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STS-107
Report #04
Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 5:00 p.m. CST
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

Space shuttle Columbia's astronauts pointed two Israeli cameras over
the Atlantic and the Mediterranean today in search of small dust
particles that might impact the weather and began experiments in human 
life sciences in the third day of the STS-107 scientific research 
flight.

Red Team members Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Kalpana
Chawla and Laurel Clark and Israeli Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon were 
awakened at 4:39 a.m. CST. Following a handover with their Blue Team 
counterparts, they took over for Pilot Willie McCool and Mission
Specialists Dave Brown and Mike Anderson, who began an eight-hour
sleep period at 9:39 a.m. CST.

Specific experiment highlights today included:

 -  A radiometric camera and a video camera were aimed at the Atlantic 
    and the Mediterranean as part of the Mediterranean Israeli Dust 
    Experiment. Although no dust was detected due to heavy cloud 
    coverage, initial analysis showed that the two cameras are working 
    well, supplying high-quality images. The cloud patterns imaged by 
    the cameras showed remarkable details.  The intent of the 
    experiment is to help researchers better understand how dust 
    particles in the atmosphere affect climate. 

 -  An experiment that looks at the movement of calcium through the
    body to further understanding of bone loss in space began.
    Astronauts took oral calcium tracers that will be monitored over
    the course of the mission to examine how calcium metabolism
    changes in an astronaut's body during spaceflight. 

 -  In the physical sciences, the second run of the Mechanics of
    Granular Materials was completed. The objective of the experiment
    is to improve and enhance science and technology in many
    disciplines including earthquake engineering and soil mechanics.
    Results may lead to answers concerning the consequences of
    earthquakes, such as damage to soils and foundations. 

Shortly after 2 p.m. CST, Red Team members took time out from their
experiment schedule to talk with reporters from CNN, CBS News and Fox
News Channel. Asked about the importance of the flight to Israel,
Ramon commented that he views the mission as an "opening for great
science for our nation." 

The Blue Team will be awakened at 5:39 p.m. CST to continue work on
the more than 80 experiments aboard Columbia. Scheduled activities
include initiation of experiments in the Combustion Module. It will be 
used to conduct three experiments that examine soot formation, lean 
combustion and fire suppression. 

All systems aboard Columbia continue to function well.

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 6 Commander Ken
Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer 
Don Pettit observed a milestone today as they presided over the final 
run of the Zeolite Crystal Growth experiment in the Destiny Lab. 
Experiment results may contribute to the technology used to make
gasoline, products for the chemical industry and commercial film
products. 

The Expedition crew conducted a weekly planning conference with flight 
controllers in Houston and downlinked video of maintenance work 
performed this past week. Crewmembers have a light schedule of duties 
this weekend before resuming their full schedule of activities on 
Monday. 

The next STS-107 mission status report will be issued Sunday
afternoon, or earlier if events warrant. 

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