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STS-107
Report #12 
Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 5:00 p.m. CST 
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 

Scientific research continued aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia today
as the STS-107 mission headed into the homestretch with a variety of
experiments in multiple disciplines. 

The Red team of astronauts, working by day, and the Blue team, working 
by night, maintained a round-the-clock presence in the SPACEHAB Double 
Research Module, tending to dozens of experiments as scientists 
reported excellent results. Temperatures in SPACEHAB were maintained 
at a comfortable 73 degrees, despite the loss of two dehumidifiers 
earlier in the mission. All of the animals involved in life science 
experiments were reported to be in good shape along with SPACEHAB 
hardware. 

Red team crewmembers Rick Husband, who is Columbia's Commander,
Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark and Israeli
Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon conducted more experiments involving the 
study of flames in space in a special Combustion Module in the
SPACEHAB. 

More investigations were conducted into the effect of dust storms on
the atmosphere with multispectral cameras in Columbia's cargo bay.
The MEIDEX experiment focused on plumes of dust in the Mediterranean
region and in the Middle East as well as sprites in the targeted areas 
of interest. Science controllers reported the first successful digital 
downlink of imagery from the experiment as well as the observance of 
significant amounts of dust in the observed regions. 

A suite of student experiments called STARS yielded the hatching of a
fish in an aquatic facility and the successful emergence of a silk
moth from its cocoon. STARS contains a half dozen student developed
experiments ranging from the study of Australian spiders to the
analysis of spaceflight's effects on carpenter bees from
Liechtenstein.

The Biopack experiment involving the study of weightlessness on
biological samples continued to produce what was described as
excellent data for its team of researchers despite the loss of freezer 
and incubator capability for the storage of samples. 

Blue team crewmembers Willie McCool, who is Columbia's Pilot, Payload
Commander Mike Anderson and Mission Specialist Dave Brown were
awakened for their night shift shortly after 2:30 p.m. Central time.
They planned to conduct final combustion studies with the SOFBALL
experiment tonight after which the Combustion Module will be
reconfigured for the Water Mist experiment, studying fire suppression
techniques in spaceflight. 

The Blue team will spend some time refreshing water for 13 rodents in
the Animal Enclosure Module in SPACEHAB. Data is being acquired on the 
effect of microgravity on the rodents' neurovestibular system.  Now 
that SPACEHAB temperatures have cooled again, sound mufflers were
reinstalled on the animal enclosure compartments. 

More data will also be received tonight from the SOLSE experiment,
which uses imaging devices in the shuttle's cargo bay to study the
Earth's ozone layer. Earlier today, the crew downlinked digital video
of the Middle East with breathtaking  views of Israel, the Red Sea and 
the Sinai Peninsula. The video also contained scenes of life and work 
on orbit involving the seven astronauts. 
 Columbia's systems continue to function perfectly as the shuttle
orbits at an altitude of about 180 statute miles. 

Flying slightly higher, the Expedition 6 crew aboard the International 
Space Station is now in its 10th week in space.  Commander Ken 
Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer 
Don Pettit spent a quiet Sunday, enjoying the views of Earth from 
orbit while conducting a minor maintenance procedure involving a hatch 
window in the Unity module. Station systems are also functioning 
normally. 

The space travelers aboard Columbia and the ISS will have a chance to
talk to one another Monday in a brief ship-to-ship hookup scheduled at 
11:34 a.m. Central time. At the time of the ship-to-ship call,
Columbia will be orbiting over northern Brazil, while the ISS sails
over southern Russia. 

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

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