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STS-107
Report #10 
Friday, January 24, 2003 -- 5 p.m. 
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 

Research continued aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia today as the
seven astronauts aboard continued to work in shifts, coordinating work 
with investigators on the ground. 

Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla and Laurel
Clark, and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon of the Red Team began their
workday about 5 a.m. CST, focusing again on work with the SOFBALL
(Structures of Flame Balls) experiment and the ARMS (Advanced
Respiratory Monitoring System) human physiology experiment. Husband
maneuvered Columbia into the proper positions for the various
experiments.

The two teams have completed seven SOFBALL runs so far, including the
first of several using methane as a fuel, which is visible to the
naked eye as a faint blue flame. This evening, the Blue Team will
attempt the longest planned test, lasting 2 hours, 47 minutes, while
the shuttle is placed in a "free drift" configuration to eliminate
thruster firings that could affect the test. 

Pilot Willie McCool and Mission Specialists Dave Brown and Michael
Anderson of the Blue Team were awakened about 2:30 p.m. to the sounds
of "Hotel California" performed by members of McCool's family. Their
duty shift was scheduled to begin about 5 p.m. after a pre-bedtime
handover from the Red Team. 

The Blue Team also will resume work with the Mechanics of Granular
Materials experiment, looking at how sandy soil full of water behaves
under pressure. Three compressions are planned over the next two days, 
with a final run set for later in the mission. 

The study of spiral moss growth in space completed a set of
time-critical fixations on several sets of moss plants, so that their
growth rates can be established after the flight. Four more fixations
are planned. The Astroculture experiment harvested the last of its six 
samples of essential oils from rose and rice flowers, which could
eventually result in new perfume fragrances. Checks of all of the
insects, spiders and animals aboard Columbia showed that all are
healthy in their enclosures. 

Flight controllers and the crew continue to manage temperatures in the 
Spacehab Research Double Module by periodically adjusting cooling loop 
settings. Columbia is in good shape, orbiting at an altitude of 180 
statute miles. 

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

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