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Dolores Beasley/Melissa Motichek
Headquarters, Washington          February 5, 2003
(Phone: 202/358-1753/1141)

RELEASE: 03-52

RESEARCHERS ASSESS STATUS OF STS-107 SCIENTIFIC DATA

     The launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on January 16, 2003 
represented an exciting time for the international research community.  
Columbia carried more than 80 experiments on a 16-day mission devoted 
entirely to science.

NASA and its researchers are working to determine exactly how much 
data was lost with the Columbia crew. Some scientific data from 
Columbia was downlinked to experimental teams on Earth during the 
mission.   

The payload data were impounded by investigators looking into 
Saturday's accident, so it will take some time to evaluate the 
results. Already, researchers are pointing to several achievements by 
the Columbia astronauts, and by the scientists on the ground who 
supported them. These include: 

*  Shuttle astronauts created and observed the weakest flames ever 
created. High-quality image data from the SOFBALL (Structure of Flame 
Balls at Low Lewis-Number) experiment exists and, according to the 
project's Principal Investigator, can help scientists develop models 
of combustion chemistry for cleaner-burning engines.

*  The Laminar Soot Processes experiment also saw flame phenomena 
never before created on or off Earth.  Soot is both a significant 
hazard to health and engine performance on Earth, and under controlled 
circumstances, a useful industrial product.

*   The MIST (Water Mist Fire Suppression) experiment, which was 
designed to investigate the use of fine water mists in firefighting, 
achieved a qualitative understanding for different water 
concentrations.

*  The Israeli Mediterranean Dust Experiment, or MEIDEX, studied the 
effects of desert dust and smoke plumes on the climate and obtained 
important still images and video to be studied in the future. The 
MEIDEX experiment also resulted in the first calibrated images of an 
atmospheric phenomenon known as an "elf," or an electrical halo that 
glows over the tops of storm clouds. 

*  A life sciences experiment on prostate cancer aboard Columbia 
documented greater-than-expected growth of tumor aggregates in space.

However, most of the other experiments on STS-107, such as those in 
Life Sciences, relied heavily on specimens, samples, and other data 
that were lost with Columbia.

NASA remains committed to the pursuit of science in space, knowing 
that the unique environment offers something never before achievable 
in the history of humankind: a glimpse of what our life -- what nature 
itself -might be like in a world with a different level of gravity.

"All seven Columbia astronauts sought to advance human exploration of 
space," said Mary Kicza, Associate Administrator for NASA's Office of 
Biological and Physical Research. "They dedicated their lives to NASA 
and their countries, and helped us uncover knowledge that could help
improve the lives of all people."

More information on the research performed by the Columbia crew is 
available on the internet at:

http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov

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