
semiconductor sample yesterday afternoon, then began slowly moving the
furnace module down the length of the sample cartridge to solidify the
crystal. Early this morning, the experiment team changed the furnace
translation rate from seven one hundredths of an inch (1.8 millimeters)
per hour to seven tenths of an inch (18 millimeters) per hour. This
ten-fold increase will help Principal Investigator Dr. David Matthiesen
determine whether the solidification rate influences the formation of
bubbles in semiconductor crystals. Gallium arsenide crystals promise
important advantages for electronic applications, operating at high speeds
and using less power than traditional silicon semiconductors.
Over the past 24 hours, Payload Commander Kathy Thornton, Payload
Specialist Al Sacco and Mission Specialist Cady Coleman conducted a series
of Drop Physics
Module experiment runs for Dr. Robert Apfel of Yale University. The
experiment examines the influence of chemicals called surfactants on the
behavior of liquid drops. Surfactants are substances that migrate toward
the free surfaces of liquids, resulting in a reduction of surface tension,
or a weakening in molecular "skins." For instance, soap contains
surfactants which makes water "wetter." The various crew members
levitated different sized drops containing surfactants, then squeezed them
with sound waves. Drop Physics Module team members observed the drops'
oscillations and surface distortions from two perspectives, both of which
were transmitted to the ground simultaneously by Hi- Packed Television.
Dr. Apfel used results from related USML-1 experiments to confirm and
adjust theoretical models. This mission's experiments will help him
refine these theories, which apply to processes as widespread as the
production of cosmetics to the recovery of oil spills and environmental
cleanup.
Sacco performed operations for the Colloidal Disorder-Order Transition
investigation, a Glovebox study which seeks to answer fundamental
questions about how liquids become solids. Tiny spheres suspended in a
fluid were clustered together in crystallized formations, in a model of
how atoms arrange themselves to transition from liquid to solid states.
Research of this type could lead to improvements in materials processing
on Earth, such as developing micromachines or better surgical tools. The
science team expects to get at least a 90 percent return on science from
their data, despite time lost troubleshooting several equipment problems.
Payload Specialist Fred Leslie followed up on two Glovebox studies which
delve into fundamental factors of fluid behavior. He photographed the
position of red fluid inside a mathematically designed, transparent
container for the Interface Configuration Experiment. The study examines
how angles within a container affect the way fluids shift within it.
Leslie also completed the mission's second run of the Oscillatory
Thermocapillary Flow Experiment, heating the surface of silicone oil in a
container whose depth equaled its diameter. The run successfully
pinpointed the transition between steady and unsteady heat-induced fluid
flows. The investigation duplicates the Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment (STDCE), but uses containers with different depths to provide
additional insight into the fluid-flow phenomenon. According to Project
Scientist Alex Pline, results were consistent with STDCE results from
earlier in the mission. The team is building an extensive catalogue of
data on these subtle fluid motions which can affect materials processing
on Earth.
Leslie was unsuccessful in several attempts to coax fuel drops onto a
fiber in the Glovebox Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion investigation.
The heptane fuel stubbornly adhered to deployment needles, probably due to
degradation of the needles' non-stick coating. The Glovebox team is
comparing notes with members of other experiment teams and USML-2 payload
controllers to identify other non- stick substances aboard which might be
substituted.
The USML-2 crew schedule for today includes the Glovebox Particle
Dispersion Experiment, more Drop Physics Module surfactant studies,
Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus activities and Astroculture
plant growth facility observations.
|
| 934.28 | USML-2 Status REports #17 18 19 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Fri Nov 03 1995 17:43 | 239 |
| USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #17
6:00 p.m. CST, Oct. 30, 1995
10/09:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
The USML-2 Crystal Growth Furnace experiment team today successfully grew a
crystal of gallium arsenide with a dopant, or impurity, added. Later, the
crystal will be tested to determine if the dopant was evenly distributed
during the crystal's growth. Slightly more than one-inch (7 centimeters) in
length, the semiconductor crystal grew for 12 and one half hours. To produce
high-quality gallium arsenide crystals, scientists need to understand the
processes by which chemical impurities are introduced, whether intentionally
or unintentionally. Electronic devices made from these crystals operate at
higher speed and use less power.
After setting up the Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment this morning,
Payload Specialist Al Sacco stepped aside and surface tension experiment team
members on the ground were able to run the experiment's heater power by
remote commanding. Team members observed the experiment performance via a
multi-channel digital television link. The remote commanding capability gave
the team a chance to get extra data on their experiment, while Sacco and
Mission Specialist Kathryn Thornton were working with other investigations.
The surface tension experiment studies the transition between steady fluid
flows to oscillatory, or unstable, fluid flows.
Today's surface tension experiment runs featured a test cell with a spacer
disk inserted into the bottom of the chamber. This cut the chamber's depth in
half, thereby lowering the amount of fluid in the cell. An increase in power
was necessary to push the fluid flows to the transition point, giving the
experiment team even more data for discussion and post-mission analysis.
Studying surface tension-driven fluid flows holds valuable applications in
areas of materials processing such as the production of high-tech crystals,
metals, alloys and ceramics.
Dr. Robert Apfel with Yale University, whose experiment studies the effect of
surfactants, or chemicals, on the surface of a liquid drop in the Drop Physics
Module, says the drops' large oscillations, caused by sound waves, have
revealed detailed motions in the sample during the experiment runs. Data he
has thus far received on his experiment is clear, concise and definitive,
allowing him to measure specific oscillation points. He will use this
information in post-mission analysis, comparing it to his numerical
predictions.
Crew members continue to keep an eye on a Spacelab VCR which experienced a
brief problem while recording Drop Physics Module data early this morning.
The VCR is up and running, and the drop physics team believes all their data
was captured on the experiment film magazine when the problem occurred.
Sacco spent about two hours this afternoon photographing and filming the
progress of experiments in the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus, a
facility which is used for a wide variety of life-science experiments. The
development of the tiny brine shrimp living in the facility are of interest to
investigators, as they could shed light on the importance of gravity in human
development and aging. The different stages of the growing protein crystals
within the facility were also recorded in today's photo session. Proteins are
molecules which serve biological functions. Understanding the structure of
these molecules gives scientists an idea what other molecules would interact
with the protein and change the way it functions, for instance to help cure or
treat an illness.
The next 12 hours will see the USML-2 blue shift team members Mission
Specialist Cady Coleman and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie on line. Coleman
will continue work with the Drop Physics Module, while Leslie will begin work
in the Glovebox facility on the Particle Dispersion Experiment , an
investigation into the behavior of particles in clouds, such as those in
volcanic eruptions.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #18
6:00 a.m. CST, Oct. 31, 1995
10/22:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
The second United States Microgravity Laboratory added to an already
bulging "portfolio" of scientific information as it completed an eleventh
day in space. "It's really great to be collecting all this data that
we've been planning on for so long," said Mission Specialist Cady Coleman
as she sent video views of USML-2 experiment facilities to scientists on
the ground.
Last night's Particle Dispersion Experiment confirmed a theory about the
behavior of dust and particle clouds proposed by Glovebox Investigator Dr.
John Marshall, who works with the SETI Institute and NASA's Ames Research
Center in California. Payload Specialist Fred Leslie agitated several
small transparent chambers inside the Glovebox, dispersing particles of
volcanic material, rounded quartz, angular quartz or copper within the
various chambers. Marshall watched Glovebox video as dispersed particles
in each of the chambers gradually clumped together, or aggregated, due to
electrostatic attraction.
This validates Marshall's hypothesis that aggregation occurs in all dust
clouds: the planetary nebulae which coalesce to form stars, global dust
storms on Mars, dust clouds from a meteor impact on Earth (such as the one
some believe led to extinction of the dinosaurs), and clouds of dust and
ash flung into Earth's atmosphere during volcanic eruptions. The
particles are drawn together by static electrical charges. Because the
resulting clumps are heavier than individual particles, they fall to the
ground to cleanse the atmosphere (or move to the center to form stars)
more rapidly than would be predicted by gravitational theory alone.
The USML-2 investigation built on results of a technology study on USML-1,
which tested methods for dispersing small particles in microgravity.
"Because of the success of the USML-1 investigation, we were able to flesh
out our science objectives and test variables like particle size, density
of the cloud, and type of material. All the materials showed a similar
propensity to aggregate," said Marshall.
Leslie conducted several more runs for the Glovebox Oscillatory
Thermocapillary Flow Experiment, this time using a very shallow silicone
oil chamber to see how the shallow depth affects the onset of unstable
fluid flows. A few small bubbles, introduced into the oil as Leslie
filled the chamber, moved in concert with aluminum tracer particles to
illustrate fluid flow patterns in the last experiment run. The Glovebox
investigation complements the Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment's probe into the conditions which cause heat- induced fluid
flows to become unsteady, or oscillate.
Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment controllers began their first
observation scenario simulating the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter. The
giant gas planet radiates more heat than it receives from the sun, making
its atmosphere of particular interest to Principal Investigator Dr. John
Hart and other atmospheric scientists. "These early runs show dramatic
changes in flow types with very small variations in the instrument
settings," said University of Colorado Team Member Scott Kittelman.
Investigations for the remainder of the flight will concentrate on
atmospheres like those of the gaseous planets Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus.
Hart feels that lessons learned by studying these "gas giants" can be
brought forward to apply to fluid flows on the Earth.
Early in Coleman's shift, she stretched a "bridge" of liquid between Drop
Physics Module injector tips, in an operation designed to profile the
chamber's acoustic characteristics. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facility's four loudspeakers produce precisely balanced sound waves, used
to position and manipulate liquid drops within the chamber. The acoustics
system was upgraded after USML-1, and the experiment team used last
night's runs to refine their understanding of how various acoustic
controls affect drop manipulation in microgravity.
Mission Specialist Mike Lopez-Alegria made several adjustments to bring
fuel deployment needles closer together in the Fiber Supported Droplet
Combustion experiment hardware. Glovebox investigators hope this will
make it possible to deposit fuel drops onto a stretched fiber during
upcoming experiment runs. Yesterday's planned combustion study was
thwarted when the needles would not come close enough to the fiber for the
fuel to adhere to it.
The Crystal Growth Furnace has cooled down, after processing Dr. David
Matthiesen's gallium arsenide semiconductor crystal. The furnace is
beginning to melt the next sample, another cadmium zinc telluride
semiconductor crystal for Dr. David Larson. This sample is contained in a
modified ampoule designed to force the crystal to adhere evenly to chamber
walls, further reducing defects.
As they have throughout the mission, the Space Acceleration Measurement
System (SAMS) and the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE)
tracked accelerations caused by movements and vibrations within the
Shuttle, as well as by Shuttle maneuvers and atmospheric drag. Both are
part of the Lewis Research Center's Principal Investigator Microgravity
Services project, which provides information to help space scientists
evaluate effects of accelerations on sensitive microgravity experiments.
Both instruments make continuous records of accelerations for analysis
after the flight. In addition, OARE is providing profiles of relatively
steady, or low-frequency, accelerations to the USML-2 mission scientist
every 12 hours.
A Spacelab video cassette recorder which malfunctioned briefly yesterday
morning is back to normal operations, with no loss to USML-2 science data
collection.
Each of the crew members will get a four-hour break today, so their
science activities will be limited to Drop Physics Module surfactant tests
and monitoring ongoing experiments.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #19
6:00 p.m. CST, Oct. 31, 1995
11/09:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
USML-2's Crystal Growth Furnace has finished melting a second sample of the
semiconductor material cadmium zinc telluride, and the crystal has begun to
solidify. This crystal is being slowly solidified in one direction, for a
more perfect structural arrangement. On Earth, cadmium zinc telluride is
used as a substrate, or base, for growing mercury cadmium telluride crystals,
useful for making infrared radiation detectors. The alloying element, zinc,
is added to minimize the strain where the two crystals join, thereby reducing
defects. Defects caused by gravity driven fluid flows on Earth produce less
perfect crystals and thus less perfect end products. This is the sixth
semiconductor crystal to be grown on USML-2 in the Crystal Growth Furnace.
This afternoon Payload Specialist Al Sacco continued changing parameters in
the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment to produce a variety of fluid flows
which mimic those in planets, atmospheres and stars. Today's experiments
continued a series which study the atmospheres of gaseous planets such as
Jupiter and Saturn. Scientists hope lessons learned from these studies can
apply to fluid flows on Earth. Researchers will use data from this experiment
to build better computer models of fluid behavior which could one day aid in
forecasting ocean flows and weather patterns.
A demonstration used to isolate sensitive experiments from small vibrations
and disturbances in the Shuttle was deactivated today. Earlier this week, the
Suppression of Transient Acceleration by Levitation Evaluation, or STABLE,
was tested with an experiment called "CHUCK," an investigation designed to
study materials processes in microgravity that are applicable to crystal
growth mechanics. Comparisons of these data will be made post-mission, and
should help determine the effectiveness of STABLE for reducing background
vibrations. The STABLE experiment was designed and developed by McDonnell
Douglas of Huntington Beach, Calif., and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
Early in the blue shift, Mission Specialist Cady Coleman began setting up the
Drop Physics Module for an experiment run which will involve positioning a
drop of water in the center of a silicon oil drop. Precise adjustments to
sound waves within the drop chamber may enable Coleman to maneuver the water
drop to the oil's center. The ability to deploy and manipulate compound drops
is an important step towards uniform encapsulation -- a technique which could
aid scientists in using polymer systems to study the encapsulation of living
cells aimed at the possible treatment of hormonal disorders such as diabetes.
In other Drop Physics Module activity, scientists obtained detailed
observations of the water drops and how they are affected by surfactants, or
chemicals, that change the surface tension. In today's experiments, different
concentrations of the same chemical were added to the drops which Payload
Commander Kathryn Thornton then manipulated using sound waves. Principal
Investigator Dr. Robert Apfel of Yale University gathered a plethora of data
on the oscillations of the drops which were squeezed and then released so
their shapes, thanks to microgravity, repeated themselves over a period of
time.
Surfactants change the properties of a liquid drop, and are of interest to
scientists for the role they play in countless industrial processes, from the
production of cosmetics, to the dissolution of proteins in synthetic drug
production. Another application could be the production of new surfactants
with more desirable properties.
During the next 12 hours, crew members Coleman and Payload Specialist Fred
Leslie will alternate their four-hour breaks, working with the Drop Physics
Module, the Oscillatory Thermocapillary Flow Experiment, and the Geophysical
Fluid Flow experiment.
|
| 934.29 | MCC Status Reports #21 22 23 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Fri Nov 03 1995 17:45 | 93 |
| Mission Control Status Report #21
5 p.m. CST Monday, October 30, 1995
The flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia continued Monday with crew
members or ground controllers working no significant orbiter systems
problems.
Columbia will remain in the "gravity gradient" attitude, with its tail pointing
toward the Earth and its port wing in the line of travel, until about midnight
tonight when the orbiter will begin a 14-hour thermal conditioning period
with its belly pointed toward the Sun.
That change in attitude will mark the second of four scheduled thermal
conditioning periods designed to warm up some portions of the orbiter that,
in the gravity gradient attitude, have been exposed to the extreme cold of
space for long periods of time. The thermal conditioning is necessary to
warm the orbiter's tires to levels necessary to support landing.
The Red Team handed over science operations to their colleagues on the
Blue Team at 2:38 p.m. CST. The Blue Team will be on duty until 2:38 a.m.
Tuesday when the Red Team returns to work.
NASA Television programming today will include an in-flight interview
between WTAE-TV of Pittsburgh and mission specialists Michael Lopez-
Alegria and Catherine Coleman to discuss the progress of the flight at 7:33
p.m. CST.
Mission Control Status Report #22
8 a.m. CST Tuesday, October 31, 1995
With all orbiter systems and payload activities continuing to run smoothly,
members of the STS-73 Red Team are taking a break today from their busy
schedule.
STS-73 Commander Ken Bowersox and Payload Specialist Al Sacco had
their off-duty time during the first part of the Red Team's shift, while Pilot
Kent Rominger and Payload Commander Kathy Thornton will have some free
time during the second half of the team's day. These "off duty" times are
used by the flight control team to keep the crew well rested for the duration
of the 16-day mission.
Columbia is nearing the end of a 14-hour thermal conditioning period
designed to warm the underside of the orbiter and increase the landing gear
tire pressure. For the United States Microgravity Laboratory-2 mission,
Columbia usually flies in a stable gravity gradient attitude with its tail
pointing toward the Earth and its port wing pointing in the direction of
travel. The gravity gradient attitude requires only minimal thruster firings
to maintain the orbiter's position, but shades the underside of the orbiter
where the landing gear is housed.
Earlier today, Rominger took a moment to talk with KUSA-TV in Denver.
Rominger, a Colorado native, answered questions about his experiences on
orbit submitted to the television station by viewers.
Columbia, which is orbiting the Earth in an 170-mile orbit, continues to
perform without any systems problems.
NASA Television programming today includes Mission Update at 11 a.m.; a
Mission Status Briefing at noon; a replay of "Return to Stratosphere" at
1 p.m.; and the Flight Day Video file at 3:30 p.m. All times are Central.
Mission Control Status Report #23
5 p.m. CST Tuesday, October 31, 1995
All systems aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia continue to function well as
members of the STS-73�s Red Team wrapped up their 12th flight day
activities and handed over duties to the Blue Team.
Shortly after 11 a.m. CST, crew members reported they were unable to see
the Cosmos 398 because of bright sunlight although the shuttle passed
within about 75 statute miles of the spacecraft. The Cosmos 398 is an old
Soviet lunar module now circling the Earth at a lower orbit than the shuttle.
It was launched into orbit by the former Soviet Union in 1971 and, due to
program changes, was left in space.
About 1:04 p.m. ended its 14-hour thermal conditioning period and returned
to a gravity gradient attitude. Tuesday�s conditioning period marked the
second of four planned warm-up sessions. The thermal conditioning periods
are designed to warm the underside of the orbiter and subsequently increase
the landing gear tire presssure.
For the United States Microgravity Laboratory-2 mission, Columbia usually
flies in a stable gravity gradient attitude with its tail pointing toward the
Earth and its port wing pointing in the direction of travel. The gravity
gradient attitude requires only minimal thruster firings to maintain the
orbiter�s position, but shades the underside of the orbiter where the landing
gear is housed. The remaining two warm-up sessions are targeted to occur
on Thursday and Friday.
The Red Team handed over mission activities to their colleagues on the Blue
Team at 2:38 p.m. CST and will resume their work at 2:38 a.m.
Wednesday.
|
| 934.30 | | AUSSIE::GARSON | achtentachtig kacheltjes | Fri Nov 03 1995 19:29 | 9 |
| re .28
>The USML-2 Crystal Growth Furnace experiment team today successfully grew a
>crystal of gallium arsenide with a dopant, or impurity, added. Later, the
>crystal will be tested to determine if the dopant was evenly distributed
>during the crystal's growth. Slightly more than one-inch (7 centimeters) in
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
NASA obviously still grappling with the metric system.
|
| 934.31 | Give them an inch & they..... | NETCAD::BATTERSBY | | Mon Nov 06 1995 11:00 | 7 |
| RE: .30 Yes the PAO non-technical types NASA hires to do their
public relations thing, certainly need better training and orientation
sessions. :-)
For the most part though, the PAO's handle their duties fairly well
considering the amount of data & info that passes through their hands.
Bob
|
| 934.32 | Misson Control Status Reports #24-30 | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Nov 09 1995 13:32 | 271 |
| Mission Control Status Report #24
8 a.m. CST Wednesday, November 1, 1995
Flight controllers in Houston are busy polishing the plans for the final days
of STS-73, as science activities progress on orbit.
Overnight, work continued to go smoothly both on the ground and in space
with all systems on the Space Shuttle Columbia working as expected.
Columbia is currently maintaining its �gravity gradient� attitude with the
orbiter tail pointing towards the Earth and the port wing pointing in the
direction of travel. It will maintain its position, which provides crew
members with a stable platform in which to conduct the USML-2
experiments, until a nine-hour thermal conditioning session on Thursday
beginning at 2:23 a.m. CST.
Because the gravity gradient attitude shades portions of the orbiter, the
thermal conditioning periods are needed to warm the underside of the
orbiter and subsequently increase the landing gear tire pressure.
Following Tuesday�s 14-hour thermal conditioning period, the flight control
team recorded a 14 psi increase, from 325 psi to 339 psi, in the left landing
gear tires.
After refining the estimates for the orbiter�s weight and center of gravity,
flight controllers are now gearing their thermal conditioning plans to provide
a minimum pressure of 326 psi in the landing gear tires at the end of the
mission.
A fourth warm-up session is planned for Friday.
Later today, Mission Specialist Michael Lopez-Alegria and Cady Coleman will
conduct an interactive educational event with students in Bozeman,
Montana, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. The event is scheduled to begin at
3:31 p.m. CST.
Mission Control Status Report #25
5 p.m. CST Wednesday, November 1, 1995
All systems aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia continue to work well as the
orbiter�s seven member crew continues its microgravity work in the United States
Microgravity Lab-2.
Members of the Red Team handed over to their Blue Team counterparts at 2:38
p.m. CST. After a 12-hour workday, the Blue Team will hand over to the Red
Team at 2:38 a.m. Thursday.
This afternoon, mission specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria and Cady Coleman
participated in an interactive educational event with students in Bozeman,
Montana, and Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Columbia continues to orbit the Earth at an 170-mile high altitude in a gravity
gradient attitude with the orbiter tail pointing towards the Earth and the port
wing pointing in the direction of travel. Because the gravity gradient attitude
shades portions of the orbiter, thermal conditioning periods are needed to warm
the underside of the orbiter and subsequently increase the landing gear tire
pressure. Thus far in this mission, Columbia has undergone two warm-up
periods and two more are expected. The next session is scheduled for Thursday
and will last about nine hours.
Mission Control Status Report #26
8 a.m. CST Thursday, November 2, 1995
With three more days remaining in its 16-day research mission, the Space
Shuttle Columbia continues to perform well as it orbits 165 miles above the
Earth.
Activities in the flight control room went smoothly overnight, and no new
systems problems were reported.
Columbia, with both payload bay doors fully open, currently is in its third
thermal conditioning session designed to warm the underside of the orbiter.
It will remain in the "belly to sun" attitude until about 2 p.m. Thursday
afternoon.
Later today, Pilot Kent Rominger and Payload Specialist Al Sacco will
conduct experiments in space while students in Worcester, Massachusetts,
and Louisville, Kentucky, conduct the same experiments on the ground. The
activity is the second educational event of the STS-73 mission.
Mission Control Status Report #27
4 p.m. CST Thursday, November 2, 1995
Space Shuttle Columbia continues to perform well and support U.S. Microgravity
Lab-2 science investigations as members of the Red Team wrapped up their
14th flight day.
What flight controllers believe to be an occasional glitch with two of
Columbia's small steering jets reoccurred today, resulting in a temporary
shutdown of the two small, or vernier, jets located on the tail of the
spacecraft. The glitch has occurred twice before during the mission, and has
been resolved each time by turning the shuttle's autopilot off and on. The
same actions restored the jets function during this afternoon's problem, and
they are now functioning normally.
The glitch poses no problem for the mission, since Columbia�s 38 primary jets
are all in good working order. The small vernier jets are only used to
minimize interference with sensitive experiments ongoing in the lab module.
The four crew members on the Red Team handed over to the Blue Team at 2:38
p.m. CST. The three Blue Team crew members will be on duty till 2:38 a.m.
Friday when they hand over to the Red Team.
Early this afternoon Pilot Kent Rominger, and payload specialists Kathryn
Thornton and Al Sacco conducted experiments in space and answered questions
from students in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Louisville, Kentucky.
The experiments and questions focused on surface tension and combustion
concepts. Students were involved in ground based adaptation experiments that
have enabled them to work alongside their counterparts in space.
To demonstrate surface tension in space, Sacco squeezed out a ball of orange
juice which immediately formed a sphere. The demonstration was designed to
illustrate how surface tension can make a fluid form a sphere when it doesn't
have to contend with gravity. Shortly after the demonstration, Sacco drank
the experimental orange juice sphere.
The surface tension experiment studies the transition between steady fluid
flows to unstable fluid flows. Scientists are interested in such studies
because of their applications in areas of materials processing such as the
production of high-tech crystals, metals, alloys and ceramics. The combustion
experiments will give scientists insight into the dynamics of burning fuel.
After completing its third thermal conditioning period earlier today, Columbia
returned to a "gravity gradient" attitude with the orbiter tail pointing
towards the Earth and the port wing pointing in the direction of travel.
Because the gravity gradient attitude shades portions of the orbiter, thermal
conditioning periods are needed to warm the underside of the orbiter and
subsequently increase the landing gear tire pressure. One more warm-up period
is expected on Friday morning.
NASA Television programming early tomorrow will include a crew news
conference with all crew members answering questions from members of the
media. The event is scheduled for 3:41 a.m. CST.
Mission Control Status Report #28
8 a.m. CST Friday, November 3, 1995
The STS-73 crew members told reporters this morning the experiments
comprising the United States Microgravity Laboratory-2 payload are
pathfinders for the type of work that will be performed regularly on the
International Space Station.
The comments came as all seven crew members took a break from their
work to participate in the traditional in-flight crew news conference. The
astronauts answered a variety of questions regarding the USML-2 science,
life on orbit and Sunday morning�s planned landing at Kennedy Space Center.
During the news conference, Payload Commander Kathy Thornton said the
information gathered on Shuttle missions will be used to plan the science
activities on the Space Station. She also said many of the telescience tools
that were used and tested during STS-73 will help make operations on the
Space Station run smoothly.
Columbia is once again positioned with its belly pointing toward the Sun.
The attitude is designed to warm the underside of the orbiter and
subsequently increase the landing gear tire pressure. Previous thermal
conditioning sessions have maintained tire pressures at or above the target
levels for landing.
All systems on board Columbia continue to perform well and are ready to
support landing operations. Landing is currently scheduled for 5:45 a.m.
Sunday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with backup opportunities
to KSC and Edwards Air Force Base in California.
NASA Television programming today includes the Mission Status Briefing at
10 a.m. CST; Mission Update at 11:30 a.m. CST; the Pre-Launch Press
Conference for the Radarsat mission at 2 p.m. CST; and the Flight Day
Video File at 3:30 p.m. STS-73 crew members also will talk with reporters
from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and WTAG-AM Radio in
Massachusetts at 1:18 p.m. CST, and from Univision and Telenoticias, the
world's two largest Hispanic networks, at 4:33 p.m. CST.
Mission Control Status Report #29
5 p.m. CST Friday, November 3, 1995
As the flight of STS-73 enters its home stretch, Columbia's crew
members continued science work in the Spacelab module today and began
some early preparations for the trip home.
Early this morning, all seven crew members participated in an
in-flight news conference, fielding questions from reporters at the
Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center and the Marshall Space
Flight Center.
Also, this afternoon, Commander Ken Bowersox and Payload Specialist Al
Sacco talked to television and radio reporters from Worcester,
Massachusetts. Sacco is a native of Boston and is on the faculty of
the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Bowersox and Sacco answered a
variety of questions ranging from whether they were homesick to
whether they had experienced space motion sickness.
Ground controllers again saw a glitch with some of Columbia's smaller
steering jets during the day today. The glitch has occurred repeatedly
during the flight and each time has been resolved by turning the
small, or vernier, steering jet system off and on. The vernier jets
are currently turned off and will be turned on again later tonight.
Flight controllers believe they will function normally at that time.
The glitch poses no problem for Columbia, since all 38 of the primary
steering jets on the spacecraft, the system used for most maneuvers
and for entry and landing, are working well. The small vernier jets
are only used when requested by scientists since they cause minimal
interference with sensitive experiments in the lab module.
To prepare for landing, crew members performed a communications
systems check through U.S. ground tracking sites today. All of the
systems are ready to support Sunday's landing. The crew will perform
additional checks over the next several hours in anticipation of a
Kennedy Space Center landing at 5:45 a.m. CST Sunday.
Members of the Red Team crew handed over to their colleagues on the
Blue Team at 2:38 p.m. CST. Blue Team members will be on duty until
1:23 a.m. CST Saturday when they hand over to the Red Team.
Columbia currently is in its fourth thermal conditioning period, with
the orbiter's belly pointed toward the Sun to warm and increase the
landing gear tire pressure. The thermal orientation will be completed
at about 4:48 a.m. Saturday.
Mission Control Status Report #30
8 a.m. CST Saturday, November 4, 1995
Columbia and crew turned attention homeward this morning, beginning
what is planned as the final full day in orbit for shuttle mission STS-73 with
several standard checks of landing equipment, all aiming toward a
touchdown in Florida at 5:45 a.m. CST Sunday.
Early this morning, Commander Ken Bowersox, Pilot Kent Rominger and
Mission Specialist Mike Lopez-Alegria tested Columbia's flight control
systems, a standard task the day before entry on each shuttle flight. The
checks of the cockpit displays, aerosurfaces and navigational equipment
found all of the systems in good shape. However, as one of the three
cathode ray tube computer monitors located in the forward cockpit was
powered on, the crew noted an intermittent flashing and garbling of the
display. The monitor had been powered off for most of the flight as part of a
standard excess systems power-down performed to conserve electricity on
long missions.
Bowersox and Rominger will replace the monitor with a one from the aft
flight deck in a two hour procedure this morning.
Also today, the crew test-fired Columbia's 38 primary reaction control
system steering jets that are used for entry and landing, finding them all in
excellent condition.
Experiment work is continuing in the United States Microgravity Lab-2, but
the crew will begin deactivating the experiments as they are completed.
This afternoon, the crew will begin stowing cabin gear for tomorrow's
return. A final deactivation of the lab module is planned for late tonight.
Flight controllers plan to concentrate on Florida, Columbia's primary landing
site, for tomorrow's two landing opportunities there. The first opportunity
begins with a deorbit engine firing by Columbia at 4:46 a.m. CST, on the
mission's 255th orbit, leading to a touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center
at 5:45 a.m. CST. The second opportunity would begin with a deorbit burn
at 6:20 a.m. CST on orbit 256 leading to a 7:19 a.m. CST touchdown.
NASA Television today provided live coverage of the Radarsat launch from
Vandenburg Air Force Base, Ca. Live coverage of STS-73 was scheduled to
resume at the conclusion of that launch coverage, probably around 9:30
a.m. CST. A Mission Status Briefing press conference will air at 10 a.m.,
followed by Mission Update at 11:30 a.m. A Radarsat post-launch press
conference is planned for 1 p.m. and the day's NASA TV highlights will be
replayed in the Flight Day Video File planned at 3:30 p.m.
|
| 934.33 | USML-2 Status Reports #20 - 26 (Final) | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Nov 09 1995 13:34 | 907 |
| USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #20
6:00 a.m. CST, Nov. 01, 1995
11/21:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Successful science operations continue on flight day 12 of the second
United States Microgravity Laboratory Spacelab mission. The crew and
investigators are interacting effectively, optimizing science return and
proving USML-2 to be a superb example of a true interactive science
laboratory.
"The drop is right in the middle; I tell you the bubble is looking great,"
observed Mission Specialist Cady Coleman, after successfully centering a
water drop within a drop of silicone oil in the Drop Physics Module. This
compound drop configuration was achieved while the interfaces of the water
and oil drops were moving in opposite directions, a condition known as
"slosh mode." According to Drop Physics Module Program Scientist Arvid
Croonquist of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this is the first time
during the mission that this has been accomplished, and Drop Dynamics
Experiment Principal Investigator Taylor Wang described the data gathered
as "very important" and as having "major significance."
The Drop Dynamics Experiment, developed by Vanderbilt University, serves
to gather high-quality data on the motions of liquid drops in low-gravity
for comparison with theoretical predictions. Data from these studies may
help scientists to design novel drug delivery systems for medical
treatment. "I've been imagining it for eighteen months," said Coleman
regarding the centered drop, "so it's sure nice to see it for real."
Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell co-investigator Fred Leslie of NASA's Marshall
Space Flight Center monitored the experiment's simulations of Jupiter's
inner atmosphere. The GFFC is intended to study how fluids move in
microgravity, helping researchers understand the large-scale fluid
dynamics of stellar and planetary atmospheres such as Jupiter's. The
large-scale motions of these atmospheres are strongly constrained by
rotation and gravity. This creates forces that cause thermal
circulations, and these atmospheric structures are often surprising and
continue to baffle scientists seeking fundamental understanding of such
phenomena as Jupiter's zonal bands, especially of the atmospheric layers
that cannot be seen from Earth.
"We hope this will give us ideas about the hidden inner atmosphere of
Jupiter," explained GFFC co-investigator Dan Ohlsen. According to Payload
Specialist and co-investigator Fred Leslie, "Much of the emphasis is on
the sun and Jupiter, but there are also some areas of applicability to the
Earth. We can isolate certain phenomena with the experiment and take out
some of the complicating things in terms of climate--things like rainfall
and clouds." Leslie and others on the GFFC science team sometimes
characterize the experiment system as enabling studies of "a planet in a
test tube."
Fred Leslie next turned his attention to the Glovebox facility and the
Oscillatory Thermocapillary Flow Experiment, developed by NASA's Lewis
Research Center. The purpose of this experiment is to study the
conditions under which thermocapillary flows change from steady to
oscillatory, or variable. These flows result from surface tension
variation along a liquid/gas free surface.
In particular, OTFE complements the Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment by allowing the science team to investigate the effect of
changing the shape of the test chamber during the beginning of
oscillations or variations.
Oscillatory fluid flows are a type of phenomena which can affect
Earth-based materials processing and some engineering applications, by
causing unwanted flows when materials are cooled from a liquid or a gas
form. Therefore, it is very important for scientists to understand these
phenomena and be able to predict the conditions under which they occur, as
well as their nature and extent. Although these oscillatory, or variable,
flows can be studied on Earth under very specific sets of conditions, the
effects of thermocapillary flows are hidden by the dominant effects of
gravity-driven fluid motions. Knowledge of the behavior of
thermocapillary flows is important because of the influence fluid flows
have in areas such as fuel management and material processing methods.
Crew members on the upcoming 12-hour shift will continue work in the Drop
Physics Module and in the Glovebox facility.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #21
6:00 p.m. CST, Nov. 1, 1995
12/09:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Today the USML-2 Colloidal Disorder-Order Transition team
observed something unusual -- and unexpected -- in one of
their colloidal sphere experiment samples. Downlink video
indicated uniform crystals throughout the length of a sample
team members thought was too densely packed to grow crystals.
On Earth, this dense concentration causes the spheres to move
so slowly that the crystals only form on a geological time
scale (millions of years).
The experiment, which is being performed in the Glovebox,
studies the fundamental theories that model atomic
interactions. One way to learn how atoms interact is by
studying groups of simple, larger particles that behave in a
similar manner. This experiment, called a colloid, uses
microscopic solid plastic spheres suspended in a fluid to
model atomic interactions. The Colloidal Disorder-Order
Transition experiment shares a fundamental characteristic
with atomic systems -- both undergo a transition from a
disordered liquid state to an ordered solid state under the
proper conditions. An example is water molecules becoming
ordered to form ice. Research in this field could lead to
improved materials processing on Earth.
Payload Specialist Al Sacco sent down the first close-up
views of growing zeolite crystals to team members here on the
ground this morning. The team saw a uniform population of
suspended particles throughout the samples, which was
expected. This space-based experiment is unlike an identical
mixture which is growing at the Worcester Polytechnic
Institute in Worcester, Mass. Gravity on Earth has caused
the particles in that experiment to settle.
Sacco, who is principal investigator for the zeolite furnace
experiment, refined the composition of USML-2 zeolites, which
are formed by mixing a silica solution and an alumina
solution, in hopes of growing even larger crystals with less,
or controlled, defects for post-mission structural analysis.
Zeolite crystals are used in the chemical process industry as
filters, catalysts, and adsorbents.
Investigators for the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment
today imposed parameters on their experiment which produced
more Earth-atmosphere-like flows than on previous runs. The
team sent instructions to Payload Commander Kathryn Thornton
to do a "terrestrial" run of the experiment, mimicking the
large temperature gradient from the Earth's equator to its
poles. This produced waves in the experiment fluid flows
much like those in our jet stream. The fluid flow cell
experiment uses silicone oil between two rotating
hemispheres to model flows in oceans and atmospheres of
planets and stars. Rotation speed of the hemispheres, fluid
temperature, and electrical charges (which simulate gravity)
are changed with each run to reflect conditions in the
different environments. Information gleaned from
investigations such as this could aid in forecasting ocean
flows and weather patterns.
The small potatoes in the Astroculture plant facility
continue to grow and are healthy. Sacco observed the plants'
growth today, sending video downlink of the potato leaves
which, though wilting, are performing normally. This tells
investigators that the potatoes are getting the proper
nutrients, light, water, and humidity from the facility,
which is being tested on USML-2 as a viable apparatus for
growing plants in microgravity. Long-duration space stays
may necessitate growing plants to minimize the cost of life
support. Plants can help provide food, oxygen, and pure
water and can also assist in removing carbon dioxide from
human space habitats. The potatoes are being grown to study
how starch accumulation in plants is affected by the
microgravity environment.
The sixth semiconductor crystal to process in the Crystal
Growth Furnace continues its growth in a unique apparatus
which prevents wall contact, allowing the sample material to
form a liquid bridge. The crystal is being grown for
comparison to semiconductor crystals grown on USML-1, which
indicated the more defect-free areas occurred where the
sample material did not touch the wall of the container
during growth. The crystal has grown a little over one-and-
a-half inches (4 centimeters) and will continue its growth
period for about 8 more hours. The crystal will be dissected
post-mission to identify the effects of gravity as a factor
in causing structural defects in the crystal system.
Crystals of cadmium zinc telluride are used for infrared
radiation detectors.
Drop Physics Module investigators recorded the behavior of an
oil drop today, subjecting it to the same vigorous sound
waves as those imposed previously on a drop of water.
Comparisons between the surface behavior of these two drops,
and the behaviors of other drops, will be made post-mission
using a library of video recorded during the USML-2 mission.
Other experiment runs today, part of Dr. Taylor Wang's
investigations on the behavior of liquid drops in low
gravity, include manpulating a bubble in a drop of oil and a
drop of water with a small amount of surfactant added. With
each experiment run, Thornton increased the sound waves, or
combined different sound wave intensities to produce a
variety of behaviors from these drops.
Scientists will use data from these experiments for
comparison with theoretical predictions and ground-based
studies using very small drops. It will provide scientific
and technical inputs for the development of new fields, such
as containerless processing of materials and polymer
encapsulation of living cells.
During the next 12 hours, Mission Specialist Cady Coleman
will work with the Drop Physics Module, while Payload
Specialist Fred Leslie concentrates on the Fiber Supported
Droplet Combustion experiment in the Glovebox facility.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #22
6:00 a.m. CST, Nov. 02, 1995
12/22:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
"Things are going fantastically well, and we're just looking forward to
getting as much science in the remaining time as we can," explained USML-2
Alternate Payload Specialist Glynn Holt early this morning in an interview
for Mutual NBC Radio as fluid physics and combustion science took center
stage on the thirteenth night of the second United States Microgravity
Laboratory mission.
Spacelab systems and facilities continued to operate well and gather good
data. The crew worked with the Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion
experiment in the Glovebox, performed the fission experiment in the Drop
Physics Module, monitored fluid flows for the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell
experiment, and initiated the last run of the Supression of Transient
Acceleration by Levitation Evaluation (STABLE) vibration isolation system.
"Fred gets an A+ in combustion theory," exclaimed investigators for the
Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion experiment (FSDC), offering Payload
Specialist Fred Leslie "a collective high-five" for his "outstanding work"
in the Glovebox facility. Leslie had been placing drops of fuel on a thin
fiber, using needles in the experiment module, and igniting them with a
hot wire. Earlier in the evening, Leslie worked closely with the FSDC
science team to successfully troubleshoot difficulties with clogged drop
accumulators, and then performed a series of excellent burns, varying the
quantities of methanol and methanol/water fuel with each run. Also varied
were fiber size and air flow rates. These experiments resulted in some
droplet extinction diameters (the size of the drop as it burns out) larger
than any initial droplet size capable of being studied on Earth. The
science team was very pleased with what they described as the "textbook
quality" data received and expressed their appreciation for the crew's
hard work and persistence. Leslie showed his enthusiasm for the work when
he humorously responded, "I don't get to play with fire much up here. I'm
kind of enjoying it."
The NASA Lewis Center's FSDC investigation consists of new hardware and is
on its first flight. The primary objective for this research is to
provide scientists new fundamental insights into the dynamics of droplet
burning which will be compared to state of the art analytic and numerical
models.
"It did fission, and I got some good data," announced Mission Specialist
Cady Coleman referring to the initial drop fissioning runs in the Drop
Physics Module. Coleman used sound waves to manipulate rotating drops of
silicone oil until they split, or underwent fission. Project Scientist
Arvid Croonquist and his science team worked with Coleman throughout the
night, uplinking instructions and watching downlink video. They were
testing one set of theories that describes the breaking apart of
distorted, or pre-flattened, drops while varying the viscosity (or
thickness) of the fluid.
Drop Dynamics Experiment Principal Investigator Taylor Wang and his co-
investigators from Vanderbilt University observed and analyzed conditions
at which drops of various sizes and viscosities split, and he described
Coleman's first run of the procedure as "a very successful drop fission."
Also, during this run, the science team was able to get good pictures of
the ligament, or thread of fluid, connecting the two halves of the drop as
it passed through its critical "saddle" point while splitting in two.
On the first USML mission, Wang's team used the Drop Physics Module to
confirm a theory that was more than 100 years old. Using fluids ranging
from water to oils, the module spun single drops until they formed a
dog-bone, or two lobe shape. All the drops changed into the same shape at
the same point and at exactly the point that had been predicted over a
century ago by fluid dynamics pioneer Lord Raleigh. Results from USML-2
are helping to develop theoretical models for the drop fission process.
Troubleshooting continues on the High Data Rate Recorder (HDRR), which
began experiencing intermittent data degradation between MET 12/14:30 and
12/14:58. Scientific data is being stored on the Orbiter's recorder during
loss of signal periods and downlinked via Hi-Pac TV.
The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) and the Orbital
Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) continued to track accelerations
caused by movements and variations within the Shuttle, as well as by
Shuttle maneuvers and atmospheric drag. The Principal Investigator
Microgravity Services Project team, of NASA's Lewis Research Center, is at
the Spacelab Mission Operations Control Center to help scientists evaluate
the effects of accelerations on sensitive microgravity experiments. Both
instruments make continuous records of accelerations for analysis after
the flight. In addition, OARE is providing data on the relatively steady,
or low-frequency, accelerations that occur in the Shuttle. This
information is being provided to the USML-2 Principal Investigators in
real-time throughout the mission.
The crew also activated the STABLE instrument, and monitoring continued
during the final run of the device. The STABLE system was developed by
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center jointly with McDonnell Douglas to test
a device designed to isolate small science experiments from high-frequency
accelerations, including Shuttle maneuver operations and crew activity.
Work in the Drop Physics Module and the Glovebox will continue over the
next twelve hours as the second United States Microgravity Laboratory
Mission enters its fourteenth day in orbit.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #23
6:00 p.m. CST, Nov. 2, 1995
13/10:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
As the past 12 hours unfolded on the second United States Microgravity
Laboratory mission, Payload Commander Kathryn Thornton and Payload
Specialist Al Sacco spent a good portion of their shift working on
experiments in the Glovebox facility.
Investigators for the Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion Glovebox
experiment saw something this morning they hadn't expected.
Hydrocarbon-mix droplets deployed in the facility burned slower and
produced more soot than drops of an alcohol- mix. Researchers also
learned that larger drops burned longer, as expected.
These tests, which study combustion behavior in microgravity, were
conducted using various fuel mixtures in different-sized drops and
changing air flow rates to see how quickly the drops ignite and
extinguish. Throughout the morning, Thornton deployed the drops onto thin
fibers, and ignited them by placing an electrical hot wire near the drop.
The longest burn, that of a large hydrocarbon-mixed drop, lasted for about
40 seconds.
Scientists will analyze their data post-mission to learn more about the
chemistry of the combustion process, information which will aid in the
development of combustion experiments for the International Space Station.
Research in this field could spark a totally new approach in the design of
space-based safety equipment, such as fire alarms. It could also aid in
cleaner fuel use on Earth.
The first crystal growth experiment ever designed to produce a crystal
without the growing portion touching its container wall has been completed
in the Crystal Growth Furnace. Principal Investigator Dr. David Larson
hopes to bring home an almost defect-free cadmium zinc telluride crystal
thanks to the unique container apparatus, designed to grow the crystal as
a liquid bridge. The two- inch (five centimeter) crystal, which grew for
about 30 hours, is the sixth of eight semiconductor crystal growths
planned for the versatile, high-temperature furnace. Growing these
semiconductors in microgravity is necessary for a more uniform
distribution of chemicals in order to obtain crystals with a more perfect
structure. Cadmium zinc telluride crystals are used to make infrared
detectors.
The next sample set for processing in the Crystal Growth Furnace is a
crystal of gallium doped germanium. Growing this material, which has
well-known-properties provides an engineering test of a new Crystal Growth
Furnace capability to mark the boundary between the melted and solidified
portions of a crystal at given time intervals. The marks make post-flight
analysis of crystal growth more precise.
Today's experiment runs of the Particle Dispersion Experiment increased
Principal Investigator Dr. John Marshall's data base for future Shuttle
and International Space Station aerosol dispersion investigations.
Performed in the Glovebox facility, the experiment demonstrates how fine
natural particles, such as dust, disperse within an atmosphere, then
assemble back together (or reaggregate) into larger clusters. Earlier
this week the experiment confirmed a theory that aggregation occurs in all
dust clouds.
Investigators for the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment today set
their experiment parameters to create flows mimicking those of the sun's
interior. Information from this experiment run will be used to validate
data collected earlier in the mission on this same phenomena. Rotation
rate, temperature and voltage within the facility are varied to simulate
specific atmospheric conditions. The fluid flows that result are relevant
to the study of oceans, planetary atmospheres, and stars -- information
could one day aid in weather forecasting.
Protein crystals activated earlier in the mission continue to grow,
ensuring investigators that there will be ample data for post-mission
analysis. One of these experiments, the Protein Crystallization Apparatus
for Microgravity, holds more than six times as many samples as are
normally accommodated in the same amount of space. These crystals are
being grown using the vapor diffusion method. In vapor diffusion, liquid
evaporates from a protein solution and is absorbed by a reservoir solution
in a wicking material. As the protein concentration rises, the proteins
form crystals.
These experiments are a precursor to long-duration crystallization
investigations aboard the International Space Station, which would greatly
benefit from the ability to control crystal growth times of up to
approximately six months in length. Proteins play important roles in
daily life, from providing nourishment to fighting disease.
When the blue shift comes on duty, Mission Specialist Catherine Coleman
and Payload Specialist Fred Leslie will devote the majority of their time
to Drop Physics Module and Glovebox experiments.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #24
6:00 a.m. CST, Nov. 03, 1995
13/22:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
"This is kind of a pathfinder for the kind of investigations we'll have on
the Space Station," said Payload Commander Kathy Thornton during the crew
news briefing early this morning, characterizing the interactive nature of
much of the science taking place on this Second United States Microgravity
Laboratory mission. "There are very complicated experiments on board, but
they're working beautifully," she concluded.
"These are large plates, larger than what I have seen; we're talking
millimeters," exclaimed Mission Specialist Cady Coleman, announcing an
unusual and surprising observation to Colloidal Disorder-Order Transition
(CDOT) experiment co-investigator Richard Rogers. Coleman was working in
the Glovebox facility measuring the fundamental properties of
polymethyl-methacrylate, at the point where it solidified, and describing
them to the science team on the ground.
The sample Coleman had been working with, essentially a concentration of
microscopic plastic spheres suspended in a liquid medium, unexpectedly
formed a stable disc-shaped crystal with dendrites, or branches,
projecting outward from its edges. "What I see is almost snowflake-like,
with dendritic arms," Coleman added, describing a phenomenon that has
never been seen on Earth. "This is like having a snowflake remain in a
glass of water without melting or dissolving; the dendrites didn't
collapse," noted CDOT co-investigator Jixiang Zhu, referring to the
phenomenon as "very peculiar, really."
Colloids are suspensions of finely divided solids or liquids floating in a
gaseous or liquid medium. The CDOT experiment, developed by NASA's Lewis
Research Center, uses these colloidal suspensions of solid spheres as
models of atomic interactions to test theories that describe these
interactions.
CDOT is the first of a series of Space Shuttle and Space Station
experiments that is helping scientists to determine the validity of these
theories. This knowledge could enable them to reduce the trial and error
involved in developing new and better materials. According to
co-investigator William Meyer, this most recent observation has yielded an
"extremely close analogy for atomic behavior" with "profound implications
for condensed matter physics," proving that "significant and novel results
can be obtained from doing this kind of science in space."
Early last night, drop fission experiments in the Drop Physics Module went
particularly well. The efficiency of some of the earlier successful runs
was enhanced by the fact that some of the drops could be reused because
they re- coalesced after dividing. Payload Specialist Fred Leslie had
success dividing and merging drops of 1,000 centistoke oil, and was
consistently able to rotate the single drops until they broke into two
drops. A centistoke is a unit of viscosity or fluid thickness. When he
tried working with the much thicker 10,000 centistoke drops, however, they
deployed too slowly and tended to adhere to one of the two drop injectors.
He then switched to thinner drop injectors, but the oil still proved too
difficult to deploy.
According to DPM Program Scientist Arvid Croonquist of NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, "that's part of the science, pushing the limits to
find the right viscosity levels. We're content with the results." This
Drop Dynamics Experiment is intended to gather high-quality data on the
dynamics of liquid drops in microgravity for comparison with theoretical
predictions. Results from this mission should help develop theoretical
models for the drop fission process.
"I'm looking forward to spending the next year or so analyzing the data
from this experiment," said Fred Leslie, during this morning's news
conference, regarding the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC). He and
Mission Specialist Michael E. Lopez-Alegria monitored GFFC's fluid flow
patterns and film frame rate and reported their findings to investigators
in Huntsville, Ala. One solar simulation was completed, and a second has
begun. Both these scenarios operate under high-voltage and high-rotation
conditions. During the film magazine changeout, the crew adjusted the
film camera, hoping to reduce the frame rate going through the camera;
however, the camera is still running continuously.
While responding to a question about zeolite crystal growth during today's
news conference, Payload Specialist Al Sacco described some of ZCG's
"outstanding results," adding that, "if we do well with zeolites, we could
have some major breakthroughs down the road, pointing us in the right
direction for Space Station research." Last night, the crew monitored the
ZCG experiment, and unattended crystal growth continues.
In the Crystal Growth Furnace (CGF), processing of a gallium-doped
germanium sample has begun, the first of two samples to be directionally
solidified in a technology demonstration studying the effects of different
acceleration environments on crystal growth. During this experiment, the
Orbiter is using real-time Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE)
data to make a fine adjustment of the orbital attitude by two degrees to
line up the CGF axis with the residual acceleration vector on board.
Activities in the Drop Physics Module, the Commercial Generic
Bioprocessing Apparatus, and the Glovebox will continue during the next
twelve hours.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #25
6:00 p.m. CST, Nov. 3, 1995
14/10:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
As the second United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission draws
to a close, the seven member crew continues to work at a steady pace
attempting to glean as much science as possible out of the few remaining
hours in the mission. A number of investigations have already been
deactivated, and others will be powered-down during the next 12 hours.
Meanwhile, scientists on the ground are getting data which will provide
them with months of exciting post-mission study.
"A picture is worth a thousand words - we'd seen it, now we've done it,"
exclaimed USML-2 Drop Dynamics Lead Scientist Dr. Taylor Wang, when a
polymer membrane formed between two coalesced, or joined, drops in the
Drop Physics Module this morning. Payload Specialist Al Sacco deployed
two drops of different chemicals, which coalesced to become one drop. The
membrane which was formed by the ensuing chemical reaction was an
important step in an encapsulation study Wang hopes will lead to living
cell encapsulation. Wang and his team will analyze such characteristics as
the membrane's surface shape and roughness, pore structure and chemical
composition.
The Crystal Growth Furnace completed growing a crystal of gallium-doped
germanium this afternoon. The crystal grew a little over five inches (128
millimeters) after almost nine hours in the unique high-temperature
furnace.
The final crystal to process in the facility, a second gallium-doped
germanium sample, will begin its growth period tonight. As with the first
crystal of this type, an electrical pulse will test a new Crystal Growth
Furnace capability to mark the boundary between the melted and solidified
portions of a crystal at given time intervals. The marks provide
information crucial to post-flight analysis of the crystal growth process.
During these Crystal Growth Furnace experiments, the Microgravity Analysis
Workstation (MAWS), uses mathematical computer models to compute an
analytic solution to the microgravity environment of the growing crystal.
"Just as a carpenter uses a "plumb line" to align his work on Earth, MAWS
provides the crystal growth scientists with a "plumb line" in space for
aligning the direction of crystal growth with the direction of orbiter
disturbances," said Mission Manager Paul Gilbert. The MAWS team
predicted last night that a slight adjustment to the orbiter attitude - 2
degrees - would provide the best microgravity environment for growing the
Crystal Growth Furnace crystal." "It's the first time ever the crew
maneuvered the orbiter based on a microgravity prediction," observed lead
engineer Larry French.
Payload Commander Kathryn Thornton used the Shuttle's camcorder this
morning to record the progress of the experiments growing in the
Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus. Tiny brine shrimp, numerous
forms of plant growth and a variety of protein crystals are doing well.
The apparatus makes it possible for commercial industries to fly
experiments in the unique environment of space. Early in the blue shift,
Mission Specialist Cady Coleman began terminating sample processing and
deactivating the protein crystal growth experiments in the facility.
The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell Experiment continues to make maximum use
of the remaining time in the mission before the experiment is deactivated.
The experiment has completed more than 150 hours of run time, studying how
fluids move in microgravity by modeling 29 different scenarios of fluid
flows in oceans, atmospheres, planets and stars. Final runs for the
experiment have centered around adjusting experiment parameters of speed,
temperature and voltage to mimic fluid flows of Earth's atmosphere.
Additional data runs to study the convection which exists in Earth's
mantle will conclude the experiment's flight on USML-2.
During the next 12 hours, Mission Specialist Cady Coleman and Payload
Specialist Fred Leslie will continue to power down experiments. They will
also get in some final run time with the Geophysical Fluid Cell Experiment
and the Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment.
USML-2 Public Affairs Status Report #26 (Final)
6:00 a.m. CST, Nov. 04, 1995
14/22:07 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
The second longest Shuttle flight in history, the second
United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission is
winding down. Operations continued overnight to get in some
last-minute science before deactivation of the experiments
and the eventual power down of the Spacelab in Columbia's
cargo bay. The USML-2 payload will be deactivated at MET
15/12:45
(8:35 p.m. CST); Spacelab deactivation will follow at MET
15/13:45 (9:35 p.m. CST).
During the last 12 hours, crew members worked closely with
scientists on the ground to accomplish unique interactive
science, initiating the last run of the Geophysical Fluid
Flow Cell Experiment, deactivating the Containment Tubes in
the Glovebox Protein Crystal Growth experiment, and
terminating several Group Activation Packs in the Commercial
Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus. After conducting a
procedure to enhance science return, the crew performed two
runs with the Surface Tension-Driven Convection Experiment.
At the end of this twelve hour shift, the Drop Physics
Module, the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell, the Advanced Protein
Crystallization Facility, the Commercial Generic
Bioprocessing Apparatus experiment, the Single-Locker Protein
Crystal Growth experiment, and the Commercial Protein Crystal
Growth experiment have been deactivated.
Payload Specialist Fred Leslie monitored the final run of the
Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) experiment, a slow
rotation scenario that simulated fluid flows found in Earth's
mantle. Crew members initiated the run through the Payload
General Support Computer, observed fluid flow patterns in
this final experiment, and reported the status to
investigators on the ground.
Working in the Glovebox, Mission Specialist Kathy Thornton
performed the final run of the Particle Dispersion Experiment
(PDE). A repeat of a previous experiment run, this
experiment completed a set of eight science runs with samples
of angular quartz. Thornton agitated the module and injected
it with air to study the dispersion and collection of the
fine particles it contains. Mission Specialist Cady Coleman
set up Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) equipment in the Glovebox
facility, deactivating and photographing containment tubes
which she then returned to the Commercial
Refrigerator/Incubator for storage.
After installing a thick, adjustable disc to change the test
chamber's proportions in the Surface Tension Driven
Convection Experiment (STDCE), the crew performed the final
video-recorded experiment runs with three-centimeter sample
diameters. Investigators saw the highest-order oscillations
to date and are very happy with the results. An inflight
maintenance procedure was performed to install a thick
displacement disc in the two centimeter module in preparation
for the final STDCE run.
In the Crystal Growth Furnace's Interface Demarcation Flight
Test, the second, and final, gallium-doped germanium sample
initiated growth last night, following a three hour soak
period. This sample will be unique in that the sample has
been exposed to a constantly changing residual gravity vector
as a result of a change in vernier thrusters, and because the
sample temporarily lost electrical continuity during
processing. The exposure to changing residual gravity
vectors, rather than the stable vector normally required,
could produce some unusual structural variations. It is
anticipated that this sample could provide investigators with
both unusual results and challenges in sample analysis, and
they are looking forward to examining this crystal.
The crew monitored the Advanced Protein Crystallization
Facility (APCF) and reported the facility status to
investigators on the ground. They also cleaned the fan
intake screen, and unattended protein crystallization
continued until deactivation.
During the next twelve hours, the crew will monitor the final
runs of the STDCE, and the Crystal Growth Furnace will
continue cooling as ground controllers and the crew prepare
for final USML-2 Spacelab deactivation.
Science highlights for USML-2 mission demonstrated the
efficiency of interactive science in the operation of
experiment hardware, as science teams at Spacelab Mission
Operations Control in Huntsville, sent remote commands to
their equipment or worked with scientists in orbit to adjust
their experiments on the spot.
The Astroculture plant growth facility successfully grew 5
small potatoes from tubers to verify Astroculture as a
viable plant growth facility and to study the possibility of
growing edible foods in space. Both of these objectives were
met. Near the end of the mission, the leaves began to yellow
and deteriorate, an expected event that leads investigators
to believe the tiny potatoes were pulling photosynthetic
energy from the leaves.
For the first time a crystal was grown as a liquid bridge to
minimize contact with the container wall, thus decreasing the
number of defects in the crystal. A total of eight
semiconductor crystals were successfully grown in the
Crystal Growth Furnace. USML-2 also saw the thinnest
crystal growth, and the successful growth of two crystals
which could lead to products such as computer chips that are
faster and use less power than traditional computer chips.
Scientists successfully achieved major steps toward drop
encapsulation in the Drop Physics Module, a facility which
uses sound waves to levitate and manipulate liquid drops for
close study. These data will be studied post-mission for
future development of encapsulation methods, which could
someday involve encapsulating living cells in biological
processing systems. Several more firsts were achieved as
compound drops were formed, injecting one drop into another,
a step that led to successful coalescence -- two drops being
deployed separately and coming together to become one.
Another first was the formation of a chemical membrane which
formed when two drops were deployed, coalesced and formed one
drop. Drop fissioning, one drop being spun until it broke
into two, also was achieved on USML-2. Another study which
looked at surface-altering chemical influences was
successful, providing scientists with a wealth of data on
different surface behaviors when water drops with surfactants
were oscillated using the sound waves. Improved crude oil
recovery, environmental cleanup and synthetic drug production
could result from this research.
The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell experiment modeled
atmospheres and other planetary attributes during 150 hours
of run time on USML-2. Several on-orbit scenarios simulated
the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter. These early runs
showed dramatic changes in flow types with very small
variations in the instrument settings. The experiment
studied how fluids move in microgravity by modeling 29
different scenarios of fluid flows in oceans, atmospheres,
planets and stars. Some experiment runs seemed to validate
predictions in a mathematical model of planetary and solar
fluid flows. Scientists saw different heat-driven, or
thermocapillary flow patterns when the same conditions were
initiated at different rates. Lessons learned on USML-2 may
be applied to a better understanding of fluid flows on the
Earth.
The Particle Dispersion Experiment confirmed a theory
about the behavior of dust and particle clouds: that
aggregation occurs in all dust clouds, drawn together by
static electrical charges. This includes the planetary
nebulae which coalesce to form stars, global dust storms on
Mars, dust clouds from a meteor impact on Earth (such as the
one some believe led to extinction of the dinosaurs), and
clouds of dust and ash flung into Earth's atmosphere during
volcanic eruptions. USML-2 tested variables like particle
size, density of the cloud, and type of material (volcanic
material, rounded quartz, angular quartz or copper). All the
materials showed a similar propensity to aggregate due to
electrostatic attraction.
Scientists for the Interface Configuration Experiment, a
Glovebox experiment, were able to see definite differences in
the way fluids adhered to chamber walls in the experiment�s
various containers, and some of the behavior was different
from that predicted by the classic mathematical model. This
tells investigators they cannot rely completely on the
current theory of how surfaces form in low gravity, finding
instead that physical factors which are not included in the
purely mathematical theory play a significant role. Insights
will aid design of fluid systems for space such as those for
fuels.
The Colloidal Disorder/Order Experiment team observed a
stable disc-shaped crystal with dendrites, or branches,
projecting outward from its edges, described as "snowflake-
like." This phenomenon, which never had been seen on Earth,
was described as being like a snowflake in a glass of water
not melting or dissolving. This was among the firsts
investigators saw during USML-2. Photos and downlink data
revealed growing crystals throughout a sample thought to be
too densely packed to grow crystals. On Earth, this dense
concentration causes the spheres to move so slowly that the
crystals only form on a geological time scale (millions of
years). The Glovebox experiment, which used a concentration
of microscopic plastic spheres suspended in a liquid medium,
studied the fundamental theories that model atomic
interactions.
More than twenty-five droplets of a variety of fuels were
ignited as they were suspended on a ceramic wire tether in
the Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion experiment. This
experiment, which made its first flight in the Glovebox on
USML-2, confirmed theories about how fuels burn in
microgravity. The experiments resulted in larger droplet
extension diameters (the size of the drop as it burns out)
than any initial droplet size capable of being studied on
Earth. The burning time was 10 times longer than any other
experiment runs. The data from this mission has confirmed
scientific predictions about burn rate and the amount of fuel
leftover after the fire goes out. This will allow
investigators to refine theories, and possibly develop new
ones about combustion byproducts such as soot and smog.
Practical applications could involve controlling fires, and
preventing them in large scale space structures.
The Particle Dispersion Experiment confirmed a theory
about the behavior of dust and particle clouds and the
aggregation that occurs in all dust clouds drawn together by
static electrical charges. This includes the planetary
nebulae which coalesce to form stars, global dust storms on
Mars, dust clouds from a meteor impact on Earth (such as the
one some believe led to extinction of the dinosaurs), and
clouds of dust and ash flung into Earth's atmosphere during
volcanic eruptions. USML-2 tested variables like particle
size, density of the cloud, and type of material (volcanic
material, rounded quartz, angular quartz or copper). All the
materials showed a similar propensity to aggregate due to
electrostatic attraction.
A record number of Protein Crystal Growth samples, around
1,500 total, were flown on USML-2. In addition to providing
higher quality proteins than many grown on Earth for X-ray
diffraction analysis, these experiments give insights into
how proteins crystallize to improve ground-based experiments.
Video downlink provided on numerous protein crystal growth
experiments during the mission indicated crystals had formed
in those samples which will be analyzed post-mission.
Knowledge gained from protein crystal research could lead to
custom tailored drugs, made possible by determining protein
structures of diseases, then designing drugs to fit these
diseases like a key fits a lock.
During this flight, the Surface Tension Driven Convection
Experiment (STDCE) team gathered an extensive information
base on unstable fluid flows caused by variations in surface
temperatures. Except in very tiny containers such as
capillary tubes, such oscillations as observed on USML-2, the
second flight for this experiment, had never been observed
before on Earth. Varied conditions such as chamber size and
proportions, surface shape (which can�t be varied on Earth)
and heat location and intensity were applied to the silicone
fluid surface. By downlink video, the science team was able
to clearly pinpoint when the fluid flows transitioned from
stable to oscillatory, or unstable, flows, and they found
that when the temperature was increased past the point where
oscillations began, the flows became erratic. Forty-nine of
43 planned tests were completed, extra time being gained by
science team members who ran the experiment remotely, with
minimal setup by the crew. A thorough understanding of fluid
physics forms a valuable base for improvements in
sophisticated materials processing.
The Oscillatory Thermocapillary Flow Experiment
successfully pinpointed the transition between steady and
unsteady heat-induced fluid flows. The investigation
duplicated the Surface Tension Driven Convection Experiment
(STDCE) but used containers with different depths to provide
additional insight into the fluid-flow phenomenon. Results
were consistent with STDCE results on this mission. The
experiment team has built an extensive catalogue of data on
these subtle fluid motions which can affect materials
processing on Earth.
During USML-2, Zeolite Crystal Growth team members got the
data they hoped for prior to the mission when downlink video
indicated a uniform population of suspended particles
throughout the samples in which growth was expected. This
space-based experiment is unlike an identical mixture which
the team started growing on Earth before USML-2. Gravity on
Earth has caused the particles in that experiment to settle.
The composition of USML-2 zeolites (a combination of silica
solution and alumina solution ) were refined before the
mission in hopes of growing even larger crystals with less,
or controlled, defects for post-mission structural analysis.
Zeolite crystals are used in the chemical process industry as
filters, catalysts, and adsorbents. Some of the zeolites are
the type used to crack crude oil into refined petroleum.
Increasing their efficiency could result in cheaper gasoline.
Brine shrimp, plants, protein crystals and other
investigations took advantage of growing time in the
microgravity environment in the Commercial Generic
Bioprocessing Apparatus. This unique facility enabled a
large, diverse range of commercial investigators, such as
pharmaceutical companies, to fly an experiment in the
Spacelab. Some of the 200+ experiments tested materials that
could be used as replacements for skin, tendons, blood
vessels and corneas.
The Hi-Pac digital TV demonstration provided 4 times the
normal amount of video data for scientist feedback during
USML-2. The system collected more than 41,000 gigabits of
digital data in its demonstration of video communication
techniques which will help pave the way for Space Station.
The Suppression of Transient Acceleration by
Levitation Evaluation, (STABLE), was the first facility
to use electromagnetic levitation to isolate sensitive
experiments from disturbances in the Shuttle. An experiment,
known as "CHUCK," a small, simple system to study materials
processes in microgravity that are applicable to crystal
growth mechanics, was tested in the facility. For the first
run, the STABLE platform floated free through the action of
electromagnets. The platform was locked in place for a
repeat run. Comparisons should help determine the
effectiveness of STABLE for reducing background vibrations.
USML-2 science team members made ongoing adjustments to their
experiments based on readings from the Three Dimensional
Microgravity Accelerometer (3-DMA) experiment. The 3-
DMA measured both the absolute level of microgravity
acceleration (the difference between zero acceleration and
what is experienced during the mission) and microvibrations
which could affect the investigations onboard. The Surface
Tension Driven Convection Experiment was one experiment which
benefited by the real time data from the accelerometer.
Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) and the
Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE),
recorded acceleration information throughout the mission.
OARE sent data down to scientists real-time; while SAMS
recorded information on low-frequency accelerations for post-
flight analysis and comparison with other experiments.
This is the final status report from Marshall Space Flight Center's Spacelab
Mission Operation Control for the USML-2 mission. The Spacelab mission
Operations Control Newsroom will close at noon CST on Saturday, Nov. 4. The
newsroom will be closed Sunday, Nov. 5. For information on USML-2, see the
Internet USLM-2 payload homepage,
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/spacelab/usml2/welcome.html and the shuttle
homepage, http://shuttle.nasa.gov
|
| 934.34 | MCC Status Report #31 32 (Final) | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Nov 09 1995 13:58 | 51 |
| Mission Control Status Report #31
8:30 p.m. CST Saturday, November 4, 1995
Columbia is in the final hours of it's 18th mission, as the crew continues
preparing the vehicle for Sunday's planned landing at the Kennedy Space
Center in Florida.
Managers have elected to attempt the landing in Florida Sunday and Monday
and only call up the California landing site at Edwards Air Force Base for
Tuesday, if required. The two landing opportunities Sunday are at 5:45 a.m.
and 7:19 a.m. Central with the deorbit ignition firing about an hour prior to
each landing time.
Much of the afternoon and evening was spent with Mike Lopez-Alegria, Cady
Coleman and Fred Leslie packing up the Spacelab and orbiter crew
compartment for entry and landing activities that begin with the wakeup of the
four remaining astronauts about 11 p.m.
Ken Bowersox, Kent Rominger, Kathy Thornton and Al Sacco will assist with
landing preparations after wakeup as the seven crew members wind down what
will be the second longest Space Shuttle mission to date. A one day extension
will put Columbia's STS-73 mission in the number one spot for Shuttle mission
duration.
The current weather forecast for Sunday's landing attempts shows a chance of
low clouds hampering visibility on the first opportunity and excessive
crosswinds on the second. Weather conditions improve slightly for Monday and
are even better on Tuesday.
FINAL STS-73 STATUS REPORT
6 a.m. CST, Sunday, Nov. 5, 1995
Space Shuttle Columbia returned to Earth Sunday morning, completing the U.S.
Microgravity Laboratory-2 mission, the second longest space shuttle mission to
date. Columbia and its seven-member astronaut crew touched down at the Kennedy
Space Center runway at 5:45 a.m. CST after nearly 16 days conducting
microgravity experiments in space.
The astronauts, commander Ken Bowersox, pilot Kent Rominger, mission
specialists Kathy Thornton, Cady Coleman, and Mike Lopez-Alegria, and payload
specialists Al Sacco and Fred Leslie, are expect to return to Houston's
Ellington Field late Sunday afternoon. The crew return ceremony is open to the
public.
Launch of space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-74 mission for the second docking
flight with the Russian Mir space station, is scheduled for November 11.
|
| 934.35 | Landing Statement | TROOA::SKLEIN | Nulli Secundus | Thu Nov 09 1995 13:58 | 20 |
|
STS-73 Landing Statement
November 5, 1995
The Space Shuttle Columbia landed at Kennedy Space Center early this
morning to end the United States Microgravity Laboratory - 2 mission.
Columbia was given the okay for landing at the first available
opportunity, resulting in a spectacular landing shortly after dawn.
Following are the landing times for the STS-73 mission:
Main Gear Touchdown 5:45:21 am
Mission Elapsed Time 15 days 21 hours 52 minutes 21 seconds
Nose gear Touchdown 5:45:35 am
Mission Elapsed Time 15 days 21 hours 52 minutes 35 seconds
Wheel Stop 5:46:16 am
Mission Elapsed Time 15 days 21 hours 53 minutes 16 seconds
|