Mission Name: STS-52 (51) COLUMBIA (13) Pad 39-B (22) 51th Shuttle Mission 13th Launch of OV-102 KSC Landing (13) Crew: James B. Wetherbee (2), Commander Michael A. Baker (2), Pilot Charles L. Veach (2), Mission Specialist 1 William M. Shepherd (3), Mission Specialist 2 Tamara E. Jernigan (2), Mission Specialist 3 Steven G. MacLean (1), Payload Specialist 1 Milestones: OPF-1 - 7/9/92 VAB - 9/20/92 PAD-B - 9/26/92 Payload: LAGEOS-II, USMP-1, CANEX-2, CMIX, CPCG, CVTEHPPE, PSE, SPIE, TPCE/TP Mission Objectives: Launch: Oct. 22, 1992, 1:09:39:6433 p.m. EDT. Launch delayed l hour and 53 minutes due to RTLS crosswind constraints at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility and cloud conditions at the Banjul TAL site. Payload weight up: 20,077 lbs. Total Vehicle weight 4,514,325 lbs. Vehicle empty weight: 181,169 lbs. Orbiter weight at liftoff 250,130 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 163 nm Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 159 Duration: 9 days, 20 hours, 56 minutes and 13 seconds. Distance: 4,129,028 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-054 SRM: 360L/Q027 ET : 55 MLP: 1 SSME-1: SN-2030 SSME-2: SN-2015 SSME-3: SN-2034 Landing: Nov. 1, 1992, 9:05:53 a.m. EST, Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: l0,708 ft. Landing Weight: 215,114 lbs. Payload down weight 14,419 lbs. Mission Highlights: Primary mission objectives were deployment of the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS-II) and operation of the U.S. Microgravity Payload-1 (USMP-1). LAGEOS-II, a joint effort between NASA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), was deployed on day 2 and boosted into an initial elliptical orbit by ASI's Italian Research Interim Stage (IRIS). The spacecraft's apogee kick motor later circularized LAGEOS orbit at its operational altitude of 3,666 miles. The USMP-1, activated on day one, included three experiments mounted on two connected Mission Peculiar Equipment Support Structures (MPESS) mounted in the orbiter's cargo bay. USMP-1 experiments were: Lambda Point Experiment; Materiel Pour L'Etude Des Phenomenes Interessant La Solidification Sur Et En Orbite (MEPHISTO), sponsored by the French agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales; and Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS). Secondary payloads: (1) Canadian experiment, CANEX-2, located in both the orbiter's cargo bay and middeck and which consisted of Space Vision System (SVS); Materials Exposure in Low-Earth Orbit (MELEO); Queen's University Experiment in Liquid-Metal Diffusion (QUELD); Phase Partitioning in Liquids (PARLIQ); Sun Photospectrometre Earth Atmosphere Measurement-2 (SPEAM-2); Orbiter Glow-2 (OGLOW-2); and Space Adaptation Tests and Observations (SATO). A small, specially marked satellite, the Canadian Target Assembly, was deployed on day nine, to support SVS experiments. (2) ASP, featuring three independent sensors mounted on a Hitchhiker plate in the cargo bay -, Modular Star Sensor, Yaw Earth Sensor and Low Altitude Conical Earth Sensor, all provided by the European Space Agency. Other middeck payloads: Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus Instrument Technology Associates Experiments; Commercial Protein Crystal Growth experiment; Chemical Vapor Transport Experiment; Heat Pipe Performance Experiment; Physiological Systems Experiment (involving 12 rodents); and Shuttle Plume Impingement Experiment. The orbiter also was used as a reference point for calibrating an Ultraviolet Plume Instrument on an orbiting Strategic Defense Initiative Organization satellite. The Tank Pressure Control Experiment/Thermal Phenomena (TPCE/TP) was contained in a Getaway Special (GAS) canister in the orbiter's cargo bay. Mission Name: STS-53 (52) DISCOVERY (15) Pad 39-A (47) 52nd Shuttle Mission 15th Launch of OV-103 EAFB Landing (37) Crew: David M. Walker (3), Commander Robert D. Cabana (2), Pilot Guion S. Bluford (4), Mission Specialist 1 James S. Voss (2), Mission Specialist 2 Michael R. Clifford (1), Mission Specialist 3 Milestones: OPF-3 - 8/17/92 VAB: - 11/3/92 PAD 39A: - 11/8/92 Payload: DoD(9), ODERACS, GCP, MIS-1, STL, VFT-2, CREAM, RME-III, FARE, HERCULES, BLAST, CLOUDS Mission Objectives: Launch: Dec. 2, 1992, 8:24 a.m. EST. Launch delayed l hour and 25 minutes because of ice buildup on the external tank. Discovery Empty weight: 173,597 lbs. Orbiter weight at liftoff: 243,952. Payload up weight: 26,166 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 174nm Inclination: 57 degrees Orbits: 116 Duration: 7 days, 7 hours, 19 minutes, 47 seconds. Distance: miles Hardware: SRB: BI-055 SRM: 360L028 ET : 49 MLP: 3 SSME-1: SN-2024 SSME-2: SN-2012 SSME-3: SN-2017 Landing: Dec. 9, 1992, 3:43.17 p.m. EST, Runway 22, Edwards AFB, Calif., orbit 115. Mission Elapsed Time: 7 days, 7 hours, 19 minutes, 17 seconds. Rollout distance: 10,165 feet. Landing diverted from KSC because of cloud cover. Orbiter returned to KSC on Dec. l8. Orbiter Landing Weight: 193,215. Payload down weight: 5,151 lbs. Mission Highlights: Classified Department of Defense primary payload, plus two unclassified secondary payloads and nine unclassified middeck experiments. Secondary payloads contained in or attached to Get Away Special (GAS)hardware in the cargo bay included the Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS) the combined Shuttle Glow Experiment/Cryogenic Heat Pipe Experiment (GCP). Middeck experiments included Microcapsules in Space (MIS-l); Space Tissue Loss (STL); Visual Function Tester (VFT-2); Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor (CREAM); Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME-III); Fluid Acquisition and Resupply Experiment (FARE); Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES); Battlefield Laser Acquisition Sensor Test (BLAST); and the Cloud Logic to Optimize Use of Defense Systems (CLOUDS). Mission Name: STS-54 (53) Endeavour (3) Pad 39-B (23) 53rd Shuttle Mission 3rd Flight of OV-105 KSC Landing (14) Crew: John H. Casper (2), Commander Donald R. McMonagle (2), Pilot Mario Runco, Jr.(2), Mission Specialist 1 Gregory J. Harbaugh (2), Mission Specialist 2 Susan J. Helms (1), Mission Specialist 3 Milestones: OPF-1 - 9/20/92 VAB - 11/23/92 PAD-B - 12/3/92 Payload: TDRS-F, DXS, CGBA, CHROMEX, PARE, SAMSSSCE Mission Objectives: Launch: Jan. 13, 1993, 8:59.30 a.m. EST. Launch was delayed about 7 minutes due to concerns associated with upper atmospheric winds. Orbit: Altitude: 165 nm Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 96 Duration: 5 days 23 hours 38 minutes 19 seconds Distance: miles Hardware: SRB: BI-056 SRM: 360L029 ET : 51 MLP : 2 SSME-1: SN-2019 SSME-2: SN-2033 SSME-3: SN-2018 Landing: Jan. 19, 1993, 8:37.47 a.m. EST, KSC Runway 33, Orbit 96. Mission Elapsed time: 5 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes. Rollout distance: 8,723 feet. Landing delayed one orbit due to ground fog at KSC. Mission Highlights: The primary payload was the fifth Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-F) which was deployed on day one of the mission. It was later successfully transferred to its proper orbit by the Inertial Upper Stage booster. Also carried into orbit in the payload bay was a Hitchhiker experiment called the Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer (DXS). This instrument collected data on X-ray radiation from diffuse sources in deep space. Other middeck payloads to test the effects of microgravity included the Commercial General Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGPA) for-life sciences research; the Chromosome and Plant Cell Division in Space Experiment (CHROMEX) to-study plant growth; the Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE) to examine the skeletal system and the adaptation of bone to space flight; the Space Acceleration Measurement Equipment (SANS) to measure and record the microgravity acceleration environment of middeck experiments; and the Solid Surface Combustion Experiment (SSCE) to measure the rate of flame spread and temperature of burning filter paper. Also, on day five, mission specialists Mario Runco and Greg Harbaugh spent nearly 5 hours in the open cargo bay performing a series of space-walking tasks designed to increase NASAs knowledge of working in space. They tested their abilities to move about freely in the cargo bay, climb into foot restraints without using their hands and simulated carrying large objects in the microgravity environment. Mission Name: STS-56 (54) DISCOVERY (16) Pad 39-B (24) 54th Shuttle Mission 16th Flight OV-103 RSLS Abort (4) Night launch (7) KSC landing (15) Extended mission Crew: Kenneth D. Cameron (2), Commander Stephen S. Oswald (2), Pilot C. Michael Foale Ph.D. (2), Mission Specialist 1 Kenneth D. Cockrell (1), Mission Specialist 2 Ellen Ochoa (1), Mission Specialist 3 Milestones: OPF -- Dec. 19, 1992 VAB -- March 2, 1993 PAD -- March 15, 1993 Payload: ATLAS-2, SPARTAN-201, SAREX-II, SUVE, CMIX, PARE, STL-1, CREAM, HERCULES, RME-III, AMOS, SSBUV-5 Mission Objectives: Launch: April 8, 1993, 1:29:00 a.m. EDT. First launch attempt on April 6 halted at T-11 seconds by orbiter computers when instrumentation on liquid hydrogen high point bleed valve in main propulsion system indicated off instead of on. Later analysis indicated valve was properly configured; 48-hour scrub turnaround procedures implemented. Final countdown on April 8 proceeded smoothly. Payload up weight: 16,046 lbs. Orbiter Weight Empty: 173,227 lbs. Orbiter weight at liftoff: 236,659 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 160nm Inclination: 57 degrees Orbits: 148 Duration: 9 days, 6 hours, 8 minutes, 24 seconds. Distance: 3,853,997 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-058 SRM: 360L031 ET : SN-054 MLP: 3 SSME-1: SN-2024 SSME-2: SN-2033 SSME-3: SN-2018 Landing: April 17, 1993, 7:37:19 a.m. EDT. Runway 33, Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Rollout distance: 9,529 feet (2,904 meters). Rollout time: 62 seconds. Landing originally set for April 16 at KSC waved off due to weather. Second reefing line added to drag chute for greater-stability. Landing Weight: 206,855 lbs. Payload down weight 16,046 lbs. Mission Highlights: Primary payload of flight was Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-2 (ATLAS-2), designed to collect data on relationship between sun's energy output and Earth's middle atmosphere and how these factors affect ozone layer. Included six instruments mounted on Spacelab pallet in cargo bay, with seventh mounted on wall of bay in two Get Away Special canisters. Atmospheric instruments were Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment; Millimeter Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS); and Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet/A (SSBUV/A) spectrometer (on cargo bay wall). Solar science instruments were Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC) instrument; Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM); and Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR) and Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiments. ATLAS-2 is one element of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program. All seven ATLAS-2 instruments first flew on ATLAS-I during STS-45, and will fly a third time in late 1994. On April 11, crew used remote manipulator arm to deploy Shuttle Point Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy-201 (SPARTAN-201), a free-flying science instrument platform designed to study velocity and acceleration of solar wind and observe sun's corona. Collected data was stored on tape for playback after return to Earth. SPARTAN-201 retrieved on April 13. Crew also made numerous radio contacts to schools around world using Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment II (SAREX II), including a brief radio contact with Russian Mir space station, first such contact between Shuttle and Mir using amateur radio equipment. Other cargo bay payloads: Solar Ultraviolet Experiment (SUVE), sponsored by Colorado Space Grant Consortium, and located in Get Away Special canister on cargo bay wall. Middeck payloads: Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus Instrumentation Technology Associates Experiment (CMIX); Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE); Space Tissue Loss (STL-1); Cosmic Ray Effects and Activation Monitor (CREAM) experiment; Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES); Radiation Monitoring Equipment III (RME III); and Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) calibration test. Mission Name: STS-55 (55) COLUMBIA (14) PAD 39-A (48) 55th Shuttle Mission 14th Flight OV-102 Extended Mission RSLS Abort after SSME Ignition (3) EAFB Landing (38) Crew: Steven R. Nagel (4), Commander Terence T. Henricks (2), Pilot Jerry L. Ross (4), Mission Specialist 1 Charles J. Precourt (1), Mission Specialist 2 Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. (1), Mission Specialist 3 Dr. Ulrich Walter (1), Payload Specialist 1 Hans Schlegel (1), Payload Specialist 2 Milestones: OPF-2 -- 11/02/92 VAB -- 02/03/93 PAD -- 02/08/93 Payload: Spacelab-D2, SAREX-II Mission Objectives: Launch: April 26, 1993, 10:50 a.m. EDT. Launch was scheduled for 9:51am EST on 3/22/93 but was scrubbed at T-3 seconds after main engine ignition. D-2 suffered months of delays. The most severe was the discovery that the three main engines mounted on Columbia might contain obsolete tip-seal retaininers in their high-pressure turbopumps. All engines were removed and inspected and contained the proper retainers. Orbit: Altitude: 163nm Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 160 Duration: 9 days, 23 hours, 39 minutes, 59 seconds. Distance: 4,164,183 miles Hardware: (Flow-A) SRB: SRM: ET : MLP : SSME-1: SN-2030 SSME-2: SN-2034 SSME-3: SN-2011 (Flow-B) SRB: BI-057 SRM: 360L/W030 ET : 56 MLP : 1 SSME-1: SN-2031 SSME-2: SN-2109 SSME-3: SN-2029 Landing: May 6, 1993, 10:30 a.m. EDT. Edwards AFB Runway 22. Orbiter Landing weight: 244,400 lbs. Mission Highlights: Columbia carried to orbit the second reusable German Spacelab on the STS-55 mission and demonstrated the shuttle's ability for international cooperation, exploration, and scientific research in space. The Spacelab Module and an exterior experiment support structure contained in Columbia's payload bay comprised the Spacelab D-2 payload. (The first German Spacelab flight, D-1, flew Shuttle mission 61-A in October 1985.) The U.S. and Germany gained valuable experience for future space station operations. The D-2 mission, as it was commonly called, augmented the German microgravity research program started by the D-1 mission. The German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR) had been tasked by the German Space Agency (DARA) to conduct the second mission. DLR, NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and agencies in France and Japan contributed to D-2's scientific program. Eleven nations participated in the experiments. Of the 88 experiments conducted on the D-2 mission, four were sponsored by NASA. The crew worked in two shifts around-the-clock to complete investigations into the areas of fluid physics, materials sciences, life sciences, biological sciences, technology, Earth observations, atmospheric physics, and astronomy. Many of the experiments advanced the research of the D-1 mission by conducting similar tests, using upgraded processing hardware, or implementing methods that take full advantage of the technical advancements since 1985. The D-2 mission also contained several new experiments which were not previously flown on the D-1 mission. The D-2 Mission conducted 88 experiments to study life sciences, material sciences, technology applications, Earth observations, astronomy, and atmospheric physics. It surpassed the 365th day in space for the Space Shuttle fleet. Also surpassed the 100th day of flight time in space for Columbia, the fleet's oldest Orbiter on its fourteenth flight. D-2 also Conducted the first tele-robotic capture of a free floating object by flight controllers in Germany. The crew also conducted the first intervenus saline solution injection in space as part of an experiment to study the human body's response to direct fluid replacement as a countermeasure for amounts lost during space flight. They also successfully completed an in-flight maintenance procedure for collection of orbiter waste water allowing the mission to continue . STS-55 crewmembers also participated in two amateur radio experiments, SAREX II from the United States and the German SAFEX. The experiments allowed students and amateur radio operators from around the world to talk directly with the Space Shuttle in orbit and participated in a Space Medicine conference with the Mayo Clinic. Mission Name: STS-57 (56) Endeavour (4) Pad 39-B (25) 56th Shuttle Mission 4th Flight OV-105 KSC landing (16) Crew: Ronald J. Grabe (4), Commander Brian Duffy (2), Pilot G. David Low (3), Payload Commander Nancy J. Sherlock (1), Mission Specialist 2 Peter J. Wisoff (1), Mission Specialist 3 Janice E. Voss (1), Mission Specialist 4 Milestones: OPF 1 -- 1/19/93 VAB -- 3/24/93 PAD 39B -- 4/28/93 CDT -- 5/07/93 Payload: SPACEHAB-01, EURECA, SHOOT, CONCAP-IV, GAS-BRIDGE, FARE, BLAST, SAREX-II, AMOS Mission Objectives: Launch: June 21, 1993, 9:07 a.m. EDT. Payload Weight Up 19,691 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 252nm Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 155 Duration: 9 days, 23 hours, 44 minutes, 54 seconds. Distance: 4,106,411 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-059 SRM: 360L/W032 ET : 58 MLP : 2 SSME-1: SN-2019 SSME-2: SN-2034 SSME-3: SN-2017 Landing: Unfavorable weather conditions at KSC delayed the landing on Tuesday June 29 and Wednesday June 30, 1993. Low clouds and the possibility of rain showers in the vicinity of the Shuttle landing facility prevented Endeavour's landing. Endeavour burned 330 lbs more hypergolic propellant during reentry prompting an increase in orbiter redline fuel reserves for all future missions. Landing occured July 1, 1993, 8:52 a.m. EDT. on KSC Runway 33. Payload Weight down: 28,925lbs. Orbiter Landing Weight: 244,400 lbs. Mission Highlights: During the course of the eight-day flight, the astronauts successfully conducted scores of biomedical and materials sciences experiments inside the pressurized Spacehab module. Two astronauts particpated in a spacewalk and the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) was retrieved by the crew and stowed inside Endeavour's payload bay. EURECA was deployed from the Shuttle Atlantis in the summer of 1992 and contains several experiments to study the long term effects of exposure to microgravity, solar observations, and material technology investigations. Also on board was the WATCH or Wide Angle Telescope for Cosmic Hard X-rays instrument. An improperly installed electrical connector on Endeavour's Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm (installed 180 degrees off its correct position) prevented Eureca from recharging its batteries with orbiter power. A flight rule was requiring antenna stowage was waived and EURECA was lowered into the payload bay without latching its antenna. Mission Specialists David Low and Jeff Wisoff safely secured EURECA's dual antennas against the science satellite during the spacewalk performed on Friday. David Low was mounted an foot restraint on the end of Endeavour's robotic arm while Mission Specialist Nancy Sherlock positioned the arm so Low could gently push the arms against EURECA's latch mechanisms. Payload controllers then drove the latches to secure each antenna. The five-hour , 50 minute spacewalk completed STS-57 mission's primary goal of retrieving the EURECA science satellite. Afterwards, Low and Wisoff completed maneuvers for an abbreviated extravehicular activity (EVA) Detailed Test Objective using the robot arm. Activities associated with each of the areas of investigation -- mass handling, mass fine alignment and high torque -- were completed with both EVA crewmen taking turns on the robot arm. Low and Wisoff wrapped up their spacewalk and returned to Endeavour's airlock shortly before 3 p.m. Central. During the rest of the mission, the crew worked on experiments in the Spacehab module in the Shuttle's lower deck. These experiments included studying body posture, the spacecraft environment, crystal growth, metal alloys, wastewater recycling and the behavior of fluids. Among the experiments was an evaluation of maintenance equipment that may be used on Space Station Freedom. The diagnostic equipment portion of the Tools and Diagnostics System experiment was performed by Nancy Sherlock. Using electronics test instruments including an oscilloscope and electrical test meter, Sherlock conducted tests on a mock printed circuit board and communicated with ground controllers via computer messages on suggested repair procedures and their results. In addition, Brian Duffy and Jeff Wisoff ran experiments in transferring fluids in weightlessness without creating bubbles in the fluid. The experiment, called the Fluid Aquisition and Resupply Experiment, or FARE, studied filters and processes that may lead to methods of refueling spacecraft in orbit and transfers water between two foot-diameter transparent tanks on Endeavour's middeck, engineers can evaluate how the fluids behave while the shuttle's steering jets are fired for small maneuvers. Janice Voss worked on the Liquid Encapsulated Melt Zone, or LEMZ, experiment which uses a process called floating zone crystal growth. The low-gravity conditions of space flight permit large crystals to be grown in space. Ron Grabe, Brian Duffy and Janice Voss participated in the Neutral Body Position study. Flight surgeons have noted on previous flights that the body's basic posture changes while in microgravity. This postural change, sometimes called the "zero-g crouch," is in addition to the one- to two-inch lengthening of the spine during space missions. To better document this phenomenon over the duration of a space mission, still and video photography of crew members in a relaxed position are taken early and late in the mission. Researchers will include these findings in the specifications for design of future spacecraft to make work stations and living areas efficient and more comfortable for astronauts. Nancy Sherlock stepped through the electronics procedures portion of the Human Factors Assessment this morning. She set up a work platform then hooked up a notebook computer and went through a simulated computer procedure for a space station propulsion system. On 6/28/93, Nancy Sherlock performed an impromptu plumbing job on the Environmental Control Systems Flight Experiment, a study of wastewater purification equipment that may be used aboard future spacecraft. EFE uses a mixture of water and potassium idodide to simulate wastewater. The solution is pumped through a series of filters to purify it. During the flight, experimenters have seen a reduced flow of water through the device and opted to perform the maintenance procedure. Sherlock loosened a fitting on one water line inside the experiment, wrapped the loose fitting with an absorbent diaper, and, using a laptop computer onboard, turned a pump on the experiment into reverse for about 20 minutes in an attempt to flush out the clog. Sherlock then retightened the fitting and put the experiment back into normal operation for ground experimenters, who will now spend about an hour and a half watching it run to see if the clog has been cleared. Mission Name: STS-51 (57) DISCOVERY (17) Pad 39-B (26) 57th Shuttle Mission 14th Flight OV-103 KSC landing (17) 6th Night Landing 1st KSC Night Landing RSLS Abort after SSME Ignition (4) Crew: Frank L. Culbertson Jr.(2), Commander William F. Readdy (2), Pilot James H. Newman Ph.D.(1), Mission Specialist 1 Daniel W. Bursch (1), Mission Specialist 2 Carl E. Walz (1), Mission Specialist 3 Milestones: OPF -- 4/18/93 VAB -- 6/18/93 PAD -- 6/26/93 Payload: ACTS-TOS, ORFEUS-SPAS, IMAX, CPCG-II, CHROMEX-04, HRSGS-A, APE-B, IPMP, RME-III, AMOS Mission Objectives: Launch: September 12, 1993, 7:45 a.m. EDT. Officials decided to scrub Discovery's mission Saturday, July 17, at about 8:52 a.m. EDT because all eight of the solid rocket booster hold down bolts and the T-0 liquid hydrogen vent arm, located on the side of the external tank, were prematurely charged with current. This charge is normally initiated at the T-18 second mark in the countdown. The problem circuit card in the pyrotechnic initiator controller (PIC) which caused the launch scrub on Saturday has been replaced on the mobile launcher platform. Efforts to duplicate the problem on the suspect card were successful at KSC's malfunction laboratory. A thermally unstable circuit was the culprit. The problem was narrowed down to a prematurely charged capacitor in the firing circuit of all eight Solid Rocket Booster hold down posts and the T-0 liquid hydrogen vent arm, located on the side of the external tank. Launch was delayed on Saturday, 7/24/93 due to a problem with the right hand Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). The Ground Launch Sequencer detected an unacceptably slow speed rate of a hydraulic power unit located inside the Shuttle's righthand solid rocket booster. The Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) was replaced and retested. Launch was again delayed until 9:10 am EDT on August 12 due to concerns about the Perseid meteor shower which is expected to peak on the evening of August 11. The Perseid event, which happens each August, is one of about a dozen such occasions each year that are the result of a comet's nucleus shedding debris along its orbital path as it approaches the Sun. When Earth's orbit passes through the debris field it causes meteor showers activity or "shooting stars." The concern with the Perseid event was that the activity is expected to be extremely heavy this year and thus there was an increased chance that a spacecraft in Earth orbit could be damaged by a piece of the debris. Launch on 8/12/93 was scrubbed at the T-3 second mark following a Redundant Set Launch Sequencer (RSLS) abort. The cause for the RSLS abort was a faulty sensor that monitors fuel flow through main engine #2. Engine cutoff occurred at 9:12:32 a.m. EDT. There are two sensors which are part of the flow meter that monitor the flow of hydrogen through the main engine. Each sensor has a Channel A and Channel B for a total of four readings. These sensors are monitoring the fuel flow from main engine ignition through main engine cutoff. The sensors are redundant so that all four channels must report an acceptable fuel flow rate prior to liftoff. Data indicates that Channel A on the number two sensor failed. There was no electrical output at all from this sensor while the others were found to have operated normally. A completely redundant set of measurements is required to commit to flight. All three of Discovery's main engines were removed and replaced with a set from Endeavour at the Pad. Tests conducted under cryogenic conditions were successful in duplicating the sensor failure that caused the launch scrub. On Sept 9, the pickup of the launch count was delayed pending the outcome of the ACTS Independent Review Team. This team met to review the design of the ACTS spacecraft in light of the recent loss of of contact with the Mars Observer spacecraft and the failure of the NOAA-13 weather satellite. All three spacecraft are manufactured by Martin Marietta. TOS contains two transistors manufactured in the same manner as those made by Unitrode that are suspected in the failure of Mars Observer.Launch occured September 12, 1993, 7:45 a.m. EDT. Payload Weight up: 42,682 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 160nm Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 157 Duration: 9 days, 20 hours, 11 minutes, 11 seconds. Distance: 4,106,411 miles Hardware: (Flow-A) SRB: ET : MLP : SSME-1: SN-2030 SSME-2: SN-2033 SSME-3: SN-2032 (Flow-B) SRB: BI-060 SRM: 360W/L033 ET : 59 MLP : 3 SSME-1: SN-2031 SSME-2: SN-2034 SSME-3: SN-2029 Landing: Both landing opportunities to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 21, 1993 were passed up due to clouds and rain in the vicinity so Discovery and its five-member crew were told to stay in space an additional day. The shuttle landed on September 22, 1993, 3:56 am EDT on KSC SLF runway 15. This was the first nighttime Shuttle Landing at KSC. Preliminary measurements show the orbiter touched down about 2,150 feet from the runway 15 threshold. After landing, plumes were visible from teh venting of APU's 1 and 2. Rollout distance was about 8,350 feet. The vehicle was towed from the SLF beginning at about 7:30 a.m. and was in OPF bay 3 at about 8:40 a.m. Payload Weight down: 8,567lbs. Orbiter Landing Weight: 206,438 lbs. Mission Highlights: The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) was deployed. This satellite will serve as a test bed for advanced experimental communications satellite concepts and technology. Its Transfer Orbit Stage (TOS) upper stage fired on time 45 minutes later and boosted the satellite to geosynchronous altitude on the first day of the mission. The first attempt to deploy ACTS was delayed by the crew when two-way communications were lost with Mission Control about 30 minutes before the deploy time. Flight controllers could receive telemetry and voice communications from Discovery, however the crew could not receive communications from the ground. The crew waived off the 2:43 p.m. CDT deploy when they did not receive a "go" from Mission Control as called for in preflight plans made for just such an occurrence. After the waive off of deploy, the crew changed the shuttle's S-Band communications system to a lower frequency and restored two-way communications with the ground. The two-way communications had been lost for a total of about 45 minutes. After consulting the crew, flight controllers began immediately planning for the second, and ultimately successfull deploy. Another payload on this mission was the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ORFEUS) telescope mounted on the Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS) payload carrier. ORFEUS was designed to provide information on how stars are born and how they die, while studying gaseous interstellar clouds. Also in the cargo bay was the Limited Duration Space Environment Candidate Materials Exposure (LDCE) experiment. During the deployment on September 12 of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) and its Transfer Orbit Stage (TOS) booster, two Super*Zip explosive cords, one primary and the other a backup simulataneously detonated. This caused minor tears in two dozen insulation blankets mounted on the bulkhead between the payload bay and the AFT near the #3 APU. On Thursday, September 16, 1993, spacewalkers Jim Newman and Carl Walz performed a spacewalk designed to evaluate tools, tethers and a foot restraint platform. Their findings reassured the designers and planners of the Hubble Space Telescope servicing flight that their preparations are sound. The new equipment designed for the extensive spacewalk work that will be required on the December telescope servicing mission was only part of the goal of today's spacewalk, and Newman and Walz fulfilled the other goals as they explained at length to Mission Control the differences they perceived between work in orbit and ground training. The two EVA crewmen were ahead of schedule much of the day, and completed more tasks than originally planned for the spacewalk. However, as they were cleaning up, a balky tool box lid slowed them down when they had to pry it free and close it for Discovery's trip home. The toolbox lid stretched the spacewalk by about 45 minutes over what had been planned, with Newman and Walz logging a total seven hours, five minutes and 28 seconds of spacewalk time. Other in-cabin payloads included the Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) Auroral Photography Experiment-B (APE-B), Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG), Chromosome and Plant Cell Division in Space (CHROMEX), High Resolution Shuttle Glow Spectroscopy-A (HRSGS-A), IMAX, Investigations into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP) and the Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III) experiment. The Investigation into Polymer Membrane Processing, or IPMP, is designed to research the mixing of various solvent systems in the absence of convection found on Earth in hopes of controlling the porosity of various polymer membranes. RME measures gamma ray, electron, neutron and proton radiation levels in the crew cabin throughout the flight. Onboard, Mission Specialist Jim Newman donned a special visor to perform a medical experiment testing vision in weightlessness as part of investigations into how vision compensates for the inner ear's lack of balance in space. Newman also successfully tested a Global Positioning System receiver flying aboard Discovery as an evaluation of using such equipment to supplement the shuttle's navigation. Also, in a precursor of space station operations, one of Discovery's fuel cells was turned off and restarted. In another medical evaluation, Commander Frank Culbertson and Mission Specilaist Dan Bursch rode a stationary bike on Discovery's lower deck as part of a continuing study of using exercse to counteract the effects of weightlessness on the body. The crew also powered up an experiment that looks at improving membrane filters in weightlessness and checked on another experiment that has been running well studying the effects of microgravity on plant cells. Astronauts Carl Walz and Jim Newman operate the experiments designed to study the glowing effect, one a spectrometer that records the effect on film in fine detail and another that records the effect on still photographs. The experiments are hoped to provide information about just what types of gasses -- in addition to atomic oxygen -- create the glow. The information on kinds of gasses in the extreme reaches of the atmosphere may be coupled with the materials exposure experiment in the cargo bay to assist with the design and construction of future spacecraft. Mission Name: STS-58 (58) COLUMBIA (15) Pad 39-B (27) 58th Shuttle Mission 15th Flight OV-102 EAFB Landing (39) Crew: John E. Blaha (4), Commander Richard A. Searfoss (1), Pilot M. Rhea Seddon (3), Mission Specialist 1 William S. McArthur Jr. (1), Mission Specialist 2 David A. Wolf (1), Mission Specialist 3 Shannon W. Lucid (4), Mission Specialist 4 Martin Fettman (1), Payload Specialist 1 Milestones: OPF -- 5/17/93 7/24/93 Spacelab Tunnel installed VAB -- 8/12/93 PAD -- 9/17/93 Payload: Spacelab-SLS-2, DEEFD, OARE, SAREX-2, PILOT Mission Objectives: Launch: October 18, 1993 10:53 a.m. EDT. Launch attempt on October 14, 1993 was delayed 2 hours by bad weather. When it cleared and the count resumed, a failure in an Air Force Range Safety command message encoder verifier at the Range Control Center canceled the launch at the T-31 seconds mark. This system is used to transmit a vehicle destruct signal if it should become necessary. The Space Shuttle Columbia's STS-58 mission was postponed the following day because one of the two TRW S-Band communication transponders failed onboard the shuttle. Flight rules require that both communication transponders be functional for launch. Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center performed an extended scrub turn-around activities with Monday, Oct. 18, 1993, being the next launch attempt. October 18, 1993 10:53 a.m. EDT. Launch occurred at just ten seconds inside the scheduled liftoff window. The minimal delay was due to a stray U.S. Navy aircraft in the range safety restricted zone. No serious technical issues were worked during the countdown. This was the 75th space launch from complex 39 pads A and B. All Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) systems performed as expected. Preliminary data indicate that the flight performance of both RSRMs was well within the allowable performance envelopes, and was typical of the performance observed on previous flights. Both RSRMs experienced normal pressure perturbations with temporary pressure spikes of 8-12 psi for 1-2 seconds between 65-70 seconds into the flight. Nominal pressure is 650 psi for that time frame. These short duration pressure perturbations are the result of molten propellant solids that are generated during the flight and expelled through the nozzle. This is an expected characteristic of the motor. Both SRBs were successfully separated from the External Tank (ET) at T + 123.8 seconds, and reports from the recovery area, based on visual sightings, indicate that the parachute deceleration subsystems performed as designed. During recovery of the boosters, engineers observed one of the four forward booster separation motor covers was missing from the right-hand booster. These covers protect the motors that are used to separate the boosters from the external tank after the boosters have been expended. An investigation team has been formed to determine the cause and when during the flight of STS-58 the booster separation motor cover came off. Past occurrences of missing forward separation motor covers (STS-28, STS-48) have been found to occur during SRB descent, frustum water impact, or frustum retrieval from the ocean when parachute lines often become entangled with the doors and cause damage to doors. Therefore these were not safety of flight issues. The External Tank (ET-57) performed as expected. 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. Preliminary flight data indicate that the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSMEs 2024, 2109, 2018) performance during mainstage, throttling, shutdown and propellant dump operations was normal. High Pressure Oxidizer Turpopump (HPOTP) and High Pressure Fuel Turbopump (HPFTP) temperatures appeared to be well within specification throughout engine operation. Space Shuttle Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) occurred at T + 515.56 seconds. Payload Weight up: 23,188 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 155 nm Inclination: 39 degrees Orbits: 225 Duration: 14 days, 0 hours, 12 minutes, 32 seconds. Distance: 5,840,450 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-061 SRM: 360L/W034 ET : 57 MLP : 1 SSME-1: SN-2024 SSME-2: SN-2109 SSME-3: SN-2018 Landing: November 1, 1993. 10:05.42 am EST Runway 22 Edwards AFB, Calif. Main gear touchdown: 14:00:12:32 MET, Nose gear touchdown: 14:00:12:44 MET, Wheel stop 14:00:13.34 MET (10:06.44 EST). Rollout Distance was 9,640 ft. Landing Weight was 227,400 lbs. The two day ferry back to KSC began on November 7th and the shuttle returned to KSC on November 9th. Payload Weight down: 23,188lbs. Orbiter Landing Weight: 229,753 lbs. Mission Highlights: STS-58 was the 4th longest mission in US manned space history and was dedicated to life sciences research. Columbia's crew performed a series of experiments to gain knowledge on how the human body adapts to the weightless environment of space. Experiments focused on cardiovascular, regulatory, neurovestibular and musculoskeletal systems of the body. The experiments performed on Columbia's crew and on laboratory animals (48 rats held in 24 cages), along with data collected on the SLS-1 mission in June 1991, will provide the most detailed and interrelated physiological measurements acquired in the space environment since the Skylab program in 1973 and 1974. Crew members conducted experiments aimed at understanding bone tissue loss and the effects of microgravity on sensory perception. Two neurovestibular experiments investigating space motion sickness and perception changes were performed on the 2nd day as well. Astronauts Lucid and Fettman wore a headset, called an Accelerometer recording Unit, designed to continually record head movements throughout the day. Only one minor issue came up on Tuesday, October 19, 1993 associated with a circuit breaker that tripped, cutting off power temporarily to one of the rodent cages in the module. Flight controllers in Houston reported it was not caused by a short in the electrical system and the breaker was reset, restoring power to the cage. McArthur and Blaha began using the Lower Body Negative Pressure device on flight day 3, which is being tested as a countermeasure for the detrimental effects of microgravity. All three flight crew members will collect urine and saliva samples and keep logs of their exercise and food and fluid intake as part of the Energy Utilization detailed supplementary objective. DSO 612 looks at the nutritial and energy requirements of crew members on long-duration space flights and the relationship between fluid and food consumption On Wednesday, October 20, though the space toilet is working fine, the crew detected a slight leak around the filter door before going to bed. They removed the filter and cleaned up about a teaspoon of water -- much less than had been expected. As a precaution, a secondary fan separator unit was used to separate fluid from the air before cycling the air back into the cabin through the filter. On Thursday, October 21, Payload Commander Rhea Seddon, Mission Specialists Shannon Lucid and David Wolf and Payload Specialist Martin Fettman collected additional blood and urine samples for the series of metabolic experiments. Some of the samples will follow-up on the calcium absorption experiment performed yesterday. The experiment, sponsored by Dr. C.D. Arnaud of the University of California at San Francisco, studies the mechanisms of how calcium is maintained and used in bone metabolism in space. Based on preliminary results from the 1991 SLS-1 mission, Dr. Arnaud believes the decrease in bone density is due to increased bone breakdown that is not compensated for by a subsequent increase in bone formation. On Friday, October 22, 1993, using the on-board ham radio called SAREX for Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment, Blaha and Searfoss contacted school children at the Sycamore Middle School in Pleasant View, TN, and Gardendale Elementary in Pasadena, TX. The Standard Interface Rack, or SIR, was tested today by Searfoss to demonstrate that equipment can be removed from one rack location and reintegrated into another by a single crew member during orbital operations while maintaining reliable mechanical, data and power interfaces. Another new test flying aboard Columbia is a laptop computer simulator that is being flown to see if it will qualify as a tool for helping the mission commander and pilot maintain their proficiency for approach and landing during longer duration Space Shuttle flights. The laptop is controlled using a joy stick hand controller similar to the one used to fly the orbiter in the final minutes before landing. On Saturday, the payload crew members will devote much of their time to metabolic studies of the 48 rodents on board the Spacelab science workshop. Payload commander Rhea Seddon, and crewmates David Wolf, Shannon Lucid and veterinarian Marty Fettman are scheduled to draw blood from the tails of some of the rodents, then inject a special isotope into the rodents to measure the volume of their plasma. Another blood draw will follow, to measure how weightlessness may be affecting the red blood cell count of the animals. After several ham radio contacts around the country and work in a vacuum bag designed to ease the body's readaptation to Earth's environment, the orbiter crew made up of Commander John Blaha, Pilot Rick Searfoss and Mission Specialist Bill McArthur oversaw a short firing of one of the orbital maneuvering system engines to drop the low end of Columbia's orbit from 150 to 142 nautical miles to increase the landing opportunities should the mission be extended for weather or a system problem that would keep the crew in orbit two extra days. On Wednesday, October 27, 1993, Pilot Rick Searfoss put Columbia through some maneuvers as part of the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment. The main goal of the experiment is to accurately measure the aerodynamic forces that act on the shuttle in orbit and during the early stages of entry. The information will be useful to scientists and engineers planning future Spacelab microgravity research flights in which experiments will need a quiet, motion- free environment to produce the best possible data. On Thursday, October 28, 1993, After enjoying a half a day off, the astronauts aboard Columbia continued to collect scientific data on how humans and animals adapt to the absence of Earth's gravity. Payload Commander Rhea Seddon sent down a special message to her husband, Astronaut Office Chief Hoot Gibson at 4:1 p.m. CDT when she surpassed his total of 632 hours, 56 minutes in space. "He's still a really good guy, I still love him a lot, but I've got more hours in space than he does, so there!" she teased. Seddon acknowledged, however, that he has more launches and landings, having flown four times to her three. Pilot Rick Searfoss took time out from snapping some infrared photography of the wildfires burning in southern California to say that the crew's thoughts are with the firefighters working to quell the flames and the residents whose homes are being threatened. He said he hoped the fires would be brought under control soon, and added that the photographs he was taking will be among some 4,000 frames that will be returned to Earth for meteorologists, geologists, ecologists and archeologists to study after the flight. Mission Name: STS-61 (59) ENDEAVOUR (5) Pad 39-B (28) Pad Switch (2) 59th Shuttle Mission 5th Flight OV-105 Night Launch (8) Night Landing (8) KSC Landing (18) Crew: Richard O. Covey (4), Commander Kenneth D. Bowersox (2), Pilot F. Story Musgrave (5), Payload Commander Kathryn C. Thornton (3), Mission Specialist 1 Claude Nicollier (2), Mission Specialist 2 Jeffrey A. Hoffman (4), Mission Specialist 3 Thomas D. Akers (3), Mission Specialist 5 Milestones: Flow A: OPF -- 7/02/93 VAB -- 10/21/93 PAD A -- 10/28/93 Flow B: (switchover) PAD B -- 11/15/93 Payload: HST Repair, IMAX Mission Objectives: The first HST servicing mission had three primary objectives: restoring the planned scientific capabilities; restoring reliability of HST's systems; and validating the HST on-orbit servicing concept The most distinctive feature of the mission was the large number of critical operations to be carried out in space. Considerable allowance therefore has to be made for the unforeseen. The mission schedule was planned with this in mind, seeking to maximise the chances of success while retaining the flexibility needed in order to react to circumstances as they arise. The astronauts themselves underwent intensive underwater training, at the space centres in Houston, Texas, and Huntsville, Alabama. The mission's major challenge was the amount of work that must be completed during the Space Shuttle flight. To minimally satisfy the mission's overall objectives, astronauts needed to replace one gyroscope pair (either pair #2 or pair #3) and install either an operational Wide Field/Planetary Camera II or the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR), the other corrective optics package on the STS-61 manifest. Before launch, a completely successful mission was defined as replacement of gyro pairs #2 and #3, both optics packages, the solar arrays, the magnetometer, and the solar array drive electronics. In fact, the STS-61 crew accomplished all of these tasks plus all all lesser priority items such as the Goddard High Resolution Spectrometer Redundancy Kit, the DF-224 coprocessor, a second magnetometer, fuse plugs for the gyros, and an electronic control unit for gyro pair #1 and an HST reboost. Launch: December 2, 1993 4:26am. Endeavour was switched from Pad 39A to Pad 39B on 11/15/93 due to contamination of the Payload Changeout Room after a windstorm on 10/30/93. The internal HST payload package was not affected because it was tightly sealed. The contamination appears to have been caused by sandblasting grit from recent Pad A modifications. On 11/18/93 Endeavour experienced a failure of a delta-p transducer on the elevon hydraulic actuator. To change out the actuator, would require a rollback to the OPF because access to the actuator is only thru the Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel well. Since there are 4 delta-P transducers and the LCC (Launch Commit Criteria) requires only 3 of 4, the transducer was depinned and will not be consulted during flight. The flight crew arrived at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) on Saturday 11/27/93 at 11am and the payload bay doors were closed at 3:20pm on Sunday, 11/28/93. Launch attempt on December 1, 1993 was scrubbed due to weather constraint violations at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Just before the scrub the range was also in a no-go situation due to an 800ft long ship in restricted sea zone. A 24 hour scrub turn-a-round was put into effect with a launch window extending between 4:26am to 5:38am on December 2, 1993. Launch occured .019 seconds from its scheduled time of 4:26am December 2, 1993. Launch weight: 250,314 lbs. Payload Weight up: 17,662 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 321nm Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 163 Duration: 10 days, 19 hours, 58 minutes, 37 seconds. Distance: 4,433,772 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-063 SRM: 360L023 ET : 60 MLP : 2 SSME-1: SN-2019 SSME-2: SN-2033 SSME-3: SN-2017 Landing: KSC 12/13/93 at 12:26.25 am EST Runway 33. At 25 min before the landing, Endeavour was at 247,000ft altitude and 2700 miles from KSC (over the coast of Mexico). At 22 min it was at 237,000ft and 2100 miles away. By 11 min from landing it had dropped to 152,000ft and was 312 miles from KSC. At 8 min from landing, Endeavour was at 100,000 ft altitude, traveling at Mach 4 and just crossing over the western coast of Florida. At 6 min it was over Orlando Florida and had slowed to Mach 2.8 and was dropping at the rate of 200ft/sec. The shuttle's distinctive dual sonic boom shook KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility 3:37 min before landing (at 12:23am) and the crew was off loaded directly to the crew transfer vehicle for transport to the 2nd floor of the O&C building Baseline Data Collection Facility (BCDF) for biomedical tests and visits with their families. Both Endeavour and it's crew are in excellent shape. The NH4 boilers were activated at 12:35am and the APU's were shutdown by 12:44am. Endeavour will be towed to OPF Bay 1 at around 3:30am on 12/13/93. Landing Weight: 211,210 lbs. Payload Weight down: 17,662 lbs. Mission Highlights: With its very heavy workload, the STS-61 mission was one of the most sophisticated in the Shuttle's history. It lasted almost 11 days, and crew members made five EVA sorties, an all-time record. Even the spectacular Intelsat IV retrieval of STS-49 in May 1992 required only four. Tto be on the safe side, the flight plan allowed for two additional sorties which could have raised the total number to seven EVA's but the final two contingency EVA's turned out not be be necessary. In order to bring off this exploit without too much fatigue, the five extravehicular working sessions were shared between two alternating shifts of two astronauts. After launch on 12/2/93, the astronauts carried out a series of checks on the vehicle and went to sleep seven and a half hours after liftoff. On Flight day Two (12/2/93) Endeavour performed a series of burns that allowed the shuttle to close in on HST at a rate of 60 nm per every 95 minute orbit. The crew made a detailed inspection of the payload and checked out both the robot arm and the spacesuits. Cabin pressure was also dropped 45% in preparation for the spacewalks on Flight Day Three. All of Endeavour's systems functioned well as the crew got a full day's sleep in preparation for the evening's rendezvous. At the end of Flight Day 2, Endeavour was 190 nm behind HST and closing. On Flight Day Three, HST was sighted by astronaut Jeffrey A. Hoffman using a pair of binoculars and he noted that the right-hand solar array was bent in a 90-degree angle. These 40 foot solar arrays, built by the European Space Agency (ESA), are planned to be replaced during the second spacewalk because they wobble 16 times a day each time the telescope heats up and cools off as it passes from the dark side of the Earth to its light side and vice versa. The closing speed remained the same until the next reaction control system firing, at 8:34 p.m. CST (MET 1/17:07). The NH burn changed the shuttle's velocity by 4.6 feet per second, adjusting the high point of Endeavour's orbit and fine-tuning its course toward a point 40 miles behind HST. The next burn, an orbital maneuvering system firing designated NC3, was scheduled for 9:22 p.m. (MET 1/17:55) and changed Endeavour's velocity by 12.4 feet per second. Endeavour's catch-up rate was adjusted to about 16 nautical miles per orbit and put it 8 n.m. behind HST two orbits later. A third burn of just 1.8 feet per second, called NPC and designed to fine tune two spacecrafts' ground tracks, at for 9:58 p.m. CST (MET 1/18:31). The multiaxis RCS terminal initiation or "TI" burn, which places Endeavour on an intercept course with HST and set up Commander Dick Covey's manual control of the final stages of the rendezvous, occured at 12:35a.m. (MET 1/21:08).Commander Richard O. Covey maneuvered Endeavour within 30 feet of the free-flying HST before Mission Specialist Claude Nicollier used Endeavour's robot arm to grapple the telescope at 3:48 a.m. EST when the orbiter was several hundred miles east of Australia over the South Pacific. Nicollier berthed the telescope in the shuttle's cargo bay at 4:26 a.m. EST. Earlier in the day, controllers at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at the Goddard Space Flight Center uplinked commands to stow HST's two high-gain antennae. Controllers received indications that both antennae had nested properly against the body of the telescope, but microswitches on two latches of one antenna and one latch on the other did not send the "ready to latch" signal to the ground. Controllers decided not to attempt to close the latches, as the antennae are in a stable configuration. The situtation is not expected to affect plans for rendezvous, grapple and servicing of the telescope. HST was captured by Swiss astronaut Claude Nicollier shortly before 5am EST on 12/4/93 and everything has gone on schedule for the first planned spacewalk scheduled for 11:52 p.m EST on 12/4/93. After capture additional visual inspections were performed using the camera mounted on the 50ft long shuttle remote manipulator arm. F. Story Musgrave and Jeffrey A. Hoffman started the first EVA about an hour earlier than scheduled by stepping into the cargo bay at 10:46pm EST. They began by unpacking tools, safety tethers and work platforms. Hoffman then installed a foot restraint platform onto the end of the shuttle's remote manipulator arm which he then snapped into his feet. Nicollier drove the arm from within the shuttle and moved Hoffman around the telescope. Meanwhile, Musgrave installed protective covers on Hubbles aft low gain antenna and on exposed voltage bearing connector covers. The astronauts then opened the HST equipment bay doors and installed another foot restraint inside the telescope. Musgrave assisted Hoffman into the restraint and Hoffman proceeded to replace two sets of Remote Sensing Units. These units contain gyroscopes that help keep Hubble pointed in the right direction. By 12:24 EST Hoffman had finished swapping out RSU-2 (containing Gryo's 2-3 & 2-4) and then swapped out RSU-3 (containing Gryo's 3-5 & 3-6). The astronauts then spent about 50 minutes preparing equipment for use during the second space walk and then replaced a pair of electrical control units (ECU3 and ECU1) that control RSU's 3 and 1. The astronauts also changed out eight fuse plugs that protect the telescope's electrical circuits. Hubble now has a full set of six healthy gyroscopes. The astronauts struggled with the latches on the gyro door when two of four gyro door bolts did not reset after the astronauts installed two new gyro packages. Engineers who evaluated the situation speculated that when the doors were unlatched and opened, a temperature change might have caused them to expand or contract enough to keep the bolts from being reset. With the efforts of determined astronauts in Endeavour's payload bay and persistent engineers on the ground, all four bolts finally latched and locked after the two spacewalkers worked simultaneously at the top and bottom of the doors. Musgrave anchored himself at the bottom of the doors with a payload retention device which enabled him to use some body force against the doors. Hoffman, who was attached to the robot arm, worked at the top of the doors. The duo successfully latched the doors when they simultaneously latched the top and bottom latches. The spacewalkers also set up the payload bay for mission specialists Tom Akers and Kathy Thornton who replaced the telescope's two solar arrays during the second spacewalk which began at 10:35 p.m. EST today. The solar arrays provide power to the telescope. In anticipation of that spacewalk, Musgrave and Hoffman prepared the solar array carrier which is located in the forward portion of the cargo bay, and attached a foot restraint on the telescope to assist in the solar array replacement. Musgrave and Hoffman's spacewalk became the second longest spacewalk in NASA history lasting 7 hours and 50 min. The longest spacewalk occurred on STS-49 in May 1992 during Endeavour's maiden flight. Spacewalking crew members during that flight were Thomas D. Akers, Richard J. Hieb and Pierre J. Thuot. Inspite of the kink in array (about a panel and a half from the end), after a review by HST program managers, flight controllers decided to continue with the pre-flight plan and attemp to roll up and retract the solar arrays at the end of the first EVA. The stowage of the solar arrays is a two step process with the initial step involving the rolling up of the solar arrays and the second step involving the actual folding up of the arrays against the telescope. Each array stands on a four foot mast that supports a retractable wing of solar panels 40 feet long and 8.2 feet wide. They supply the telescope with 4.5kW of power. Flight Day 5 began on Sunday night (12/5/93) at 10:35 EST. Astronauts Thomas D. Akers and Kathryn C. Thornton replaced HST's solar arrays during the second planned EVA (Thornton has red dashed stripes on her spacesuit while Tom Akers has diagonal red dashed stripes which helps flight controllers tell the two spacewalkers apart.) At the start of the EVA, the pressure in Thornton's vent garment was .2 psi instead of the the normal pressure of 4-6 psi. This was due to a possible ice plug in the suits plumming which shortly melted. Thornton then topped off her suit. There were also other problems with Thornton's EVA suit. Her communications receiver malfunctioned in a way that allowed her to communicate to Akers but not to Mission Control. The crew decided to use a technique of relaying all commands for Thornton via Akers instead of switching to the backup comm channel. The backup channel is used for suit biomedical telemetry and would have limited Mission Control's ability to monitor that telemetry. Akers started the EVA by installing a foot restraint on the RMA for Thornton and proceeded to begin disconnecting 3 electrical connectors and a clamp assembly on the solar array. He had a slight problem with the clamp assembly but had the connectors demated by 11:17pm EST. Thornton held the array in place so that it would not drift freely after being detached. The solar arrays weigh 160 kg (352 lbs) and are 5 meters long when folded. The astronauts dismounted the damaged array at 11:40pm EST above the Saraha Desert (during a nighttime pass to minimize electrical activity) and Thornton held the array until the next daylight pass (approximately 12 min) before throwing it overboard at 11:52pm EST over Somalia. The jetison during daylight allowed the astronauts and flight controllers to accurately track it's position and relative velocity. The release by Thornton imparted a 1ft per second velocity to the arrays and then the orbiter did a small burn with the RCS that imparted an additional 4 ft/sec. The array, moving away from Endeavour at 5 ft/sec (3 miles/hr), will seperate about 11-12 miles each orbit. The crew then installed a new array, (finishing around 1:40 EST) and rotated the telescope 180 degrees. They then replaced the second solar array which was stowed away for return to ESA. After the 6.5 hour EVA, successful functional tests were performed by the Space Telescope Operations Control Center (STOCC) on four of HST's 6 Gryos. Gryos 1&2 were not able to be tested due to the orientation of the telescope and were tested during the crew sleep period Monday afternoon (12/6/93). Flight Day 6 EVA # 3 began Monday night (12/6/93) AT 10:34PM EST while Endeavour was over Australia. Hoffman installed guide studs on the Wide Field Planetary Camera (WFPC) and prepared the WFPC for removal while Musgrave setup a work platform and worked on opening an access door to allow observation of WFPC status lights. Hoffman attached the support handle to the WFPC and, with assistance by Claude Nicollier on the arm and a free floating F. Story Musgrave, removed the WFPC during the night pass starting at 11:41pm EST. The WFPC was clear of the telescope by 11:48pm EST and moved back into its storage container. A protective hood was then removed on the new WFPC (protecting its fragile external mirror) and the new 620 lb WFPC was then installed at 1:05am EST. Ground controllers then ran an Aliveness Test and 35 minutes later reported that the new camera successfully performed its series of initial tests. The new Wide Field and Planetary Camera has a higher rating than the previous model, especially in the ultraviolet range, and includes its own spherical aberration correction system. Following the WFPC installation, Hoffman changed out two magnetometers on board HST. The magnetometers, which are located at the top of the telescope, are the satellite's "compass". They enableing HST to find its orientation with respect to the Earth's magnetic field. Both original units were suffering from problems of background noise. During installation, 2 pieces pealed off the magnetometers and flight controllers are accessing any possible impacts. The EVA lasted 6 hours and 47 min. Flight Day 7 EVA # 4 began Tuesday night (12/7/93) while Endeavour was flying over Egypt at 10:13pm EST with Thornton and Akers. The primary task of the EVA was to replace HST's High Speed Photometer (HSP) with a device called COSTAR. This acronym stands for the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement system and the unit corrects HST's sperical aberration of the main mirror for all instruments except the WFPC-II camera, which has it's own built in corrective optics. Akers received a go for the opening of HST's -V2 aft shroud doors at 10:45pm EST. The doors were scheduled to be opened during a night pass to minimize thermal changes and reduce the possibility of out-gassing of components that could contaminate the optics. The High Speed Photometer (HSP) was powered down at 10:54pm EST and the door opening started at 10:57 EST. Shortly after partially opening the door, the astronauts practiced reclosing the door. The door exhibited the same reluctance upon closing that was experience on different doors during previous EVA's. The doors were fully opened by 11:00pm EST and 4 power and data connectors plus 1 ground strap were disconnected from the HSP. The HSP was removed at 11:27pm EST and then reinserted to practice for the COSTAR installation. HSP was then parked on the side of the payload bay while COSTAR was removed from stowage and successfully installed in the HST by about 12:35am EST. The astronauts closed out the HST equipment bay doors and stowed the HSP. At 2:25am EST they started upgrading HST's onboard computer by bolting on an electronics package containing additional computer memory and a co-processor. The computer system was then reactivated and passed it's aliveness and functional tests at 4:41am EST. The EVA was 100% successful and lasted for 6hr and 50 min. It will be 6-9 weeks before optical alignments can confirm that HST is completely repaired. Pilot Kenneth D. Bowersox, using Endeavours RCS system, performed two orbital manueuvers and boosted HST from a 321x317nm orbit to a 321.7nm x 320.9nm circular orbit at 9:14pm EST. COSTAR functional tests were also completed. There was some concern about the health of the onboard HST DF-224 computer and recently installed memory and co-processor when a memory dump failed. After much analysis by a team at the GSFC, it was determined that the dump failure was due to noise on the communications link between the spacecraft and the ground. Flight Day 8 EVA #5 began on Wednesday night (12/8/93) at 10:14pm with a go for airlock depress over the Indian Ocean with Musgrave and Hoffman performing the EVA. Story Musgrave's EVA suit failed it's inital leak check and Story performed steps on the 5psi contigency checklist. He rotated the EVA suits lower arm joints and the suit passed 2 subsequent leak checks. The EVA started at 10:30 EST and lasted 7hr and 21 min. Musgrave's and Hoffman's first task was to replace the solar array drive electronics and they began the SADE operation while ground controllers initiated the first step in solar array deployment by commanding the Primary Drive Mechanism (PDM). Endeavour was placed in free drift to disable any RCS firings that could disrupt the solar arrays and the PDM motors were engaged at 10:48pm. The latches were unlocked but the arrays failed to rotate to the deploy position. No motion was detected and the STOCC sent commands to drive a single array with two motors with no success. Finally, the astronauts cranked the deployment mechanism by hand and deploy was successful. After the SADE was swapped out, the crew fitted an electrical connection box on the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph at 3:30am EST and it passed its aliveness test. The crew then installed some covers on the magnetometers, fabricated onboard by Claude Nicollier and Kenneth D. Bowersox. These covers will contain any debris caused by the older magnetometers which show some signs of UV decay. The EVA ended at 5:51am EST bringing the total EVA time for this mission to 35hr and 28 min. The HST High Gain Antenna (HGA) was deployed at 6:49am EST and completed by 6:56am EST. Release time for HST was set for 2:08am EST. Flight Day 9 began on Thursday night (12/9/93) but concerns about one of HST's four onboard Data Interface Units (DIU's) delayed release. The DIU's are 35 lb electronic units that transfer data between HST's main computer, solar arrays and other critical systems. A failure on Side A of DIU # 2 experienced erratic current fluxuations and some data dropouts. Controllers at the STOCC and mission control came up with a troubleshooting procedure to determine the extent of the problem. HST was transfered to internal power and disconnected from its power umbilical at 11:43pm EST. Controllers then switched channels on the DIU from the A side to the B side and then back to the A side. They determined HST should be deployed. The drum brakes on the new Solar Array were applied to prevent them from vibrating during future observations. Claude Nicollier then took hold of the satellite with the robot arm. Hubble was switched back to internal power mode and the umbilical cord linking it to the Shuttle was disconnected. The satellite was then lifted and moved away from Endeavour. The telescope's apature door was then reopened (a 33 min procedure) and then released at 5:26am EST. Commander Dick Covey and pilot Kenneth D. Bowersox fired Endeavour's small maneuvering jets and moved the shuttle slowly away from HST. The next servicing vist to HST is scheduled for 1997. Landing occured on Runway 33 at 12:26am on 12/13/93. Mission Name: STS-60 (60) Discovery (18) Pad 39-A (49) 60th Shuttle Mission 18th Flight OV-105 1st Russian on Shuttle KSC Landing (19) Crew: Charles F. Bolden (4), Commander Kenneth S. Reightler Jr.(2), Pilot N. Jan Davis (2), Mission Specialist 1 Ronald M. Sega (1), Mission Specialist 2 Franklin R. Chang-Diaz (4), Mission Specialist 3 Sergei K. Krikalev (3), Mission Specialist 4 (Russia) Milestones: OPF -- 9/23/93 VAB -- 1/4/94 PAD -- 1/10/94 Payload: Wake Shield, SPACEHAB-2, COB/GBA, SAREX-II, APE-B, ODERACS, BREMSAT, CPL Mission Objectives: The Wake Shield Facility (WSF), a primary payload for mission STS-60, arrived at Cape Canaveral on 6/30/93 to begin final prelaunch assembly and checkout. The parabolic-shaped WSF is 12 feet in diameter and includes a communications and avionics system, solar cells and batteries, and a propulsion thruster. The experiment will take advantage of the near vacuum of space to attempt to grow innovative thin film materials for use in electronics. It will be deployed by the remote manipulator arm, and fly in formation with Discovery at a distance of up to 46 statute miles from the orbiter for 56 hours. It will then be retrieved from space, again using the remote manipulator arm. WSF costs approximately $13 million to develop and was designed and built by the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center (SVEC) based at the University of Houston. WSF underwent initial processing in NASA's Hangar S on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. In mid-September it was moved to the Vertical Processing Facility in the KSC Industrial Area where tests were performed to verify its compatibility with the Space Shuttle. The payload was then transferred to the pad approximately one month later. SPACEHAB is a small pressurized module designed to augment the shirt-sleeve working volume of the Space Shuttle. It provides approximately 1100 cubic feet of internal volume, as well as external surface area. Both internal and external areas can be used for mounting, stowing and conducting experiments. The Spacehab module was developed by SPACEHAB, Inc. The experiments abord SPACEHAB-02 include the Three-Dimensional Microgravity Accelerometer (3-DMA) experiment, Astroculture Experiment (ASC-3), Bioserve Pilot Lab (BPL), Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Experiment (CGBA), Commercial Protein Crystal Growth Experiment (CPCG), Controlled Liquid Phase Sintering (ECLiPSE-Hab), Immune Response Studies Experiment (IMMUNE-01), Organic Separation Experiment (ORSEP), Space Experiment Facility (SEF), Penn State Biomodule (PSB) and the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) Experiment. The final collection of experiments are the COB/GBA payloads. They are mounted in the rear of the payload bay on a GAS bridge assembly. Four additional Get-Away Special (GAS) canisters are also mounted on the GBA. Experiments on the COB/GBA include the Capillary Pumped Loop Experiment (CAPL), Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres Project (ODERACS) and the University of Bremen Satellite (BREMSAT). Launch: Launch February 3, 1994 7:10:05am EST. Discovery launched exactly on time at the beginning of it's 2 hour, 30 minute window. Discovery's initial trip to the launch pad was delayed a few days due to additional inspections and tests on all of Discovery's 44 nose and tail steering jets. A microscopic puncture was found by its manufacturer, Marquardt Co (a division of CCI Corp of Van Nuys Calif), during post-flight inpection. This thruster experienced experienced unexpected drops in chamber pressure during Discovery's STS-51 mission in September. A hairline scratch was discovered on Discovery's number 6 pilot side cabin window on the outermost pane. This cabin window was removed and replace on the launch pad. The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) for STS-60 was conducted from 1/13/94 and completed with a simulated ignition of Discovery's main engines at 11 am Friday 1/14/94. The three day launch countdown for Thursday's launch was started at 4am on 1/31/94. Loading of the half-million gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the 15 story external tank began at 10:50pm EST on Wednesday 2/2/94. Astronauts were awakened at 2:15am and left for the launch pad at 3:55am Thursday morning. Temperature at liftoff was 46 degrees which was within the launch commit criteria constraint of greater than 36 degrees. This constraint protects the orbiter from the possibility of ice formation on various locations of the External Tank that could possibly break off and cause damage during ignition. Lower temperature also affects SRB O-ring seals but are not as critical as before the post 51-L Solid Rocket Motor Redesign effort. Heaters are now placed around the SRB O-ring seals to insure the seals do not stiffen and fail in cold weather. The launch countdown proceeded smoothly. The only concerns were some GSE transduser failures (that have multiple redundancy) and a minor leak (within specifications) on the Hydrogen umbilical. The ice inspection team did not find any evidence of ice buildup in any critical areas. High winds and low humidity in the launch area were contributing factors to the lack of ice buildup. Orbit: Altitude: 191 nm Inclination: 57 degrees Orbits: 130 Duration: 8 days, 7 hours, 9 minutes, 22 seconds. Distance: 3,439,704 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-062 SRM: 360L/Q035 ET : 61 MLP: 3 SSME-1: SN-2012 SSME-2: SN-2034 SSME-3: SN-2032 Landing: KSC on Flight day 9 (2/11/94) at 2:18:41 EST on KSC Runway 15. There were 2 landing options for KSC and one for Edwards. The 1st landing option on 2/11/94 was on orbit 129 with a deorbit burn at MET 8 days 4 hours 28 min or 11:38 EST. This would have resulted in a landing at KSC's runway 33 at 12:34 EST and a mission elapsed time of 8 days, 5 hours and 34 min. The first KSC landing option was waived off due to high winds near the Shuttle Landing Facility. The 2nd opportunity was on orbit 130 and KSC weather conditions proved favorable. Discovery performed a deorbit burn at MET 8 days 5 hours and 59 min or 1:11pm EST. Discovery crossed USA airspace over Alaska and proceeded to travel in a South Easterly direction over Canada, thru the midwest, and on over Georgia. The orbiter then performed a left-overhead turn of 349 degrees and landed from the North traveling south on KSC runway 15 at MET 8 days 7 hours 8 min at 2:18pm EST. Mission Highlights: After External Tank seperation and main engine cutoff, a 2.5 min OMS burn was initiated at 7:52am EST that circularized Discovery's orbit from a 40nm by 190nm orbit to 190nm by 190nm. Shortly after liftoff, pilot Kenneth S. Reightler Jr. experienced problems with his portable headset. The problem was traced to the Headset Interface Unit (HIU) and that unit was swapped out with a flight spare. The payload bay doors were opened and around 8:45am EST the crew was given a go for on-orbit operations. Shortly after reaching orbit, the STS-60 crew began checking Discovery's systems and activating the commercially developed Spacehab laboratory module and several of its experiments. The crew also activated one group of the payload bay Getaway Special experiments. Spacehab module experiments that were activated included the Organic Separations payload, which is designed to investigate cell separation techniques for possible pharmaceutical and biotechnology processing, and the Equipment for Controlled Liquid Phase Sintering Experiment package, a furnace designed to explore the possibilities of creating stronger, lighter and more durable metals for use in bearings, cutting tools and electronics. Spacehab middeck experiments that were activated included Immune-1, which will look at the immune systems of rats in orbit, and the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth package, which is attempting to grow large, well- ordered protein crystals so that their structures can be more easily studied. The crew sleep period then began at 6:10pm EST. At 6:30am EST on 2/5/94 Discovery inadvertently flew thru a cloud of wastewater ice crystals. Flight controllers determined the approximately one tablespoon of wastewater leaked out of a wast dump nozzle. The Wake Shield deployment operation was canceled on Saturday. This delay was the result of several factors, including radio interference and an inability to read the Wake Shield's status lights when the orbiter's payload bay is in full sunlight. Deployment originally was scheduled for 10 a.m. CST, but after grappling the free-flyer and lifting it out of the cargo bay and into the pre-deploy position, crew members and investigators on the ground were unable to tell whether power and transmitter status lights were giving the proper indications. After determining that the problem was not a systems failure, but difficulty in reading the status lights, the crew and flight controllers perpared for another release attempt. Interference between the radio transmitter on the Wake Shield Facility and the receiver on its payload bay carrier resulted in the one-day wave-off. Wake Shield deployment was also canceled on Sunday, 2/6/94 during it's orbit 53 opportunity at 12:25pm. WSF and flight controllers worked problems with the Pitch and Roll sensors on WSF's Attitude, Direction and Control system. Astronaut N. Jan Davis moved the wrist joint on the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm to try to point WSF's Horizon Sensor into the sun in an attempt to warm up the sensors electronics package. The last deploy opportunity for Sunday was a 50 minute window beginning at 2:23 EST on orbit 54 and WSF was not ready for deployment. It was left mounted on the RMS during the crew sleep period while ground controllers consider their options. On it's pearch at the end of the RMS over night, WSF was able to grow 2 Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) thin films. The next deploy opportunity on 2/7/94 would have been orbit 67 but payload controllers and flight controllers determined that there would be insufficient time to safely develop contigency procedures in the event that WSF was unable to maintain stable attitude control without the use of its Horizon Sensor. It was decided that for the remainder of the mission, all WSF operations would take place at the end of the RMS and there will be no WSF free-flying operations on this mission. On 2/7/94, work has been progressing in the Spacehab module on a number of experiments. These include the Three-Dimensional Microgravity Accelerometer (3-DMA) experiment, Astroculture Experiment (ASC-3), Bioserve Pilot Lab (BPL), Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Experiment (CGBA), Commercial Protein Crystal Growth Experiment (CPCG), Controlled Liquid Phase Sintering (ECLiPSE-Hab), Immune Response Studies Experiment (IMMUNE-01), Organic Separation Experiment (ORSEP), Space Experiment Facility (SEF), Penn State Biomodule (PSB) and the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) Experiment. Sergei K. Krikalev has been operating the SAMS experiment. At 7:38am EST on 2/8/94, Good Morning America performed a live bi-directional audio and downlink video hookup between astronauts onboard Discovery and 3 Cosmonauts onboard the Soviet Mir Space Station. Discovery was over the Pacific ocean and Mir was over the southern United States. Afterwords, work progressed with Spacehab module and middeck experiments while Wake Shield continued operations at the end of the Remote Manipulator System. A slight problem developed with the status indicators on the 3-DMA experiment and the crew downlinked video to aid in troubleshooting. The astronauts ended Flight Day 6 at 7:10pm EST. Flight Day 7 (2/9/94) began at 3:20am EST. ODERACS operations are scheduled for 9:55am EST during Orbit 97 and BREMSAT deploy is scheduled for 2:50pm EST but the deploy may be moved earlier in the orbit to provide better lighting conditions. WSF closeout was begun and a telemetry problem with the facility prevented the growth of the 6th and final thin film onboard WSF. Five other thin films were grown through out the mission before Wake Shield was berthed. WSF closeout was completed by 8:10am EST. At 7:58am EST, Commander Charles F. Bolden reported to the ground that one of the Thermal Protection System (TPS) blankets around Discovery's forward RCS thruster below Commander Bolden's cabin window was slightly pealed back. N. Jan Davis was directed to halt her power down and stowage of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm and use the arm to perform a camera survey of the front left side of the orbiter. At 2:20pm EST, the BREMSAT momemtum wheel was spun up and BREMSAT was ejected into space at 2:23pm EST at the rate of 3.4 ft/sec. On Flight Day 8 (2/10/94), the astronauts preformed a number of operations to prepare Discovery for it's trip home. These included Hot-Fire tests of all 44 Reaction Control Systems jets, Flight control system checkout, SAREX stow, CPCG Stow, ASC-3 Deactivation, ORSEP Deactivation, stowage of all non-essential cabin items and Ku-Band antenna stow. Flight Day 9 (2/11/94) operations included the powerup of all critical orbiter entry systems (Group B powerup), SAMS deactivation, CAPL Deactivation and De-Orbit preps. Ground controllers gave Discovery a go to start Spacehab deactivation at 8:00am EST and closeout was complete by 8:20am EST. Landing at KSC runway 15 at 2:18:41 pm EST. Mission Name: STS-62 (61) Columbia (16) Pad 39-B (29) 61st Shuttle Mission 16th Flight OV-102 EDO Mission (3) KSC Landing (20) Crew: John H. Casper (3), Commander Andrew M. Allen (2), Pilot Pierre J. Thuot (3), Mission Specialist 1 Charles D. Gemar (3), Mission Specialist 2 Marsha S. Ivins (3), Mission Specialist 3 Milestones: OPF #2 -- 11/09/93 VAB HB1 -- 02/03/94 PAD 39B -- 02/10/94 Payload: USMP-2, OAST-2, DEE, SSBUV-6, LDCE, APCG, PSE, CPCG, CGBA, BDS, MODE, AMOS, BSTC, EDO Mission Objectives: The 14-day mission is the latest in a series of Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) flights which will provide additional information for on-going medical studies that assess the impact of long-duration spaceflight, 10 or more days, on astronaut health, identify any operational medical concerns and test countermeasures for the adverse effects of weightlessness on human physiology. The United States Microgravity Payload (USMP) will be making its second flight aboard the Space Shuttle. The USMP flights are regularly scheduled on Shuttle missions to permit scientists access to space for microgravity and fundamental science experiments which cannot be duplicated on Earth and provide the foundation for advanced scientific investigations that will be done on the international space station. The Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST-2) payload contains six experiments that will obtain technology data to support future needs for advanced satellites, sensors, microcircuits and the space station. Data gathered by the OAST-2 experiments could lead to satellites and spacecraft that are cheaper, more reliable and able to operate more efficiently. STS-62 will help scientists calibrate sensitive ozone- detecting instruments with the sixth flight of the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) Instrument. This highly calibrated tool is used to check data from ozone-measuring instruments on free-flying satellites -- NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA-9 and NOAA-11 satellites. The Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) experiments and the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) experiments aboard Columbia will help scientists understand the growth of crystals to study the complex molecular structures of important proteins. By knowing the structure of specific proteins, scientists can design new drug treatments for humans and animals and develop new or better food crops. NASA's efforts in the important field of biotechnology are represented by the fourth flight of the Physiological Systems Experiment which is designed to evaluate pharmaceutical, agricultural or biotechnological products, and the first flight of the Biotechnology Specimen Temperature Controller (BSTC), designed to test the performance of a temperature control device being developed for use with the Bioreactor, a cell- culture growth device. Also flying again on the Shuttle is the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) payload which will support more than 15 commercial life science investigations that have application in biomaterials, biotechnology, medicine and agriculture. The Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment (MODE) will make its second flight on STS-62. MODE investigates how the microgravity of space flight influences the behavior of large space structures. The MODE test article can be configured in different shapes typical of space structural forms-- the truss of a space station, for example -- to help engineers develop and verify an analytical modeling capability for predicting the linear and nonlinear modal characteristics of space structures in a microgravity environment. MODE also will gather force measurements of nominal, crew-induced disturbance loads on the Shuttle. Astronauts will demonstrate a new magnetic end effector and grapple fixture design for the Shuttle's Canadian-built robot arm that engineers believe will increase the arm's dexterity and alignment accuracy, provide operators with a sense of touch and allow the use of more compact "handles" on satellites and other Shuttle payloads. Launch: Launch March 4, 1994; 8:53:01am EST. Winds were at bearing 287 degrees at 13 knots. Temperature was 53 degrees with relative humidity at 58%. The Abort Once Around (AOA) option site for this launch was changed shortly before launch from Edwards AFB to the Kennedy Space Center. Launch window was 2 hours and 30 min and lifted off on it's scheduled 8:53am EST launch time. The launch countdown went smoothly and only 2 minor problem reports were being worked. They related to slight leakages in some Ground Servicing Equipment (GSE) on the Mobile Launch Platform liquid oxygen system. Also, due to high seas, the Solid Rocket Booster recovery ships were kept in port at the time of the launch. They left port shortly after launch and met up with the boosters 140 miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral around midday on 3/5/94. Launch attempt on March 3, 1994 was canceled due to the USAF Range Weather Operations Forcast Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station predicting the probability of a launch weather criteria violation at 90%. The Spaceflight Meteorology Group at JSC predicted winds of 18 mph to 33 mph would be present at the shuttle landing facility and flight rules cause for a launch attempt to be scrubbed if runway crosswinds exceed 17 mph. By canceling the launch attempt 11 hours before tanking operations were scheduled to begin, launch options for the following two days were preserved where the probability of weather violation was predicted to be only 10% on 3/4/94 and 3/5/94. Columbia main engine cutoff at MET 8min 21sec or 9:01:40 a.m. EST after a burn time of 510.4 seconds. OMS-1 burn was not required. Initial orbit 153.7nm. Go for APU Hydraulic shutdown at 9:08am EST. Onboard computers were reloaded to support the OMS-2 burn to circularize Columbia's orbit to the desired 160nm x 163nm. OMS-2 burn of 2min 46sec (269fps) occured at 9:36a.m EST. Columbia's empty weight 181,299 lbs. and total launch weight 4,519,319 lbs. Orbit: Altitude: 163nm Inclination: 39.00 degrees Orbits: 224 Duration: 13 days, 23 hours, 16 minutes, 41 seconds. Distance: 5,820,146 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-064 SRM: 360L/W036 ET : SN-062 MLP: 1 SSME-1: SN-2031 SSME-2: SN-2109 SSME-3: SN-2029 Landing: KSC 3/18/94 at 8:10am EST. Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 33. Columbia landed on the first opportunity. Main gear touch down was at 8:09.41 am EDT, nose gear touchdown was at 8:10.00 and wheels stop was at 8:10.35. Landing speed was 211 knots (242 mph). Columbia touched down about 3500 feet from the threshold (rollout was 10,166 feet). Just as the main landing gear dropped and locked, infrared cameras at KSC saw several objects drop from the vicinity of Columbia wheel well. Post flight inspection detected a 4-inch square heat protection tile and six strips of thermal barrier were missing from the orbiter around the area of the wheel well. One camera angle also showed the orbiter cross the center line, compensate and cross again. The vehicle was then towed to OPF bay 2 to be prepared for it's next flight on STS-65. Mission Highlights: Flight Day One consisted of Ascent operations and orbiter reconfiguration to support orbital operations, an OMS-2 burn to circularize Columbia's orbit to a 163nm x 160 nm orbit, USMP-2 activation, PSE operations, APCG activation, CPCG operations, RMS checkout, DEE operations, CGBA activation. Payload bay doors were opened at 10:26am EDT. On Flight Day Two, the astronauts took turns on the crew cabin exercise facility in an effort to slow down the effects of muscle atrophy. Pilot Andrew M. Allen and mission specialist Charles D. Gemar also spent time in the Lower body negative pressure container. Mission specialists Pierre J. Thuot and Marsha S. Ivins started the Protein Crystal Growth Experiment (PCGE) and the Physiological Systems Experiment (PSE) while scientists on the ground in the Payload Operations Control Center controlled 11 other experiments mounted in Columbia's cargo bay. Mission controllers in Houston also investigated a problem in a fuel line pressure sensor on one of Columbia's three Auxiliary Power Units (APU's). Higher than normal pressures were detected and then returned to normal after engineers powered up heaters on the unit. The APU's provide hydraulic power to operate key landing systems and only one of the three is needed for a successful landing. However flight rules call for a shorted mission in the event a single unit is lost. On Flight Day Three (Sunday, March 3, 1994), following a morning of medical studies, the crew spent the last half of the day exercising and continuing to study the behavior of a space station truss model in weightlessness. Pilot Andrew M. Allen and Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins and Charles D. Gemar each took a turn on a stationary bicycle mounted in Columbia's middeck. The stationary bike has long been a staple of shuttle flights to allow exercise that counters the effect of weightlessness on the muscles. The bike aboard Columbia, however, features a new mounting system of shock-absorbing springs that is being evaluated as a method of keeping vibrations from exercise, which can disturb sensitive experiments, to a minimum. Also, Gemar set up a model of the scaffold-like truss structure that may be used on a future space station in the lower deck. The model, linked to sensitive recorders in a shuttle locker, was used to determine the characteristics of such structures in orbit. The model and its reactions were studied in several different configurations during the day. Other activities for the crew included photography of the glow created as the shuttle's outer skin interacts with atomic oxygen in orbit and continued monitoring of protein crystal growth experiments in the cabin. Although not highly visible except to the Earth-bound scientists watching over them, Columbia's wide assortment of cargo bay payloads continued their investigations throughout the day. The second United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2) experiments, continue to produce a wealth of data for scientists on the ground. The Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, or Zeno, science team reported that they expect to locate the critical temperature of xenon at "any time." Team members closely watched computer data traces which indicate their experiment was very near the critical temperature -- the goal of a lengthy, methodical "sensitive" search process. This is a more precise search for the critical temperature after its location has been determined within a narrow band. Once the temperature is located, the team will spend nearly 24 hours taking a good look at the phenomenon they've waited years to see. They will study the properties of xenon at its critical point, taking subtle optical measurements in the region surrounding it. A fluid's "critical point" occurs at a condition of temperature and pressure where the fluid is simultaneously a gas and a liquid. By understanding how matter behaves at the critical point, scientists hope to gain a better insight into a variety of physics problems ranging from phase changes in fluids to changes in the composition and magnetic properties of solids. The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) continued to measure the microgravity environment on the USMP-2 carrier in support of the four other experiments onboard. The SAMS team began sending results of their data collection during various orbiter activities to STS-62 crew members. The crew was interested in how they can minimize their influence on the microgravity environment. Measurements are made with the system at specific times when microgravity disturbances may be caused by events such as crew exercise and movement of the Shuttle's Ku-band antenna. Such observations also collect "signatures" which the team will be able to easily identify in future data. A related system, the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE), is managed by NASA's Johnson Space Center. It is useful on missions such as USMP-2 where it is important to accurately characterize a wide variety of disturbances in the microgravity environment. Working closely with SAMS, the OARE records any low-frequency activity such as the Shuttle's friction with the rarefied upper atmosphere. SAMS is most suitable for recording higher-frequency activity such as crew exercise. The OARE instrument continues to process data in support of the USMP-2 experiments, and team members say all is going well. The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) continued to assemble data to test theories concerning the effect of gravity-driven fluid flows on dendritic solidification of molten materials. When the USMP-2 mission is over, the IDGE team will study hundreds of photographs taken of the dendrites grown in microgravity. Learning more about how dendrites grow is one valuable key to developing better metal products and improving our industrial competitiveness. Upon completion of its first phase of pre-programmed operations last night, the dendritic experiment entered its second phase of crystal growth when team members began sending commands to their experiment from the ground using a unique set of capabilities known as "telescience." This allows them to get the best possible data from their investigation. The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF) studies the directional solidification of semiconductor materials in microgravity. Downlinked experiment data indicates that solidification of a crystal of mercury cadmium telluride is taking place, and the AADSF science team is constantly monitoring this slow but steady progress. Testing the AADSF in microgravity is beneficial because on Earth, gravity causes fluids to rise or fall within the melted portion; a warm liquid is less dense than a cool one and will rise to the top of the melt. These convective movements of molten material contribute to physical flaws in the internal structure of the growing crystal. Such flaws affect a crystal's overall electrical characteristics, and consequently, its usefulness in electronic devices. The MEPHISTO team reported that they have gathered good data with their directional solidification furnace. Currently, however, the team is still troubleshooting a problem discovered on Saturday night with a troublesome "Seebeck measurement." This electronic signal measures changes in the microstructure of a solidifying metal, and is conducted on one of three experiment samples of bismuth-tin. Other measurement techniques will be used on the two remaining samples later in the mission; both these samples are operating nominally. Measurement data from the three samples will give scientists insight into the precise nature of solidification in reduced gravity. Flight controllers had a quiet Sunday in Mission Control with no significant troubles seen aboard the spacecraft. A reading of high pressure that was seen in a fuel line to one of the shuttle's three auxiliary power units earlier in the flight has dissipated, and controllers have confidence the APU would operate well if needed. However, they will continue to closely watch the readings from that area. All of the three APUs, which supply power to the hydraulic systems, operated well during launch. They are not used again until landing. The crew began eight hours of sleep at 4:53 p.m. Flight Day 4 began Monday, March 7, 1994 at 12:53 a.m. The crew started its day with a medley of armed forces anthems sung by the U.S. Military Academy Glee Club. The medley honored all four branches of the service which are represented by the STS-62 crew. Commander John Casper is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force, Pilot Andrew M. Allen is a major in the U.S. Marine Corps, Mission Specialist Sam Gemar is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, and Mission Specialist Pierre Thuot is a commander in the U.S. Navy. After completing their post-sleep activities, the crew got started on the payload work for the day. Astronauts performed checks of the protein crystal growth experiment and the rodents that are housed in the middeck as part of the Physiological Systems Experiment. Gemar also continued his work with the Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment. MODE is designed to study the fundamental, non-linear, gravity-dependent behavior of hybrid scaled structures. Understanding these structures is important for designers of large space structures such as the International Space Station. Casper conducted a special presentation about the Space Acceleration Measurement System. A frequent flyer on the shuttle, SAMS uses sensors called accelerometers to take measurements of on-board vibrations and accelerations. Such disturbances, though slight, could affect the sensitive microgravity experiments. SAMS measurements allow scientists to adjust their experiments to improve their scientific results. Columbia astronauts Andrew M. Allen and Charles D. Gemar got a half day off from their busy schedule operating the many microgravity experiments on STS-62. Due to the long duration of STS-62, each crew member will get two half-days off during the 14 day mission. The other astronauts spent the first half of the day working with the Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment, or MODE, and a model of a truss structure which may be used on a future space station. The truss model, set up to float free in the middeck, was analyzed to determine its behavior in weightlessness. It will be the subject of more test runs as the flight progresses. Around the clock, experiments with the U.S. Microgravity Payload-2, the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2, the Space Shuttle Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument and the Limited Candidate Duration Materials Exposure experiments all continue to operate, many of them being controlled by scientists on the ground. The SSBUV instrument operated since the first day of the flight, and plans were made by its ground controllers today to attempt to detect sulphur dioxide emissions from volcanoes in Central America. The objective of the observations by SSBUV are to investigate whether such emissions low in the atmosphere are detectable from orbit. SSBUV's measurements in general are used to fine-tune satellites that monitor the ozone and other gases in the Earth's atmosphere. The crew began its eight hours sleep period at 4:53 p.m. EST. During USMP-2 operations on Flight Day 4, the Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, or Zeno, team reported overnight that they started seeing behavior in the fluid xenon unlike any they have seen on Earth. They believe this may mean the experiment has passed through the xenon sample's critical point. Meanwhile the team continued their delicate temperature manipulations in order to verify what they have seen. Once the team is certain they have located the critical point, they will conduct a series of precise measurements in the area surrounding it using laser light scattering. When xenon is at or extremely near its critical point -- the point where it is simultaneously a liquid and a gas -- patches of the otherwise clear substance briefly take on a "milky" irridescence. Closer to the critical point, the milky-white areas are larger and exist for longer periods. When a laser light is passed through the sample in these areas, fluctuations in the sample's density cause the light to be scattered. Team members for the MEPHISTO furnace began running a series of metal solidification studies and received analyzable data. On Monday, the team made much progress in overcoming some difficulty they had been experiencing with one of the experiment's electronic measurements and successfully completed a Seebeck run. The Seebeck measurement is an electrical signal which measures temperature variations during crystal growth at the boundary where liquid becomes solid -- the solidification front. MEPHISTO is used to conduct a series of melting and solidification cycles on three identical rod-shaped samples of a bismuth-tin alloy. During these runs, temperature, velocity and shape of the solidification front are measured in order to study the behavior of metals and semiconductors as they solidify. Team members of the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE), say they were pleased with the performance of their apparatus and the data they acquired during USMP-2. While dendrite growth was taking place, two 35mm cameras took photographs for post-mission analysis. When a dendrite growth cycle is completed, the tiny crystalline structure is re-melted and another grown at a different "supercooling" temperature. Dendrites were grown at 20 different levels of supercooling ranging up to approximately 1.3 degrees C. Supercooling is the term used to describe the condition in which a liquid is slowly cooled to below its normal freezing point, but due to its purity, does not solidify. The level of supercooling refers to the difference between the temperature of the liquid and its normal freezing point. IDGE is a fundamental materials science experiment performed in the microgravity environment of space in order to increase understanding of the solidification processes. This knowledge should be useful in improving industrial production of a wide range of metals used in applications from aluminum foil to jet engines. The Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF) continued to operate smoothly, growing a single cylinder-shaped crystal of mercury cadmium telluride, an exotic material used as an infrared radiation detector. The AADSF provides scientists with a unique apparatus in which to test theories of semiconductor crystal growth without the effects and limitations caused by Earth's gravity. The information gained by growing crystals of a semiconductor material in microgravity can be used to study the physical and chemical processes of many materials and systems. A greater understanding in these areas could aid researchers in the discovery of processes and materials that perform better and cost less to produce. The crew was awaken at 11:53 p.m. for the start of Flight Day Five activities. The middeck payloads took center stage as the STS-62 crew worked through the second half of its fifth day on orbit. Pilot Andrew M. Allen (1hr 45min) and Mission Specialist Sam Gemar (1hr 45min) took turns in the Lower Body Negative Pressure Unit. The sack-like device seals at the waist so that pressure around the lower body can be gradually decreased. The lowered pressure draws body fluids down to the legs and lower torso, similar to the body's normal state on Earth. The LBNP protocol is being tested as a countermeasure to the condition "orthostatic intolerance" in which a person feels lightheaded after standing. Some astronauts experience such sensations upon standing after the shuttle lands. Today, Allen and Gemar performed the 45-minute ramp test but at the direction of ground controllers,terminated the test 40 seconds early. STS-62 Commander John Casper, Mission Specialist Pierre Thuot and Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins relaxed on board Columbia for the first half of the day. On long duration flights, mission planners schedule off duty time for each crew member to keep them well rested throughout the flight. Gemar and Allen had their off duty time on Monday. With those activities complete, the crew turned its attention to the assortment of secondary payloads. Astronauts checked on the protein crystal growth experiments, the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus experiments and the rodents which were flying as part of the Physiological Systems Experiment. They also continued the Middeck 0- Gravity Dynamics Experiment activities. On Flight Day 5 (Tuesday, March 8, 1994) Columbia's crew continued a daily regimen of daily exercise, photography and monitoring the progress of crystal growth and bioprocessing experiments aboard the Shuttle. Meanwhile, ground-based researchers remotely operating experiments in Columbia's cargo bay continued their observations. Scientists working with the Space Shuttle Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument continued probing the layers of Earth's atmosphere and recorded data on tropospheric emissions from Mexican and Central American volcanoes; sulfur dioxide from industrial by-products in the troposphere above China and Japan; and observations in the mesophere above the Mexican volcano Colima. Among the experiments of the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 package, materials being designed for future spacecraft in the SAMPIE experiment were exposed to the orbital environment for the first time. Results included the operation of an advanced solar energy cell and plasma interactions with various materials while the Shuttle's payload bay was pointed toward Earth. Other OAST-2 accomplishments included 10 freeze and thaw cycles of a new cooling technology for future spacecraft; spectrometer readings of airglow phenomena in the upper atmosphere with the EISG instrument; and studies of the Shuttle's interaction with atomic oxygen using the SKIRT instrument. Three members of the crew had a half-day off (Casper, Thuot, Ivins), and all of the crew will get one more half-day off before the mission, planned as the second longest in history, concludes on March 18. Columbia is operating well with few problems encountered by the crew or Mission Control. The spacecraft remains in an orbit with a high point of 163 nautical miles and a low point of 161 nautical miles. The crew began eight hours of sleep at 2:53 p.m. central and will awaken at 10:53 p.m. central to start a sixth day in space. On Flight Day 6, (Wednesday, March 9, 1994) the STS-62 crew members devoted their time to the secondary experiment housed in Columbia's middeck. Mission Specialist Sam Gemar returned to his work with the Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment. MODE is an instrumented model of a truss structure which may be used on a future space station. Engineers will use data from the 77 experiment protocols to improve upon designs and procedures for building large structures such a the International Space Station. Pilot Andy Allen took time from his day to talk with reporters in Cleveland, Ohio; Philadelphia, Penn.; and Knoxville, Tenn. Prior to his interview, Allen discussed the medical tests that crew members are performing before during and after the flight. Astronauts are collecting blood and urine samples to help researchers determine the chemical regulatory changes the human body undergoes while in space. Pre- and post-flight test study the crew members' gait, steadiness while standing and exercise capacities. Other crew members checked on the protein crystal growth experiments, performed some Auroral Photography experiments and checked the orbiter windows for any debris impacts. Later today, crew members will exercise using the Shuttle's ergometer. Spacelab Mission Operations Control at the Marshall Space Flight Center reported the second United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2) completed yet another day of successful operations in orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. On Tuesday, scientists with the Critical Fluid Light Scattering Experiment, or Zeno, concluded that they had indeed pinpointed the location of the long-sought-after critical point of the substance xenon. For the next 24 hours, a series of subtle optical measurements will be made in the area surrounding this phenomenon where a fluid acts like both a liquid and a gas. Critical point experiments are difficult to perform on Earth because at the critical point the fluid becomes highly compressible, or elastic. The sample being studied cannot be maintained at the critical point because the substance's own weight compresses part of the sample to a density greater than that of the critical density. This causes the sample to literally collapse under its own weight. During USMP-2, researchers have found that the absence of gravity has the effect of "widening" the critical zone, giving them a much "crisper" picture of the critical point phenomenon and allowing them to take measurements not possible on Earth. In the materials science field, the Advanced Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF) continued to grow a single crystal of mercury cadmium telluride in the microgravity environment of the Shuttle cargo bay. The AADSF scientists say that telemetry from their experiment indicates crystal growth is proceeding "exceptionally well." By using a furnace with three temperature zones -- each independently controlled -- and growing the crystal slowly in one direction, a flatter solidification front, or crystallization boundary, is achieved. This grows a crystal that will allow a more detailed post-mission study of the influence of gravity on crystal defects and chemical component distribution. After several days of successfully growing crystalline dendrites in microgravity, team members for the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) report that their instrument can do what it was designed to do and more. The team reports they are very pleased with the performance of the IDGE as well as the number and quality of the dendrites grown so far during the STS-62 mission. The IDGE experimenters will continue to monitor slow-scan video images of dendrites growing in their apparatus in order to maximize the efficiency of the instrument and the science results. The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) continued to provide a running account of vibrations aboard the Shuttle to the other USMP-2 experiment teams. It recorded detailed measurements to characterize how smooth and stable a platform Columbia is providing for the experiments. SAMS has flown eight times previously, and is scheduled for all upcoming USMP flights, in a continuing program to enhance understanding of the microgravity environment. On Flight Day 7 (March 10, 1994) Columbia's commander, John H. Casper had the pleasure to inform pilot Andrew M. Allen that he was selected for promotion from Major in the US Marine Corps to Lt. Colonel. On Flight Day 8 (March 11, 1994), marking the mid-point of the mission, Commander John H. Casper switched several of the environmental control systems to their backups for on-orbit check out. The procedures require crew members to switch to the alternate humidity separator, cabin pressure and temperature control systems, orbiter heaters, and carbon dioxide removal system. Columbia also changed attitudes for the first time since launch day. Columbia orbited with its tail pointing toward the Earth and the payload bay pointing in the direction of travel or the "ram" position. With the maneuver, Casper closed and opened sample trays for the Long Duration Space Environment Candidate Material Exposure (LDCE) experiment. The LDCE consists of three identical sample plates with 264 samples of various materials used in space vehicles. One of the sample plates will be exposed to the space environment for most of the mission. One will be exposed only when the payload bay is pointing in the ram position - or pointing into the direction of travel - and a third is exposed only when the orbiter is not in the ram position. Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins was interviewed by students at the Bronx High School of Science. The students asked a variety of questions about the microgravity experiments being conducted during the mission on living and working in space. Also, Mission Specialist Sam Gemar and Pilot Andrew M.Allen each completed 45-minute ramp tests in the lower body negative pressure unit, and performed more tests with the Middeck 0-Gravity Dynamics Experiment. Astronauts also performed the standard checks of the protein crystal growth and rodent experiments housed in Columbia's middeck. Flight controllers in Houston put the finishing touches on a plan to uplink more digital video to the crew on Flight Day 9. The plan required procedural changes on the ground, but no action by the crew. The STS-62 crew began its sleep shift on time at 1:53 p.m. CST, and was scheduled to be awoken at 9:53 p.m. CST to begin its ninth day of orbit operations. On Flight Day 9 (March 12, 1994) plan called for the operations of the Auroral Photography Experiment, the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth experiment and the Limited Duration Space Environment Candidate Exposure (LDCE) experiment. During the latter part of the day on Saturday, the crew will unlatch the shuttle's robot arm and use it to help troubleshoot some off-nominal reception from the Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft Glow instrument in the payload bay. The arm's end effector camera will be used to get a birds-eye view of EISG in operation. On Flight Day 10 (March 13, 1994) Commander John Casper, Pilot Andy Allen and Mission Specialists Pierre Thuot, Sam Gemar and Marsha Ivins enjoyed a relatively light day of work, taking the first half of the day off, and spending the second half working with middeck experiments. During an in-flight news conference, the crew responded to questions ranging from budget cutbacks and safety, to experimentation and life on the planned international space station. Activities in the Mission Control Center focused on preparing,reviewing and uplinking messages outlining changes to the crew's scheduled activities for flight day eleven in space. The crew began its standard eight hour sleep shift a little before 2 p.m. and is scheduled to wake up at 9:53 pm CST. The Flight Day 11 (March 14, 1994) plan called for two OMS burns OMS-3 of 37.9fps at MET 9/17:44 to lower the orbit to 157nmx140nm and an OMS-4 of 31.8fps at MET 9/18:34 to lower the orbit even further to a 140nm x 139nm orbit. Awakened for their tenth day in space to the song "Starship Trooper" performed by the group Yes, Columbia's crew started the day by lowering the Shuttle's orbit by about 20 nautical miles and shifting the focus of science onboard to the second major goal of the flight. Experiments and observations in the cargo bay focused on the interaction of the Shuttle with atomic oxygen, nitrogen and other gases in orbit, an interaction that causes a well-known glowing effect around the surfaces of the spacecraft. The lower orbit increases the effect, and instruments with the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 (OAST-2) package have now taken center stage for the mission. Early in the morning, Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen fired Columbia's orbital maneuvering system engines twice to descend from a 161 by 157 nautical mile high orbit to a 140 nautical mile circular orbit. Shortly thereafter, observations by OAST-2 began with a three-minute release of nitrogen gas from a canister in the cargo bay and a study of its effect on the glow of a special plate, constructed of materials that may be used on future satellites. Later, Columbia, with tail pointed toward Earth, performed a 25- minute long series of 360-degree spins to allow observations by OAST-2's Spacecraft Kinetic Infrared Test instrument. Such observations by both instruments will set the pace for the ensuing days of the flight. Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins and Sam Gemar each took a turn evaluating a tracking system for Columbia's mechanical arm today as well. Part of the Dexterous End Effector (DEE) experiment, the system uses a mirror near the end of the arm, flashing light-emitting diodes, a cargo bay camera and a portable computer to assist an astronaut in finely aligning the arm, an alignment that may one day be required for delicate construction tasks. Each crew member also took a turn at exercise as has been the daily routine during the long-duration flight. The astronauts continued to work with these experiments for the remaining part of their day, and began an eight-hour sleep period at 1:53 p.m. central and awaken at 9:53 p.m. to start Day Eleven. On its 159th orbit, Columbia was in excellent condition and flight controllers have noted no new problems with the spacecraft's systems. As payload cameras showed the Earth vista from 140 nautical miles up, the The STS-62 crew of Columbia sent a special goodnight message -- the Bette Midler song "From a Distance" -- for the men and women watching over them from below in Houston. The message came at the end of a busy 11th day of on-orbit operations that featured a shift in focus from United States Microgravity Payload-2 to work with the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 (OAST-2) package. Observations in the cargo bay are now concentrating on the interaction of Shuttle surfaces with atomic oxygen, nitrogen and other gases as they ram through the rarified atmosphere at 17,500 miles an hour. Early in the day, Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen lowered Columbia's orbit by 20 nautical miles to support the OAST-2 shuttle glow observations. Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins, Sam Gemar and Pierre Thuot each took a turn evaluating a tracking and grapple system for Columbia's robot arm. The Dexterous End Effector (DEE) demonstration also looked at the forces generated by arm movements when its magnetic end effector was engaged. The forces were recorded by a Force Torque Sensor that also is part of the DEE equipment. The astronauts were scheduled to awaken at 9:53 p.m. to start their 12th day of work in space. Columbia is in excellent condition and flight controllers have noted no new problems with the spacecraft's systems. The Flight Day 12 (March 15, 1994) plan called for Gemar and Allen to spend another 1hr 45min in the LBNP, the operation of the Dexterous End Effector experiment (DEE), and the Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft Glow (EISG) experiment. The crew was awakened to the song "View From Above," written and performed by Allison Brown, who was inspired to write the song by Ivins. Columbia's crew spent the first half of their 12th day in space evaluating new technologies that may one day expand the reach of the Shuttle's mechanical arm. Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins, Pierre Thuot and Sam Gemar took turns operating the arm to test new technology called the Dexterous End Effector (DEE). DEE includes a magnetic grasping mechanism, a sensor that determines the force being applied by the arm and displays that information to the operator, and a tracking system that allows the arm to be precisely aligned. The crew gave good reviews to the technology during the morning, testing it by using the 50-foot-long arm to insert pins into sockets that had progressively smaller clearances, ranging from 12/100ths of an inch of clearance for the loosest to 3/100ths of an inch for the tightest. Later, a foot-wide flat beam was inserted into a slot and then moved back and forth to correlate readings by the force sensor, technology that also was highly complimented by the crew. While DEE operations progressed on the flight deck, Gemar and Pilot Andy Allen each had one ramp session in the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) device. A medical experiment, LBNP imitates gravity by using low air pressure around the lower half of the body to pull body fluids downward. Body fluids shift upward in weightlessness, away from the lower extremeties, and LBNP, in addition to gathering medical data, serves to counteract this effect and helps astronauts more easily readapt to gravity upon their return to Earth. The Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology-2 payload took center stage among the scientific investigations in the payload bay. The crew cooperated with investigators of the Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft Glow instruments, positioning the robot arm's camera above its sample plate in between DEE runs. A low-light camera in the payload bay that was supposed to have recorded the effects of gaseous nitrogen releases and their effect on shuttle glow failed earlier in the mission. The Space Shuttle Backscatter Ultraviolet instruments in the payload bay also continued to take readings that will be used to help calibrate free-flying satellites that continually monitor the ozone content of Earth's atmosphere. The crew began an eight-hour sleep shift at 1:53 p.m. CST, and will be awakened at 9:53 p.m. CST. About 2:08 a.m. CST, a fifth orbital maneuvering system burn will lower the perigee of Columbia's orbit to 105 nautical miles for additional spacecraft glow measurements. The Flight Day 13 (March 16, 1994) plan called for another orbit change, an OMS-5 burn of 56.6fps at MET 11/18:08 which is planned to lower the orbit to 138nm x 105nm. Also included is more work with the DEE experiment, a waste water dump and operation of both the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) and the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) experiment. Columbia's Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen started out their 13th day in orbit with an eye toward the trip home, performing a standard check of the systems Columbia will use for entry and landing. For the first part of the morning's flight control systems checkout, the crew used auxiliary power unit 3, one of three units that supply power for the spacecraft's hydraulic systems during launch and landing. APU 3, which had been the subject of scrutiny early in the mission due to high pressure readings in a fuel line, operated normally. Following the checkout, the crew fired Columbia's orbital maneuvering system engines for 38 seconds, dropping one side of the Shuttle's orbit by about 35 nautical miles to the lowest orbital altitude of any Shuttle flight to date. Columbia is now in an elliptical orbit with a high point of 140 nautical miles and a low point of 105 nautical miles. The lower orbit is required for continuing observations of the glowing effect created as the Shuttle interacts with atomic oxygen and other gases in low orbit. During the first shuttle glow observations in the new orbit, Mission Specialist Pierre Thuot reported the glowing effect was much more pronounced at the lower altitude. The crew also activated the Limited Duration Candidate Materials Exposure, or LDCE, experiment, exposing materials to the low-orbit environment that are under study for use on future spacecraft. The crew also began another series of evaluations of the Dexterous End Effector equipment using the shuttle's mechanical arm, testing the technology's magnetic grapple system, alignment system and force sensor. The crew was awakened by the song "Traveling Prayer" performed by Billy Joel. Columbia remains scheduled for a landing Friday morning. The Flight Day 14 (March 17, 1994) plan calls for a hot firing of the Reaction Control System (RCS) in preperation for the return flight, flight control system checkout, cabin stowage, SSBUV Deactivation, and a final run in the Lower Body Negative Pressure device for Gemar. The crew was awakened for the 14th day of the flight to the song "Living in Paradise" by the Brothers Cazimero. Columbia's five astronauts this morning performed final checks of their spacecraft, wrapped up their experiments and began packing their bags in preparation for the return to Earth. Columbia was scheduled to fire its orbital engines at 6:18 a.m. Central on Friday to begin a descent that will culminate with a touchdown on the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility runway at 8:09 a.m. EST. Weather conditions in Florida are forecast to be favorable for the landing. Commander John Casper and Pilot Andy Allen test-fired Columbia's 38 primary steering jets early this morning, finding them all in good shape for the trip home. Later, Casper and Allen each spent time practicing landings using a portable computer simulation designed for the Shuttle. Meanwhile, Mission Specialist Sam Gemar spent four hours in the Lower Body Negative Pressure Device (LBNP) a medical device that may assist astronauts to more easily readapt to Earth's gravity. The LBNP is a bag-like device that lowers the pressure around the lower half of the body, pulling body fluids down in an imitation of the effects of gravity on the body. Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins powered down Columbia's mechanical arm and latched it in its cradle for the trip home, and Pierre Thuot completed operation of the two protein crystal growth experiments onboard, preparing them for the entry and landing. Several final observations of the Shuttle glow effect, a phenomena created as atomic oxygen and other gases impact the spacecraft, were conducted. Columbia performed another series of spins for the investigations that included more releases of nitrogen gas from cargo bay canisters. The final few hours of the crew's day will be devoted to stowing gear and preparing Columbia for the mission's end. Columbia is in an orbit with a high point of 139 nautical miles and a low point of 105 nautical miles. The Flight Day 15 (March 18, 1994) plan called for deorbit preps and a deorbit burn of 209fps at MET 13/22:04 with a planned landing at KSC. Landing occured at KSC 3/18/94 at (approx) 8:10am EST. Runway 33 Mission Name: STS-59 (62) Endeavour (6) Pad 39-A (50) 62nd Shuttle Mission 6th Flight OV-105 EAFB Landing (40) Crew: Sidney M. Gutierrez (2), Commander Kevin P. Chilton (2), Pilot Linda M. Godwin (2), Payload Commander Jay Apt (3), Mission Specialist 1 Michael R. Clifford (2), Mission Specialist 2 Thomas D. Jones (1), Mission Specialist 4 Milestones: OPF-1 -- 12/14/93 VAB -- 3/14/94 PAD -- 3/19/94 Payload: SRL-1, MAPS, CONCAP-IV, SAREX-II, STL, TUFI, VFT-4, GAS(x3) Mission Objectives: Scientists around the world will be provided a unique vantage point for studying how the Earth's global environment is changing when Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on Shuttle mission STS-59. During the 9-day mission, the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL) payload in Endeavour's cargo bay will give scientists highly detailed information that will help them distinguish human-induced environmental changes from other natural forms of change. The Space Radar Laboratory (SRL) payload is comprised of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) and the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite (MAPS). The German Space Agency (DARA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) are providing the X-SAR instrument. The imaging radar of the SIR-C/X-SAR instruments have the ability to make measurements over virtually any region at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. The radar waves can penetrate clouds, and under certain conditions, can also "see" through vegetation, ice and extremely dry sand. In many cases, radar is the only way scientists can explore inaccessible regions of the Earth's surface. Launch: The STS-59 launch occured April 9, 1994 at 7:05am EDT from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla., at the start of it's 2 1/2 hour launch window. No OMS-1 burn was required. After ascent, APU #2 show signs of over heating and was shutdown at 7:21am EDT. APU's are only used during ascent and entry operations and are typically powered off shortly after launch. APU #1 and APU #3 were shut off shortly after APU #2. Main Engine Cutoff was at MET of 8:33 with Endeavour traveling at 25,777 feet per second. At MET, Endeavour was in an orbit of 117nm by 29nm. OMS-2 Burn was at an MET of 37 min for 1min, 42 sec for a burn of 164 fps. This placed Endeavour in an orbit of 121nm by 120nm. The shuttle Endeavour completed it's six hour 3.5 mile journey to Pad 39A atop the crawler transporter at 1 p.m. on Saturday, 3/19/94. A launch attempt on April 7 was delayed at least one day so that inspections could be done to insure Endeavour does has vanes of the proper radius in its liquid oxygen engine preburner. Inspectors at Rocketdyne's engine plant in Canoga Park, California discovered flaws in two components being tested and concerns were raised that Endeavours engines could contain similar components. The preburner's 3-inch nickel alloy vanes should have rounded tips while the vanes discovered by Rocketdyne had sharper tips. Engineers were concerned the sharper tips have a higher probability of cracking and that could cause a piece of debris to be pulled into the Liquid Oxygen High Pressure Oxydizer Turbopump (HPOT). This, in turn, could cause a premature engine shutdown. The inspections involved snaking a borescope thru the engine components on Endeavour and inspecting the engine vanes. Endeavour was verified to be in the proper configuration. The launch attempt on April 8 was scheduled for 8:07am but the launch team protected an option in the countdown timeline which would allow Endeavour to launch one hour sooner at 7:07 a.m. EDT. By building flexibility into the launch time, NASA managers can evaluate predicted climatological and atmospheric conditions for the KSC area during the final part of the countdown and then select the optimum time for launch. The launch attempt on April 8 was delayed due to low cloud cover and then finally scrubbed at T-5 min due to bad weather (cross winds out of limits) at the Shuttle Landing Facility. A 24-hour turnaround scrub was initiated. Orbit: Altitude: 121nm Inclination: 57 degrees Orbits: 183 Duration: 11 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, 30 seconds. Distance: 4,704,875 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-065 SRM: 360W/H037 ET : SN-063 MLP: 2 SSME-1: SN-2028 SSME-2: SN-2033 SSME-3: SN-2018 Landing: Edwards AFB April 20 at 12:55pm EDT Runway 22. Main landing gear touchdown at MET 11 days 5 hours 49 minutes 30 seconds. Nose gear touchdown 15 seconds later and wheel stop at 11 days, 5 hours, 50 minutes and 23 seconds. RCS OMS safing complete by 12:59pm EDT. Landing opportunities for KSC April 20 at 11:29 a.m EDT and 1:01 p.m. EDT were passed over due to cloud cover obscuring visibility at the shuttle landing facility. Landing was originally scheduled 11:52am on Tuesday, April 19, 1994 on KSC's runway 33. The landing was postponed a day (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #30) due to weather violations in the landing area. The first opportunity was waived off due to cloud cover obscured clear visibility of the runway. The second (and last) KSC landing opportunity for April 19th (which would have resulted in a landing at 12:23 pm) was also waived due to clouds and high winds in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing Facility. The decision was made following near continuous review of the weather conditions by flight controllers at the Johnson Space Center and Astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson flying the Shuttle Training Aircraft at the landing site. On Tuesday, April 19, 1994, 11:30 a.m. CDT (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #31) Endeavour and its six astronauts will remain in space an additional day. Four landing opportunities are available Wednesday -- two in Florida and two at Edwards Air Force Base in California. KSC remains the prime landing site with Edwards serving as the backup. The Florida landing times are 10:29 a.m. and 12:01 p.m. central. The California landing times are 11:54 a.m. and 1:26 p.m. central. The deorbit burn designed to drop Endeavour out of orbit for the landing phase will occur about 50 minutes prior to touchdown. Mission Highlights: Endeavour began its sixth mission this morning with an on-time launch at 7:05 am eastern time. Soon after, the six astronauts began activating the sensitive radar equipment in the payload bay that will be operated around the clock during the next 10 days. By Saturday, April 9, 1994, 8 pm EDT, The Space Radar Laboratory-1 experiments of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth were all activated and began their study of the Earth's ecosystem. STS-59 ground controllers finished activating Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) and began processing its first images of the Earth, while engineers working with the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) worked their way through some initial activation problems. Meanwhile, the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite (MAPS) instrument took data on the carbon monoxide content and distribution in the atmosphere since shortly after launch and scientists are processing its data. During the initial activation of the X-SAR package, controllers reported they were unable to fully power up the high power amplifier that provides power to the radar. The problem was in the low voltage circuit internal to the power amplifier. Engineers were not immediately able to explain the problem, so they temporarily turned off the power amplifier for about three hours while developing a troubleshooting plan. The problem was traced to an oversensitive protection circuit, a type of circuit breaker in the instrumentation. The radar lab engineers then bypassed the protection circuit and began again turning on the instrument, called the X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, or X-SAR, at about 4:20 p.m. Saturday, and it has worked without incident since being repowered, completing 100 percent of its scheduled observations overnight. Since then, X-SAR controllers have continued a deliberate, step by step check of the instrument and successfully bounced X-band radar pulses off the Earth and recorded data. All of the instrument's circuits recorded normal readings. The crew also activated the Space Tissue Loss investigations on the middeck, and the Get Away Special experiments in the cargo bay. As of Sunday morning, April 10, 1994, the radar laboratory has taken data readings on more than 40 targets including Howland, Maine; Macquarie Island; the Black Sea; Matera, Italy; and the Strait of Gibraltar. Scientists also have gathered information on three of the 19 "supersites." The supersites are the highest priority targets and the focal points for many of the scientific observations. Sunday's supersite observations have included global carbon and hydrologic cycles in Duke Forest, North Carolina; hydrological cycles around Otzal, Austria; and geological data on Lake Chad in the Sahara. Observation sites for Sunday afternoon included Gippsland, Australia; Sable Island; Toronto, Canada; Bermuda; Bighorn Basin, Wyoming; Chung Li, China; and Mammoth Mountain, Calif. The supersite opportunities are Raco, Michigan, and the Gulf Stream. By Sunday, April 10, 1994, 8 p.m. EDT (MCC STS-59 Status Report #5), Space Radar Laboratory-1 has taken data readings over targets including Nelson House, Manitoba, and Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada; the Azores Islands; Gippsland and Alice Springs, Australia; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; the Bermuda Islands, Cuiaba and Pantanal, Brazil; Wyoming's Big Horn Basin; Chung Li, China; Sarobetsu, Japan; Mammoth Mountain, Calif., Cerro Aconcagua, Argentina; Cerro Laukaru, Chile and the Baikal Forest and Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Sunday evenings supersite observations by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR- C) and the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) -- those taken over 19 areas that have been deemed especially significant by the scientists planning the observations -- focused on the interaction of plants and animals in the ecology of the forests of Raco, Mich.; hydrologic cycles around Bebedouro, Brazil; tectonic plate activity around the Galapagos Islands in the South Pacific; and the transfer of heat through wave energy in the Southern Ocean. The Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution from Satellite instrument also continued to take readings of the concentration and distribution of carbon monoxide throughout the troposphere.Crew members reported good Earth observation photography opportunties over the Northeast Pacific Ocean and the frozen lakes of the Raco supersite area, as well as fires in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. On flight day two, the Red Team crew of Commander Sidney M. Gutierrez, Pilot Kevin P. Chilton and Payload Commander Linda M. Godwin began its sleep shift about 5 p.m. CDT, and will awaken at 2 a.m. The Blue Team crew members, Jay Apt, Michael R. Clifford and Thomas D. Jones awakened about 4 p.m. to begin their third flight day on orbit, and will go to bed about 5 a.m. As of Monday, April 11, 1994, 6:30 a.m. CDT (from MCC STS-59 Status Report #6) three real-time radar images were downlinked from Endeavour overnight. A view of the Sahara Desert in Algeria, one of the geology sites, will help scientists to map surface and subsurface structures. The Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar can penetrate the Sahara's dry sand cover to reveal centuries-old drainage patterns. The desert salt flat regions showed up on the image as bright ridges. Also, the two radar imaging systems were calibrated over Matera, Italy, and Oberpfaffenhoffen, Germany, near Munich. Students from the University of Munich are participating in a concurrent ecology project. The students measure soil moisture, forestry parameters, and the biomass of agricultural crops in the area at the same time the radar data is gathered. The students' measurements will be compared with the radar images to help scientists verify information about the interactions of the various elements of Earth's environment. Thus far in the mission, all 16 "supersites" planned for observations have been completed. Supersites are those with highest priority throughout the flight. Of the 51 total science sites thus far, 40 have been obtained. The 11 that have been missed due to recalibration operations will be replanned and obtained during the rest of the flight. Mission Specialist Thomas D. Jones gave scientists real-time observations of thunderstorms over Taiwan, the Philippines and New Guinea to augment data being gathered by the Measure of Atmospheric Pollution from Satellite (MAPS) experiment. Jay Apt described a "good-sized" dust storm on the northwest coast of Australia. MAPS takes readings of the levels of carbon monoxide in Earth's lower atmosphere. The MAPS project's Vickie Connors reported to Endeavour's Red Team of crew members that there is good correlation between what the instruments on board are reading compared to data gathered on the ground. The air pollution measuring experiment has been in operation since about 3 hours after launch and has collected more than 38 hours of science data. It has mapped nearly half of the Earth's carbon monoxide distribution. Concluding Flight Day 3, the Blue Team of Jay Apt, Michael R. Clifford and Tom Jones started their sleep period beginning about 8 a.m. The Red Team of Sidney M. Gutierrez, Kevin P. Chilton, and Linda M. Godwin went to work a few minutes after five this morning. By Monday, April 11, 1994, 6 p.m. CDT, (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #7) several more real-time images were processed by the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar today, looking at the Sahara Desert in Algeria, a geology site, and the area around the Japanese Islands, an oceanography site. Endeavour flew over the southern portion of Japan, and the quick-look processor showed oil slicks covering the ocean. Scientists from a Tokyo research laboratory are working with an oceanographer from Hamburg, Germany, to interpret the radar images. Of particular interest to those scientists was the ocean front where cold and warm currents meet. The X-SAR images were being complemented by Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C images recorded on board for analysis after the flight, and with Earth observations photography and notes recorded by the crew. Mondays radar work included calibration passes over Palm Valley, Australia, and the Amazon forests of Brazil; oceanography observations over the Northeast Pacific Ocean, the Gulf Stream, the Southern Ocean and the gulf of Mexico; ecology observations over Altona, Manitoba, Canada; geology observations over the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming; hydrology studies of Mammoth Mountain, California, and geology studies of the tectonic activity around the Galapagos Islands of the southeastern Pacific. Payload Commander Linda M. Godwin reported good photography of "tremendous" thunderstorms over South America and ocean wind patterns around the Galapagos. She also reported three Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment contacts with students at Ealy Elementary School in West Bloomfield, Mich., and Country Club School in San Ramon, Calif., and Boy Scouts in Richardson, Texas. Endeavour continues its flawless performance allowing the crew to devote all its time to science work. The crew has reported air bubbles in the water supply for Endeavour's galley, and flight controllers are working on a plan to alleviate this nuisance for the crew. The orbiter circles Earth every 89 minutes at an altitude of 120 nautical miles. On Tuesday, April 12, 1994, 3 a.m. EDT a real-time image was downlinked from the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar showing a region of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia. The X-SAR quick-look processor in the Payload Operations Control Center at JSC allows scientists to see a radar image as it is being recorded on special high-density tapes aboard Endeavour. Scientists hope to learn more about the topography and climate in the Central Andes including the movement of the Earth's crust, called plate tectonics, and erosion, such as mudslides, caused by climatic changes. During the Blue Team's shift, the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar and the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C collected images of oceanography sites including the South Pacific Ocean, the East Australian Ocean currents, and the North Atlantic ocean; geology sites at Cerro Laukaru, Chile, snow cover at Otztal, in the Austrian Alps, and Ha Meshar, Israel; and ecology sites at Howland, Maine, and Duke Forest, North Carolina. Jay Apt reported a large thunderstorm area over the central Pacific Ocean, and later mentioned clear weather over South America with no fires spotted. Tom Jones commented on the largest lightning storm seen so far on the mission over western Africa, and good Earth observations photography over Altai, China, and the Yellow River. Thomas D. Jones, Mission Specialist 4 on this flight, had the second half of his workday off duty today. Crew members are routinely given off-duty time during the longer Shuttle flights to relax. Other crew members will alternate time off as the mission progresses. The Red Team began their work about 7 a.m. EDT on Tuesday April 12, 1994. Gutierrez and Chilton slept in an extra hour because they were about an hour and a half late going to sleep the night before after working on an in-flight maintenance procedure to eliminate air bubbles that were collecting in the drinking and food preparation water. The astronauts connected the water dispensing hose directly to the supply tank, bypassing the galley water outlet. A later test during the Blue Team's shift indicated that bubbles still may get into the drink bags through the opening where water goes into the drink container. Also overnight, a real-time image was downlinked from the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar about 2 a.m. central time showing a region of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia. Scientists hope to learn more about the topography and climate in the Central Andes including the movement of the Earth's crust, called plate tectonics, and erosion, such as mudslides, caused by climatic changes. On the blue shift as well, Jay Apt reported a large thunderstorm area over the central Pacific Ocean, and later mentioned clear weather over South America with no fires spotted. Tom Jones commented on the largest lightning storm seen so far on the mission over western Africa, and good Earth observations photography over Altai, China, and the Yellow River. Jones had the second half of his workday off duty. Crew members are routinely given off-duty time during the longer Shuttle flights to relax, and the other crew members will alternate time off as the mission progresses. The blue team will again take over operations onboard for the next shift beginning at about 6 p.m. central today. During this shift, live X-SAR moving images were downlinked of the area surrounding Sarobetsu, Japan, one of the high-priority calibration sites for the X-band antenna. Scientists on the ground measured the strength of the radar signal and the size of the swath being imaged. Ground investigators also were developing topographic maps of Japan and searching for the optimum way in which to use the three radar antennas for mapping rice fields. X-SAR's quick-look processor also showed images of the Bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico as well as the land around Veracruz, Mexico. Ground investigators were taking simultaneous measurements of the ecological test site, looking for soil and vegetation information during the dry season of the tropical forest there. Comparative readings will be taken during the wet season with the STS-68 SRL-2 flight in August. Endeavour's crew was asked to document the weather and human disturbances of the area's ecology, looking in particular for evidence of fires, storm damage and clear cutting. The SIR-C L- and C-band radars continue to record data on board Endeavour and to downlink selected data takes for processing at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Godwin reported that the crew had a cloud-free opportunity to photography Chickasha, Okla., one of the 19 "supersites" that are receiving special attention by the radar instruments, and that they had seen sea ice along the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. Crew members reported that bubbles are continuing to form in their galley water supply, and flight controllers were preparing to uplink and in-flight maintenance procedure that is expected to eliminate the nuisance. On Wednesday, April 13, 1994, 7a.m. EDT, the STS-59 Blue Team -- Jay Apt, Rich Clifford and Tom Jones -- completed its fifth working day in space with a handover to the Red Team of Sid Gutierrez, Kevin Chilton and Linda Godwin. During the Blue shift, researchers watched televised downlinks of live X-SAR moving images of surface and subsurface structures in the Namib Desert in South Africa to improve researchers' understanding of radar back scatter. Scientists also viewed radar images of sea ice and seasonal melt in the Sea of Okhstok off the coast of Siberia and a critical region of expanding drought in the Sahel area of the Sudan in Africa. At the high-priority calibration site at Matera, Italy, ground- based engineers measured the strength of the radar signals and the size of the swath being recorded on the radar tapes aboard Endeavour. While the X-SAR quick look processor in JSC's Payload Operations Control Center fed the real-time images to scientists, the SIR-C and X-SAR instruments recorded the information on special high-density tapes in Endeavour's crew cabin. At about 2:45 a.m. Houston time while Endeavour passed over Australia, Jay Apt exchanged greetings with the Russian Cosmonauts aboard the MIR space station aboard Endeavour as the two spacecraft passed within 1,200 nautical miles of each other above Australia. Both crews used amateur radio equipment for the contact which was monitored real-time by many amateur radio stations via telebridge systems and rebroadcasts. All three Blue Team astronauts exercised on the bicycle ergometer during their work shift for an ongoing biomedical study of exercise as a possible countermeasure for the deconditioning which astronauts experience in their cardiovascular systems during space missions. The study will evaluate a total of 72 astronauts over several Shuttle missions. Mission Specialist 2 Rich Clifford had off-duty time for the second half of his work day. The astronauts will alternate off-duty time over the course of the flight. Also, an in-flight maintenance procedure to install a make-shift seal for drink bags and food containers at the galley water dispenser helped reduce bubbles in the drinking and food preparation water. On Wednesday, April 13, 1994, 10:30 a.m. CDT, Red Team crew members Sid Gutierrez, Kevin Chilton and Linda Godwin were on duty for their fifth shift of the mission. New observations by the Space Radar Lab- 1 (SRL-1) instruments during the past day have included Shuttle Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) data on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia and calibration data taken simultaneously by the SIR-C and its companion instrument, the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar, of Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. Observation data obtained by SRL-1 has already been used to produce a vegetation and biomass map for a forest in Raco, Michigan as well, and more data has been taken of the rain forest around Manaus, Brazil, in the Amazon River Basin. On Wednesday, April 13, 1994, by 6 p.m. CDT, the Shuttle Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) processed information on sites including the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, Ruiz, Colombia, and Sonora, Mexico, for geologists; the Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and Sarobetsu, Japan, calibration sites for the radar's designers; the Raco, Michigan, and Amazon River Basin forests for ecologists; and the Southern Ocean for oceanographers. The Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite instrument continues to record how much carbon monoxide is present in the troposphere and where it is located. The crew reported good photography opportunities over Manitoba, Canada, saying the lakes appear more "bluish" than anticipated. They also reported their first opportunity to photograph Chickasha, Okla., one of the 19 supersites that is of special interest to hydrologists studying the globe's water cycle. Gutierrez was interviewed by CNBC Television's Tom Snyder and Clifford will answer questions from Mutual Radio network listeners during an interview for the Jim Bohannan show at 11:15 p.m. central. On Thursday, April 14, 1994, 3:30 a.m. CDT, Mission Specialist Rich Clifford answered listeners' questions about space flight, the SRL-1 mission objectives, and the quality of life aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour during a 20-minute interview on Mutual Radio Wednesday night. At 12:13 a.m. central time, six minutes of real-time radar images were televised for scientists as Endeavour flew across Europe. The Otztal, Austrian Alps, hydrology super site is important to scientists studying how the snow cover influences runoff in the area and the amount of water available to surrounding areas from the melted snow. Recent heavy snows in Bavaria will contribute even more information to researchers. The new images from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) and the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) will be compared to previous radar images obtained from radar systems mounted in aircraft. The SIR-C and X-SAR instruments have recorded images for ecological studies at Baikal Forest, Russia, Mabira, Uganda, and Western Sayani, Siberia; for oceanography research at the East Australian coast, the North Atlantic, and the Gulf Stream; for studies of Earth's water cycle at Mammoth Mountain, California, Chickasha, Oklahoma, and Bebedouro, Brazil. Images were gathered for geologists at Cerro Laukaru, Chile, Altai, China, and Mount Pinatubo, Philippines; along with calibration of the systems' radar beams at the Amazon River in South America, and at the Flevoland, Netherlands, super site. The Blue Team reported good photography of a gigantic fire-scarred area in China that burned in 1987. This region is of special interest to the Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution experiment for studies of forest regrowth after a fire event. The MAPS experiment measures the carbon monoxide in Earth's lower atmosphere to help investigators determine how well the atmosphere can clean itself of "greenhouse gases," chemicals that can increase the atmosphere's temperature. Jay Apt had off-duty time for the first half of the Blue Team's sixth work day in space. During his off-duty time, Apt exercised on the bicycle ergometer and recorded his heart rate and perceived exertion for biomedical investigators. Apt was back on duty at 1 a.m. central time until 7 a.m. when the Blue Team will hand over to the Red Team of Sid Gutierrez, Kevin Chilton and Linda Godwin. On Thursday, April 14, 1994, 6 p.m. CDT the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar observations included passes over the Northeast Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Southern Ocean for oceanographers; Ruiz, Colombia, Kliuchevskoi, Kamchatka, Stovepipe Wells, Calif., and the Galapagos Islands for geologists; Sena Madureira, Brazil, for ecologists; and Bebedouro, Brazil, and Chickasha, Okla., for hydrologists. The X-SAR science team's quick-look data processor produced moving video images of the Chickasha site, starting just north of the Oklahoma border in Kansas and ending just south of the Oklahoma River in Texas. Hydrologists will study the data to learn how well the radar is able to determine the soil moisture content as it fluctuates from day to day and week to week, taking advantage of recent storms that have brought rain to the area. Dr. Ted Engman of Goddard Space Flight Center is working with a team of 15 students from Ninnekah (Okla.) High School to take ground measurements that will tell scientists exactly how deep the radar is measuring the soil moisture. On Friday, April 15, 1994, 3 a.m. CDT (per STS-59 Status Report #17) The STS-59 Blue Team -- Jay Apt, Rich Clifford and Tom Jones -- are monitoring, along with ground-based Payload scientists, 26 separate data takes on their shift. Fifteen of those radar imagery sessions are for oceanographers studying wave patterns, how the ocean temperatures affect atmospheric heating and cooling, and the surface features of ocean and sea floors. Geology sites imaged today include Ruiz, Colombia, Merv, Iran, and Siberia. The radar antennae were calibrated on the flight day seven Blue Shift at Mount Fugendake, Japan, and Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. Researchers studying the water cycles of Earth at the Bebedouro, Brazil, super site; the Khumba, Himalayan, site; and the Orgeval Watershed, France, site will get radar data from today's orbits to compare with flyovers on other mission days. Ecology targets recorded overnight include Baikal Forest in Russia, Thetford, England, and Gujarat, India. Tom Jones commented that the pollution cloud noted over Manilla Bay in the Philippines on flight day six was almost invisible today. At about 1:50 a.m. central time, Jones reported that the astronauts had seen fires along the west coast of Burma and smoke over Tasmania. These visual observations supplement data being gathered on the Measurement of Air Pollution by Satellite (MAPS) experiment, which measures how well Earth's lower atmosphere can cleanse itself of "greenhouse gases" that affect atmospheric temperatures. Payload investigators watched a live downlink of X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) images from the coast of Spain over the Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, calibration super site. While the X-SAR and the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) recorded the images aboard Endeavour, students on the ground simultaneously took agricultural biomass measurements and soil moisture samples. The radar image investigators will include the students' data in the postflight analysis of the Mission to Planet Earth studies. As of Friday, April 15, 1994, 11:30 a.m. CDT, on Endeavour's seventh day of around-the-clock observations of Earth winds down, scientists on the ground are elated with the view already afforded them by the radar observations completed. One of the instruments aboard, the Measure of Atmospheric Pollution from Satelllites, or MAPS, has exhausted its supply of infrared film, and a preliminary composite of the distribution of carbon monoxide in Earth's atmosphere it measured is being developed. MAPS' information may assist scientists as they study the amounts of "greenhouse gases" in the atmosphere, gases that could lead to a general warming of the planet. Other notable images in work on the ground include views of the Mt. Pinatubo volcano in the Phillipines and a composite image of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano using all three radar frequencies aboard Endeavour. In addition, views of the Galapagos Islands and a stereo view of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, are being prepared. Still, the vast majority of information obtained by the Space Radar Lab remains stored on data-recording tapes aboard Endeavour and will not be available for processing until after landing. The Red Team -- Sid Gutierrez, Kevin Chilton and Linda Godwin -- are now in their seventh 12-hour work shift onboard, continuing to supplement the radar data with still photography as Endeavour crosses above the various sites. More than 14,000 still photographs are expected by the end of the flight as a bonus to the radar information. On Friday, April 15, 1994, 6 p.m. CDT, Chilton explained to the public how a vast network of ground scientists and students camped in the field at many of the worldwide sites assist with the radar observations, and Godwin answered questions supplied by Cable News Network viewers around the world. The crew is continuing to work on a nuisance with it galley, the presence of bubbles in the water used for drinking and rehydrating food. Engineers on the ground developed the in-flight maintenance procedure in an effort to provide some relief for the crew and to fully understand the problem so that it can be eliminated on future flights. On Saturday, April 16, 1994, 3 a.m. CDT (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #20), At about 11:30 p.m. and again at 1:15 a.m. central time, Jay Apt used Endeavour's Shuttle Amateur Radio to talk with fellow astronauts Norm Thagard and Bonnie Dunbar and two Russian cosmonauts at the Star City training center outside Moscow, Russia. At the Star City facility, Thagard is training as the prime U.S. crew member and Dunbar as a backup for a 1995 joint U.S./Russian mission aboard the Russian MIR space station. The Blue Team -- Jay Apt, Rich Clifford and Tom Jones -- reported several visual observations including fires burning in Africa and a line of thunderstorms over northeastern Brazil. Payloads scientists asked the crew to add the Rugen Island, off Germany's northern coastline in the Baltic Sea, to their list of Earth observations photography. Among the numerous radar images recorded on the Blue shift were views for oceanographers over the North Sea and the Labrador Sea; for ecologists over sites at Chulchaca, Yucatan, Mexico, Duke Forest, North Carolina, and Manaus Cabaliana, Brazil; and for geologists at Fort Zinder in the Sahara Desert, the Karakax Valley, China, and Zhamanshin, Russia. On Saturday, April 16, 1994, 12:30 p.m.CDT, (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #21), the Space Radar Lab-1 instruments also are continuing to operate well, and all observations are being made on schedule. Although the majority of information that has been gathered is stored aboard the shuttle, scientists remain intrigued by data that has been transmitted to the ground. Recent images processed on the ground include a composite map of the ancient riverbeds detected beneath the sands of the Sahara desert. The map will help scientists study what the region looked like in ancient times and how once-productive areas can become desert. The crew was sent a preliminary composite map of carbon moxide distribution in Earth's atmosphere derived from measurements made the the MAPS instrument aboard Endeavour, an instrument that studies air pollution. The sites being observed today include areas of Japan and Italy. All of the observation sites have been recorded at least once at this point in the flight, and remaining observations are to supplement the data already obtained. On Saturday, April 16, 1994, 7 p.m.CDT (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #22), the Space Radar Lab-1 instruments are continuing to record their observations of the Earth below according to schedule. The sites being observed today included areas of Japan, Italy, Russia, Chile, China, Uganda and Saudia Arabia. All of the observation sites have been recorded at least once, and remaining observations are to supplement the data already obtained. One annoyance that has been worked since the first day of the flight has been laid to rest with the successful in-flight maintenance procedure to get rid of air bubbles in the crew's water supply, and the crew has worked with experts on the ground to pinpoint how those bubbles were getting into food and water containers. Godwin spent 15 minutes being interviewed by television reporters in Atlanta and Nashville. On Sunday, April 17, 3 a.m. CDT (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #23) the Blue Team --Jay Apt, Rich Clifford and Tom Jones -- is recording radar images for scientists studying how elements of Earth's land surfaces, water resources, and plant and animal life work together to create Earth's livable environment. Geology sites covered on the Blue shift include Puerto Aisen, Chile, Charana, Bolivia, and Bangladesh; ecology sites at Les Landes, France, Western Sayani, Siberia, and Chimalapas, Mexico; and oceanography sites over the North Sea and, later this morning, the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. Two televised downlinks of moving radar images from the X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar system fed through the X-SAR quick-look processor at JSC allowed mission scientists to view regions from the Sahara Desert to Russia, with a calibration data take at Matera, Italy. The Payload Operations Control Center later told the Blue Team that the Matera calibration "was perfect." Another moving image downlink covered an ecology site at Les Landes, France, south of Bordeaux, followed by another calibration at the Oberpfaffenhofen super site. There students from the University of Munich gathered agricultural crop biomass measurements and soil moisture readings at the same time aircraft-mounted radar systems, sponsored by the European Space Agency, also measured the radar beams emitted by the SIR-C and X-SAR instruments. On Sunday, April 17, 12:30 p.m. CDT (from STS-59 MCC Status Report # 24), Endeavour's flight control surfaces and thruster jets were checked out today to ensure they are in good working order for Tuesday's planned landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 10:53 a.m. CDT. The latest weather forecast at landing time shows scattered clouds and only a slight chance of rain offshore. While consoles in Mission Control concentrated on the orbiter systems checks, the payload community continued to gather data using the Space Radar Laboratory equipment located in the payload bay. The round-the-clock observations with two types of radar and an air pollution monitoring system is monitored by two teams of astronauts aboard the Orbiter and three teams of scientists in the payload control room adjacent to the primary flight control room. The STS-59 mission's six astronauts held their traditional in-flight news conference answering questions about the significance of the mission. Following the news conference, Commander Sid Gutierrez, Pilot Kevin Chilton and Flight Engineer Rich Clifford checked the orbiter systems while the payload crew of Mission Specialists Linda Godwin, Jay Apt and Tom Jones documented activity with the payload. On Monday, April 18, 1994, 2 p.m. CDT, (from STS-59 MCC Status Report # 26), Endeavour's crew is starting to pack up while final radar observations of Earth are being made and Shuttle mission STS-59 winds down, aiming toward a 10:52 a.m. central landing Tuesday at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Aboard Endeavour, the Red Team crew members -- Commander Sid Gutierrez, Pilot Kevin Chilton and Payload Commander Linda Godwin -- are in the last half of their 10th 12-hour work shift of the flight. Early in the shift, Gutierrez and Chilton performed a standard checkout of the systems Endeavour will use for tomorrow's return home and found them in excellent shape. Meanwhile, observations with the Space Radar Lab-1 instruments have continued without interruption. The radar lab will continue observations until just after midnight central time, when it will be powered off for the landing. The instruments have taken advantage of one extra day in orbit, added to the flight because of abundant supplies, to gain observations of several unscheduled areas around the globe. Some of the unplanned observations made include glaciers in Alaska, flooding in the midwest, areas of Cambodia in Southeast Asia, and Almaz, Russia. The weather forecast is favorable for a landing in Florida tomorrow, although flight controllers will be watching a possibility of low clouds and a slight chance of showers in the area. Endeavour's first opportunity for landing Tuesday, and the time at which all activities are aiming toward, would begin with an engine firing at 9:58 a.m. central, on Endeavour's 165th orbit, to begin a descent to a touchdown on KSC's runway 33 at 10:52 a.m. central. A second opportunity exists on Endeavour's166th orbit beginning with a deorbit burn at 11:28 a.m. central leading to a touchdown in Florida at 12:23 p.m. central. Two opportunities also exist tomorrow for a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, but shuttle managers do not plan to use them, and would stay in orbit for an extra day for more attempts at a Florida landing before landing in California. On Monday, April 18, 1994, 5 p.m. CDT (from STS-59 MCC Status Report #27) Endeavour's Red Team -- Commander Sid Gutierrez, Pilot Kevin Chilton and Payload Commander Linda Godwin -- is in the last hours of its 10th shift of the STS-59 mission. Early in the shift, Gutierrez and Chilton performed a standard checkout of the systems Endeavour will use for Tuesday's return home and found them in excellent shape. Gutierrez and Chilton also maneuvered the the shuttle to a new attitude and calibrated the Heads-Up Display they will use for landing. Observations with the Space Radar Laboratory-1 (SRL-1) instruments continued without interruption. SRL-1 also switched to its backup electronics package. Scientists switched from the primary electronics systems -- which have worked flawlessly throughout the flight -- to verify that the redundant system functions as well. SRL-1 will continue observations until just after midnight, when it will be powered off for the landing. The instruments have taken advantage of one extra day in orbit, added to the flight because of abundant supplies, to gain observations over targets of opportunity. On Tuesday, April 19, 1994, 11:30 a.m. CDT STS-59 MCC Status Report #31 reports: Endeavour and its six astronauts will remain in space an additional day. Clouds and high winds in the vicinity of the runway precluded a return to the Kennedy Space Center today. Four landing opportunities are available Wednesday -- two in Florida and two at Edwards Air Force Base in California. KSC remains the prime landing site with Edwards serving as the backup. The Florida landing times are 10:29 a.m. and 12:01 p.m. central. The California landing times are 11:54 a.m. and 1:26 p.m. central. The deorbit burn designed to drop Endeavour out of orbit for the landing phase will occur about 50 minutes prior to touchdown. Mission Control's entry team will evaluate weather conditions and make a final decision on the landing site after taking over control of the mission about 4:30 Wednesday morning. Following today's wave off, the crew reconfigured the orbiter systems for the added day on orbit and reactivated a portion of the Space Radar Laboratory payload in the cargo bay. The Space Imaging Radar system (SIR-C) was the only part of the payload to be reactivated. The data recorded during the STS-59 mission would fill the equivalent of 20,000 encyclopedia volumes. Payload managers reported late Monday night that more than 70 million square kilometers of the Earth's surface, including land and sea, have been mapped on this flight. This figure represents about 12 percent of Earth's total surface. The Space Radar Laboratory obtained radar images of approximately 25 percent of the planet's land surfaces. The full complement of payloads will fly again on the STS-68 mission aboard Endeavour in August. The spacecraft remains in a stable 116 nautical mile orbit. Mission Name: STS-65 (63) Columbia (17) Pad 39-A (51) 63rd Shuttle Mission 17th Flight OV-102 Night Launch (9) EDO mission Spacelab mission Longest STS mission to date KSC Landing (21) Crew: Robert D. Cabana (3), Commander James D. Halsell (1), Pilot Richard J. Hieb (3), Payload Commander Carl E. Walz (2), Mission specialist 2 Leroy Chiao (1), Mission Specialist 3 Donald A. Thomas (1), Mission Specialist 4 Chiaki Naito-Mukai (1), Payload Specialist 1 Jean-Jacques Favier (0), Alternate Payload Specialist (CNES) Milestones: OPF 2 -- 3/18/94 VAB HB1 -- 6/8/94 6:48pm EDT (Rollover began at 6:07pm) IVT -- 6/13/94 PAD 39A -- 6/15/94 5:42am EDT (Rollout began at 11:26pm) TCDT -- 6/21/94 to 6/22/94 Payload: IML-2, APCF, CPCG, AMOS, OARE, MAST, SAREX-II, EDO Mission Objectives: The International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) is the second in a series of Spacelab (SL) flights designed to conduct research in a microgravity environment. The IML concept enables a scientist to apply results from one mission to the next and to broaden the scope and variety of investigations between missions. Data from the IML missions contributes to the research base for the space station. As the name implies, IML-2 is an international mission. Scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA), Canada, France, Germany and Japan are all collaborating with NASA on the IML-2 mission to provide the worldwide science community with a variety of complementary facilities and experiments. These facilities and experiments are mounted in twenty 19" racks in the IML 2 Module. Research on IML-2 is dedicated to microgravity and life sciences. Microgravity science covers a broad range of activities from undestanding the fundamental physics involved in material behavior to using those effects to generate materials that cannot otherwise be made in the gravitational environment of the Earth. In life sciences research, a reduction of gravitation's effect allows certain characteristics of cells and organisms to be studied in isolation. These reduced gravitational effects also pose poorly understood occupational health problems for space crews ranging from space adaptation syndrome to long-term hormonal changes. On IML-2, the microgravity science and life sciences experiments are complementary in their use of SL resources. Microgravity science tends to draw heavily on spacecraft power while life sciences places the greatest demand on crew time. Life Sciences Experiments and facilities on IML-2 include: Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit (AAEU) in Rack 3, Biorack (BR) in Rack 5, Biostack (BSK) in Rack 9, Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Program (EDOMP) and Spinal Changes in Microgravity (SCM) in the Center Isle, Lower Body Negative Pressure Device (LBNPD), Microbial Air Sampler (MAS), Performance Assessment Workstation (PAWS) in the middeck, Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope (NIZEMI) in Rack 7, Real Time Radiation Monitoring Device (RRMD) and the Thermoelectric Incubator (TEI) both in Rack 3. Microgravity experiments and facilities on IML-2 include: Applied Research on Separation Methods (RAMSES) in Rack 6, Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit (BDPU) in Rack 8, Critical Point Facility (CPF) in Rack 9, Electromagnetic Containerless Processing Facility (TEMPUS) in Rack 10, Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit (FFEU) in Rack 3, Large Isothermal Furnace (LIF) in Rack 7, Quasi Steady Acceleration Measurement (QSAM) in Rack 3, Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) in the Center Isle, and Vibration Isolation Box Experiment System (VIBES) in Rack 3. Other payloads on this mission are: Advanced Protein Crystalization Facility (APCF) , Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG), Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) Calibration Test, Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE), Military Application of Ship Tracks (MAST), Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II). Columbia is also flying with an Extended Duration Orbiter (ED0) pallet and no RMS Arm was installed. This is also the 1st flight of the payload bay door torque box modification on Columbia and the 1st flight of new OI-6 main engine software. Launch: Friday, July 8, 1994 at 12:43:00.069am EDT. The launch occured exactly on time at the beginning of a 2.5 hour launch window. The countdown progressed smoothly but was held at the T-9 min mark due to a Return to Launch Site (RTLS) weather constraint. The count was restarted with the intent to hold again at the T-5 min mark if there were still constraints. The low pressure heated ground purge in the SRB aft skirt was not required to maintain the case/nozzle joint temperatures within the required LCC ranges. The purge was activated at T-26 minutes for the high flow rate inerting of the SRB aft skirt. The weather constraint was cleared at 12:36am leading to an ontime liftoff. Transatlantic Abort Landing (TAL) sites were Banjul, Gambia (Prime), Ben Guerir, Morocco (Alternate). 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 81 degrees F at liftoff. Onorbit APU shutdown commenced at 12:58 EDT while Columbia was in an initial transfer orbit of 78nm over the Atlantic. Personnel aboard the solid rocket booster retrieval ships spotted the boosters soon after splashdown and were on station at about 1:15 p.m. EDT to begin recovery operations. Orbit: Altitude: 160 nm (184 sm) Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 235 Duration: 14 days, 17 hours, 55 minutes, 00 seconds. Distance: 6,143,000 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-066 SRM-L: 360P039A SRM-R: 360W039B ET : ET-64 MLP: 3 SSME-1: SN-2019 (30 starts, 11,216 sec) SSME-2: SN-2030 (30 starts, 9,453 secs) SSME-3: SN-2017 (18 starts, 6,639 secs) Landing: KSC, July 23 at 6:38:01 am EDT on Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 33. Columbia landed on the 1st of two landing opportunities (6:38 EDT or 8:13 am EDT). Backup landing opportunity would have been at Edwards at 8:39am EDT. Nose Wheel touchdown was at 6:38:18 am EDT and wheel stop at 6:39:09 EDT. This gives the crew of Columbia the distinction of being the longest Shuttle mission to date (surpassing Columbias SLS-2 launch aboard STS-58 on 10/18/93) and the longest duration US space mission since the 84 day Skylab SL-4 mission by Gerald P. Carr, William R. Pogue and Edward G. Gibson on 2/8/74. The two landing opportunities for Columbia at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility on 7/22/94 (at 6:47 a.m. EDT and 8:23 a.m. EDT) were waived due to cloud cover east of the runway that was expected to drift over the SLF. Weather at Edwards was favorable but flight controllers decided to keep Columbia in orbit one extra day and try for a KSC landing on 7/23/94. Mission Highlights: On Friday, July 8, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #1 reports: Carrying IML-2, Columbia is now in a 163 by 160 nautical mile orbit. Onboard, the Red Team crew members -- Commander Robert D. Cabana, Pilot James D. Halsell, Payload Commander Richard J. Hieb and Japanese Payload Specialist Chiaki Naito-Mukai -- are in the last half of their first work shift of the two-week mission. Their crew mates -- Blue Team members Donald A. Thomas, Leroy Chiao and Carl E. Walz -- are in the midst of a six- hour sleep period and will take over duties aboard at 10:28 p.m. for a 12-hour shift. Late in the afternoon, commander Robert D. Cabana played a videotape of Columbia's cockpit recorded during the liftoff and climb to orbit for flight controllers in Mission Control, describing the ascent as the tape played. On Friday, July 8, 1994 at 7 p.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #1 reports: One of the most complex science missions in the 11-year history of the Spacelab program got underway this afternoon as the seven-member STS-65 crew powered up the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) payload. The 14-day flight schedule is packed with more than 80 experiments, to be performed in 19 life-science and microgravity-science facilities. The ambitious research agenda builds on experience gained from previous Spacelab missions, with approximately twice the number of experiments and facilities as its predecessor, IML-1, which flew in January 1992. More than 200 scientists representing six space agencies from around the world contributed to IML-2. Their investigations will cover scientific questions that can best be answered away from gravity's influence. Experiments studying human physiology, aquatic animals or cultured cells will help reveal the role gravity plays in shaping life on Earth. Investigations of fluids and materials will uncover more about basic mechanisms which affect nearly every physical science. Payload Specialist Chiaki Naito-Mukai of Japan began the first IML-2 experiment operations at 2:35 p.m. CDT, when she activated the European Space Agency's Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility. Housed in two orbiter middeck lockers, it will operate automatically throughout the mission. The versatile space facility is the first to use three different crystal growth methods, allowing scientists to choose the best conditions for their experiments. Scientists from the U.S. and seven European countries are growing biologically important protein crystals which are difficult to produce on Earth. Some 5,000 video images of the crystals made during flight will help them determine the physical mechanisms which govern protein crystal growth. Post-flight analysis of the space-grown crystals will help determine their structure and function, important for a better understanding of living systems and the development of advanced medicines. For instance, the pharmaceutical industry uses structural information to design a drug which binds to a specific protein, blocking a chemically active site. Such a drug fits a protein like a key in a lock to "turn off" the protein's activities, thus possibly regulating metabolic processes. Payload Commander Rick Hieb, Pilot Jim Halsell and Mukai floated into the Spacelab module at 3:21 p.m. Hieb and Halsell had the lab up and running ahead of schedule, just minutes after 4 p.m. Payload operations control from the Marshall Space Flight Center's Spacelab Mission Operations Control facility in Huntsville began about a half hour later. Chiaki Naito-Mukai activated the IML-2 payload, then checked out the European Space Agency's Biorack facility in preparation for loading its many sample containers. The perishable biological specimens were stored on the orbiter middeck shortly before launch. Various containers holding samples for the facility's 19 life science investigations will be relocated for experiment processing more than 2,000 times during the mission. Operation of most of the remaining IML-2 facilities will begin over the next 12 hours. Crew members will continue activating Biorack experiments, look in on the fish and newts in Japan's Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit, and take a mental performance test on a laptop computer for comparison with tests made later in the mission. They will start up radiation and motion detectors to monitor the Spacelab environment. The first experiments will begin in the European Space Agency's Critical Point Facility and Germany's Slow-Rotating Centrifuge Microscope. On Saturday, July 9, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #2 reports: The Blue Team astronauts -- Mission Specialists Carl Walz, Don Thomas and Leroy Chiao -- began the first shift of operational research after the Red Team -- Commander Bob Cabana, Pilot Jim Halsell, Payload Commander Rick Hieb and Japanese Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai -- powered up International Microgravity Lab-2 and checked out the lab's equipment. As the Blue Team works, the Red team is awakening after an 8-hour sleep shift. While Chiao and Thomas worked in the Spacelab module tucked in Columbia's payload bay, Walz took care of orbiter housekeeping chores, and performed the first run on the Performance Assessment Workstation, or PAWS. Using graphic input devices that coincide with targets on a computer screen, crew members will record the effects of microgravity on the cognitive skills required for successful performance of many tasks during the mission. The laptop computer will record the speed and accuracy of the cursor movements, and the time required to interpret the displayed instruction throughout the flight. On Saturday July 9, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #3 reports: Commander Bob Cabana and Pilot Jim Halsell managed activities in the crew compartment of the orbiter while the rest of the Red Team, consisting of Mission Specialist Rick Hieb and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, spent their first full day in space working in the laboratory. Other than a short-lived problem with the bathroom aboard Columbia, all vehicle systems are performing well, with no problems being tracked by flight controllers in Mission Control. The Waste Containment System, or WCS, experienced a problem with the solid waste compactor piston when the unit became stuck briefly. Halsell worked a procedure to check the unit and it has functioned fine since. Inside the Spacelab module, the astronaut team is working on a system that relays Japanese life-sciences experiment data to scientists on the ground. One data channel on the radiation monitoring experiment was not functioning properly. Cabana hooked up the onboard ham radio, called SAREX for Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment and talked with middle school students at the Bair Middle School in Sunrise, Florida. On Sunday, July 10, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #4 reported: The Red Team of astronauts aboard Columbia began its third duty shift of the 14-day mission this morning as near continuous operations in the pressurized Spacelab module gather more and more data for scientists participating in the International Microgravity Laboratory-2 mission. Commander Bob Cabana and Pilot Jim Halsell took take care of activities in the crew compartment while Mission Specialist Rick Hieb and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai spent their second day working in the laboratory. The Blue Team of Mission Specialists Carl Walz, Leroy Chiao and Don Thomas began its sleep shift about 9:30 a.m. CDT after a smooth shift. Neither the crew nor flight controllers in Houston reported any significant problems overnight. One highlight was a television interview with Cleveland natives Walz and Thomas by a hometown television station. Displaying Cleveland penants, stickers and shirts, the pair discussed how important the STS-65 experiments are to long-duration space flight, how their academic studies helped them to become astronauts and how the Apollo 11 lunar landing motivated them 25 years ago. On Sunday, July 10, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #5 reported: Routine housekeeping was the order of business today as Columbia circles the Earth virtually trouble free continuing to provide a stable platform for the around the clock science work ongoing in the Spacelab module. Commander Bob Cabana and Pilot Jim Halsell are in charge of Orbiter upkeep while Mission Specialist Rick Hieb and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai continue science work in the laboratory in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory mission. Both Hieb and Mukai spent time in a device designed to help astronauts counter the effects of microgravity on the human body. The lower body negative pressure device, or LBNP, is used to create a vacuum that pulls fluids back into the lower portions of the body as it is on Earth. While Halsell reviewed his landing skills on the portable in-flight landing trainer, called PILOT, Cabana conducted a tour of the Orbiter watching over the shoulders of crew members as they performed various experiments throughout the spacecraft. He ended the tour with views of the Earth from the operating altitude of 163 nautical miles. Mission manager Lanny Upton reported that Columbia astronaut Richard J. Hieb reseated an electrical connector on a cable used to transmit data to the Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) in Huntsville. Data is now flowing between the medical experiments that use this connection and the shuttles onboard recorder and downlink antenna system. Previous to the fix, astronauts were manually reading out some important data and sending it down to scientists on the ground. They were also making use of an onboard camcorder to videotape some experiment data and send it in lew of using a camera built into the experiment. On Monday, July 11, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #6 reported: The STS-65 astronauts remain focused on the work at hand as Columbia continues to provide a trouble-free environment for microgravity research. The only difficulty reported during the Blue Team's shift was the early termination of an excess supply water dump. The dump was stopped when nozzle temperatures were seen to be dropping too fast. Mission Specialist Carl Walz walked through a series of test procedures designed to determine whether ice had formed on the nozzle. On Monday, July 11, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #7 reported: From an orbiter standpoint, no problems are being tracked by the flight control teams in the Mission Control Center monitoring systems along with the crew. The only item of interest seen early this morning was a drop in temperature on the supply water nozzle that is kept heated to prevent possible formation of ice during routine dumps of excess water overboard throughout the flight. Flight Flight controllers are evaluating the data to determine what may have caused the drop in temperature, and will dump excess water by evaporating it through an alternate system called the flash evaporator system, or FES. On Monday, July 11, 1994 at 7 a.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #6 reports: Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai spent time in the Lower Body Negative Pressure device, part of NASA's Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Project. For this experiment, Mukai's lower body was encased in a fabric bag, which seals around the waist of the crew member and provides negative pressure to draw body fluids back into the lower extremities. This experiment is designed to help counteract effects of space on the heart and to help crew members stay comfortable and healthy, especially upon their return to Earth. Mukai had difficulty obtaining a good seal around her waist and the experiment was concluded early. This 45-minute "ramp" test, scheduled to be performed again later in the mission for both Mukai and Payload Commander Richard J. Hieb, will include measures to ensure a good seal around the crew member's waist. Mission Specialist Leroy Chiao placed samples of a unicellular organism, Loxodes striatus, into the Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope facility, called NIZEMI for its German name. Dr. Ruth Hemmersbach-Krause's experiment uses the various levels of gravity provided by the NIZEMI facility to study the orientation, velocities and swimming tracks of this organism to determine the point at which they begin to perceive gravitational forces. Since scientists believe these cells may function similarly to the inner ear of vertebrates, this information can provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which living creatures sense gravity. Dr. Augusto Cogoli of Zurich, Switzerland, watched video from Spacelab of his Motion experiment as it was subjected to varying levels of gravity in the NIZEMI facility overnight. Chiao performed routine microscope refocusing steps to provide a clear view of the cells' activities during the experiment run. The Motion experiment is designed to determine whether or not immune system T- and B- cells can contact each other in a weightless environment. Observing these cells in microgravity will help scientists gain a better understanding of how the immune system works. Dr. Antonius Michels, of the University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands, watched downlink video of his experiment that measures the propagation, or wave motion, of heat within the fluid sulfur hexafluoride as it neared the condition where a precise combination of temperature and pressure compel the liquid and gas phases to become identical and form one phase, the critical point. Since the properties of a fluid can be altered dramatically in this one-phase state, studies such as this one, being conducted in the European Space Agency's Critical Point Facility, can provide insight into a variety of physics problems ranging from phase changes in fluids to changes in the composition and magnetic properties of solids. In an investigation to study the effect of disturbances caused by the onboard crew and equipment operations on extremely sensitive experiments, Chiao installed a container of diluted salt water that included an indicator dye into the Vibration Isolation Box Experiment System (VIBES). Dr. Hisao Azuma, principal investigator from Chohu-shi, Japan, watched a live video transmission as Chiao intentionally disturbed the facility to determine how well the VIBES equipment prevented disturbances in the liquid-dye solution. Mission Specialist Don Thomas reported that Dr. Akira Takabayashi's goldfish continued to appear healthy. These goldfish are being studied to clarify causes of space motion sickness, and video downlink gave Takabayashi a good view of the goldfish as they reacted to the stimulation of light inside their container. Thomas then moved on to another Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit investigation where he injected female newts with a hormone to induce them to lay eggs in their water tank. Principal Investigator Dr. Masamichi Yamashita will examine these space-born newt eggs after the Shuttle's landing to determine the effects of gravity on cells during the early stages of their development. Throughout their shift, Chiao and Thomas returned to the European Space Agency's Biorack, transferring containers of biological samples to various locations within the facility. Chiao worked with samples from two investigations, which are designed to help scientists understand more about the effects of gravity on skeletal system cells, as well as one which will examine the way that mouse cells multiply after exposure to retinoic acid in microgravity. As scheduled, Thomas terminated the growth of several samples of rapeseed roots that were genetically altered before launch. He then placed samples of cress seedlings in the Biorack photobox to complete planned activities for an experiment which has studied the growth patterns of these seeds in microgravity. Materials sciences in the Electromagnetic Containerless Processing Facility, which began late in this shift, will continue into the next shift. Also during the next 12 hours, crew members will continue life sciences experiments in the Biorack, NIZEMI and Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit facilities. On Tuesday, July 12, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #8 reported: Mission Specialists Leroy Chiao and Don Thomas stayed busy tending the Spacelab module's International Microgravity Laboratory-2 experiments as Mission Specialist Carl Walz took care of shuttle housekeeping. The Blue Team is scheduled to begin its sleep shift about 9:30 a.m. From an orbiter standpoint, no significant problems are being tracked by the flight control teams in the Mission Control Center. The only item of interest is continuing analysis of a drop in temperature on the supply water nozzle. That nozzle is kept heated to prevent possible formation of ice during routine dumps of excess water overboard throughout the flight. Flight controllers are evaluating the data to determine what may have caused the drop in temperature, and postponed this morning's planned dump of waste water through an identical nozzle immediately next to the supply dump nozzle. Excess supply water continues to be dumped by evaporating it through the flash evaporator system, or FES. On Tuesday, July 12, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #9 reported: With a few nuisances, rather than problems, aboard the Orbiter, the crew pressed on through a timeline packed with experiments representing more than 12 countries. A couple of the video tape recorders in the Spacelab module have been erratic, but four are available to record necessary experiment data. Erratic signatures seen yesterday during a supply water dump overboard were not seen today when the waste tank aboard Columbia was emptied. Possible ice in the supply water line or nozzle could explain the signatures seen yesterday. Cabana took time out of his scheduled activities to show a tape of work ongoing aboard the spacecraft during the last 24 hours, including daily exercise, experiment work in the Spacelab and Earth observation. On Wednesday, July 13, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #10 reports: No new difficulties were reported overnight. Two videotape recorders remained out of commission in the Spacelab module, but there are a total of four are available to record necessary experiment data. On Wednesday, July 13, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #10 reports: After Mission Specialist Leroy Chiao checked in on the Japanese goldfish and reported that they continue to appear healthy, he got busy with biological samples in the European Space Agency's Biorack facility. Chiao completed scheduled activities on an experiment designed to study the loss of calcium in bones. This investigation, which has been going on in the Biorack facility since shortly after Spacelab activation, will help scientists understand more about what happens to the bones of astronauts when they travel in space. Results from this experiment, flown on IML-1 in 1992, showed that bones did not suffer a significant loss of calcium if exposed to periods of compression (such as exercise periods) during space flight, but more research is necessary to know how much exercise is needed to counteract the effect of spaceflight on the skeletal system. In another experiment involving bone cells, Payload Commander Rick Hieb and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai extracted and refrigerated samples of bone- derived cells that have been kept in the Japanese-provided Thermoelectric Incubator at body temperature. These bone cells will help Principal Investigator Dr. Yasuhiro Kumei of Tokyo, Japan, and other reseachers study the differences in the rate of bone cell production during spaceflights as compared to Earth. Another Biorack experiment was concluded last night when Mission Specialist Don Thomas completed scheduled activities for the Norwegian experiment to examine the growth pattern of genetically altered plant roots in space. Dr. Tor-Henning Iversen will examine these plant roots after the mission to determine whether the growth pattern of plants that grow in any direction, apparently unaffected by gravity, on Earth is similar to normal roots grown in space. In the Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope (NIZEMI) facility, Thomas completed the last run of a type of green algae, chara. This experiment will help Dr. Andreas Sievers, the principal investigator from Bonn, Germany, understand how sensitive these single plant cells are to gravity and how they adjust to various levels of gravity. Scientists must learn more about how plants grow in microgravity before they can be considered as part of the ecological system for longer stays in space. Thomas conducted the first run of a materials science experiment which will use the NIZEMI facility to learn more about how the solidification of metals is influenced by microgravity. Chiao talked to Principal Investigator Dr. Klaus Leonartz to perform the setup and adjustment procedures for this experiment. Results of melting and solidifying a mixture such as Leonartz's succinonitrile- acetone sample will help scientists improve the way metals are produced in the future. In the fluids science area, Dr. Antonius Michels, principal investigator from The Netherlands successfully completed his experiment. "The Critical Point Facility functioned flawlessly, especially in providing stability to our sample," said Michels, after his sulfur hexafluoride fluid finished its scheduled run last night. Dr. Michels' experiment was flown on IML-1 and again on this mission to study the point where a liquid behaves as both a liquid and a gas. Thomas later installed another container into the European Space Agency's Critical Point Facility to begin Dr. Richard Ferrell's study of how energy is transported in a fluid once it reaches its critical point. Chiao performed activities in preparation for the first-time activation of the French-provided facility called Applied Research on Separation Methods Using Space Electrophoresis (called RAMSES, the acronym for its French name). In the RAMSES facility, scientists will conduct experiments to gain a better understanding of the basic mechanisms that govern electrophoresis, the separation of biological samples according to their electrical properties. Away from the influence of Earth's gravity, molecules of biological samples can separate according to their electrical charges, producing an ultra-pure product. In the Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit (BDPU) facility, an experiment to study the behavior that occurs between layers of fluids that do not mix, such as oil and water, was terminated when a layer of silicon fluid moved into the center of the container. Dr. Jean Koster, principal investigator from the University of Colorado, attributed to the problem of basic physics phenomena. Later, Thomas placed a sealed container filled with freon into the BDPU to begin calibrations of the experiment for Dr. Johannes Straub of Munich, Germany. This investigation, designed to study physical changes during evaporation and condensation at the point where a bubble contacts the liquid, will be performed later in the mission. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology science team watched video from the Spacelab as they talked to Thomas during his adjustments to the Electromagnetic Containerless Processing Facility called TEMPUS, the acronym for its German name. Principal Investigator Dr. Julian Szekely's experiment, which involved a 10mm (approximately 3/8 inch) sample of copper, was terminated when the sphere made contact with its containment cage. This investigation is designed to study viscosity, internal friction, and surface tension, the force that keeps liquid together in a drop. During the next 12 hours, crew members will tend to the biological samples in the NIZEMI and Biorack facilities and conduct fluids science investigations in the Critical Point Facility. On Wednesday, July 13, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Other than juggling various tape recorders aboard the Orbiter to support science requirements, the crew has spent the day fulfilling routine housekeeping chores and monitoring secondary experiments. Commander Bob Cabana and Pilot Jim Halsell are handling Orbiter duty while Mission Specialist Rick Hieb worked in the pressurized Spacelab module. Japanese Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai was given the first half of her day off. After lunch, Hieb took the rest of the day off and Mukai took over duty in the Spacelab. The other three astronauts, Carl Walz, Leroy Chiao and Don Thomas, working primarily overnight, woke up about an hour ago and will begin their work day about 8 p.m. tonight. On Wednesday, July 13, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #11 reports: IML-2 Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai and Payload Commander Rick Hieb both got four hours off today, but a full slate of experiment activities continued in orbit and at Spacelab Mission Operations Control in Huntsville. Several IML-2 experiment facilities are being controlled extensively from the ground. This remote commanding capability, called "telescience," multiplies valuable time in orbit because it frees the crew for experiment operations where their hands and eyes are indispensable. "With this amount of science squeezed into a 14-day mission, it is critical to have both the telescience and the remote operations," said Mission Scientist Dr. Bob Snyder, referring to science experiment teams at the Huntsville facility and user support groups at remote sites in Europe and Japan. Critical Point Facility team members in Huntsville examined live video of an experiment that studies how energy is transported within a single-component fluid. Near the critical point - the precise combination of temperature and pressure where liquid and vapor phases coexist - fluids exhibit unusual properties. For instance, energy transport by heat diffusion slows down, while transport driven by changes in pressure speeds up. Dr. Richard Ferrell of the University of Maryland is using two test cells during IML-2 to study the different forces. Today's experiment focuses on pressure changes. Tiny temperature changes are being induced both by external heaters and by heat from a pulse of current passing through a resistance wire inside the cell. An experiment to study heat diffusion is scheduled for Friday. In addition to enhancing fundamental knowledge of fluid physics, Ferrell's experiments should aid the design of other low-gravity, critical point investigations. To plan accurate timelines for their experiments, space researchers need to know how quickly their samples will reach thermal equilibrium after temperature step changes near the critical point. Close cooperation between ground controllers and the crew has become a routine part of operations in the TEMPUS electromagnetic containerless processing facility. Hieb kept a close eye on a zirconium-cobalt alloy as the TEMPUS team sent commands to levitate, then melt, the small metal sphere inside the TEMPUS processing chamber. "The sample looks extremely stable today," the astronaut reported. The TEMPUS team used remote commands to skillfully control their sample, reflecting the experience they have gained over several days of operating the new space facility. They applied short, repetitive bursts of heat to the alloy, causing its temperature to rise and fall. Dr. Hans J. Fecht of the Technical University of Berlin, Germany, will study the length of time it took for the addition or subtraction of heat to be reflected in the sample temperature. He will then factor the results into a new mathematical model to determine the alloy's specific heat capacity. Fecht and Dr. William L. Johnson of California Institute of Technology are using several zirconium alloys during this mission to study the formation of metallic glasses. With their unique mechanical and physical properties, metallic glasses have promising applications in many technological areas. After transferring numerous Biorack sample containers between storage and coolers, Hieb changed out food trays for the fruit flies in Dr. Roberto Marco's experiment. He reported the flies were "buzzing around with excellent vitality." Along with the other Biorack principal investigators, Marco is conducting his experiment at Kennedy Space Center in parallel with operations in space. Project Scientist Dr. Enno Brinckmann, the Biorack team's representative at Spacelab Control in Huntsville, said, "Dr. Marco tells us the flies in space have been more mobile than their counterparts on the ground at Kennedy." Marco's study tests his theory that premature aging of flies in previous space experiments is due to increased activity as they attempt to move in microgravity. Thus far, 10 of the 19 Biorack experiments are complete. Mukai began her work this afternoon with a run of the NIZEMI Slow-Rotating Centrifuge Microscope's cress root experiment. "All of the seeds have germinated," she told Principal Investigator Dr. Dieter Volkmann of the University of Bonn. Scientists have studied the cress plant intensively over the last 20 years to determine in detail how it can perceive and react to gravity. Previous experiments indicate it can respond to gravity changes very quickly. Volkmann hopes to pinpoint the minimum amount of gravity to which it will respond and how long it to takes to respond. Before plants can be considered as possible sources of food or oxygen in space, scientists must thoroughly understand how changes in gravity affect plant growth. When Hieb brought the Free Flow Electrophoresis experiment up for its first operations of the mission this morning, readouts indicated that the inner cooling system line was not functioning correctly. The Japanese life sciences team postponed the electrophoresis experiment Mukai had been scheduled to run this afternoon until the source of the problem can be isolated and corrected. In the meantime, Mukai began operations of Japan's Large Isothermal Furnace, originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon. After powering up the facility, she inserted an experiment by Dr. Randall M. German of Pennsylvania State for several hours of automatic processing. The experiment will study how gravity changes heavy alloys during liquid phase sintering. Sintering is a process for combining dissimilar metals, using heat and pressure to join them without reaching the melting point of one or both metals. On Thursday, July 14, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #12 reports: Columbia's astronauts beamed down three explanations of International Microgravity Laboratory-2 experiments overnight as virtually trouble-free operations continued on the 14-day mission to study how plants, animals and materials react to space flight. Blue Team member Carl Walz, who continued to keep watch over the shuttle's systems, explained the operation of the Performance Asses sment Workshop being used to study astronaut performance on long-duration space missions in hopes of developing techniques to forest all any loss of productivity. Fellow Mission Specialist Don Thomas gave explanations of both the Quasi-Steady Acceleration Measurement equipment that is measuring the microgravity environment in the Spacelab module, and the Applied Research on Separation Methods experiment, which is studying e lectrophoresis methods in microgravity. Thomas and Mission Specialist Leroy Chiao took turns working in the Spacelab module and enjoying half-day vacations. Commander Bob Cabana, Pilot Jim Halsell, Payload Commander Rick Hieb and Japanese Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai were awakened abo ut 4:45 a.m. CDT, and will take over the duty shift about 6:45 a.m. The Blue Team is scheduled to begin its sleep shift about 8:30 a .m. On Thursday, July 14, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #12 Even though the Space Shuttle's payload crew members took some scheduled time off to relax and enjoy their sixth day in space, life and materials sciences continued in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission overnight. Members of the National Space Development Agency of Japan science team here discovered last night that another newt egg had hatched, bringing the total to two baby newts to be born in space. Later, Mission Specialist Don Thomas found that one of Dr. Michael Wiederhold's adult female Japanese red-bellied newts had died since its last observation period yesterday. Wiederhold said there was always a chance that one of the newts might not make it through the flight. However, he does not expect significant impact to the results of his research. "We launched three containers of newts in order to gather science, even with an unfortunate occurrence such as this," he said. The cassette containing the dead newt was removed from the Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit (AAEU) to prevent contamination to the facility's water system. The Japanese red-bellied newts are part of an experiment studying how microgravity affects early cell development. Researchers report that the other newts, as well as the Medaka and goldfish, continue to be appear healthy. During the first part of his shift, Thomas opened the window to the goldfish tank, allowing them to experience a period of daylight as they would on Earth. Mission Specialist Leroy Chiao transferred chemically prepared samples of cress plant roots from the incubator to the staging area of the Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope (called NIZEMI). Video downlink gave Dr. Dieter Volkmann of Bonn, Germany, a good view of how his seedlings of cress are reacting to varying levels of gravity. Studies such as this one must be conducted before plants can be considered as part of a controlled ecological environment for extended stays in space. In another IML-2 life sciences experiment, Chiao placed containers of Dr. Dorothy Spangenberg's jellyfish into the NIZEMI facility to further observe the effects of microgravity of varying levels of gravity on their development. This experiment is intended to improve scientists' understanding of the effects of microgravity on the developmental processes of animals and the role that gravity plays in the development of organisms on Earth. Thomas installed a test container into the European Space Agency's Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit (BDPU) for Dr. Shankar Subramanian of Potsdam, New York. His experiment, which is now underway, examines the movement and shape of gas bubbles and liquid drops in silicone oil when a temperature gradient is established within a container. Dr. Richard Ferrell, of the University of Maryland, watched both live and recorded images of his experiment in the European Space Agency's Critical Point Facility. Ferrell's experiment is studying the properties of a pure, single- component fluid composed of identical molecules at the critical point. The critical point is the state of a fluid at which liquid and vapor exhibit the same properties. An experiment to separate and collect ultra-pure components of biological samples was conducted in the Applied Research on Separation Methods Using Space Electrophoresis (called RAMSES, the acronym for its French name). Chiao initiated and monitored an experiment in the RAMSES facility during the first part of his shift. For this investigation, a sample of hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin (which was colored to trace its movements) was used to evaluate the degree of protein purification that is possible in microgravity. At one point in the experiment, Chiao reported seeing a bubble in the container, near the entry point for the separated molecules. Mission Specialist Carl Walz held a camera up to the experiment window to give Principal Investigator Dr. Victor Sanchez of Toulouse, France, a good view of the flow of the sample. When Sanchez determined that the proteins were separating and moving around the bubble, he decided to continue the experiment run to completion as planned. Thomas talked to the ground operations team at the Spacelab Mission Operations Control center in Huntsville to make adjustments to the Electromagnetic Containerless Processing Facility (called TEMPUS) in preparation for Dr. William Johnson's niobium-nickel experiment run. Johnson, from the California Institute of Technology, watched video from the Spacelab as his metallic glass sample enjoyed a complete cycle of melting, levitating and undercooling. This materials science experiment took advantage of this new facility and the unique environment of space to learn more about the physical properties of metallic glasses and undercooled alloys when heat is introduced into the equation. On Thursday, July 14, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #13 reports: Columbia's astronauts continued around-the-clock science work in the Spacelab module housed in the payload bay, taking time to provide details of the STS-65 mission during an interview earlier today. Commander Bob Cabana and Pilot Jim Halsell took time out of their schedules to talk with NBC's Today Show, Weekend edition, about the mission objectives and how they relate to future work on the International Space Station. They also discussed and compared their work as test pilots to being pilot astronauts. The interview is expected to air Sunday morning. Mission Specialist Rick Hieb and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai each worked a full day in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory mission, following a half day off each yesterday. On Friday, July 15, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #14 reports: Walz beamed down television pictures of Chiao working with the Ramses electrophoresis experiment and provided a tour of the laptop computers used by the crew. On Friday, July 15, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #15 reports: While the science work continued, Cabana demonstrated some of the crew's daily activities aboard the Space Shuttle, including food preparation, housekeeping and Earth observation. The commander of the mission also spent some time recovering the use of one of the still cameras on board that malfunctioned yesterday. He discovered a bent pin inside the body of the camera and straightened it using a pair of needle-nose pliers. Using the ham radio equipment on board, Halsell talked about the mission with students at the West Monroe High School in his hometown as Columbia flew overhead. Cabana, Halsell and Hieb discussed mission objectives and life in space with about a dozen children during a special event with the TBS show "Feed Your Mind." The children queried the crew about what it's like to be an astronaut, what crew members did for fun in their spare time, and whether their feelings about Earth have changed since they have been in space. Cabana said, that from space, the Earth is a beautiful blue planet surrounded by a thin, delicate looking layer of atmosphere that protects it from the harsh ultraviolet rays of the sun. He said the sight reinforces the knowledge that humanity must take care of the planet. On Saturday, July 16, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #17 reports: Routine business was the order of the day aboard Space Shuttle Columbia as Mission Control continues to track no problems aboard the spacecraft. Commander Bob Cabana, Pilot Jim Halsell and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai discussed life in space with children during an interview with the Nickelodeon channel. Questions ranged from the experiments on board, to personal hygiene to the Earth's environment. Mission Specialist Rick Hieb continued to work in the Spacelab module throughout the day. Spacecraft communicator Mario Runco in Mission Control earlier relayed a message to the crew of STS-65 at the exact moment the Saturn V was launched 25 years ago from the Kennedy Space Center to begin the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. At 8:32 a.m., Runco said, "On this day, at this moment 25 years ago, three of your predecessors began an epic journey that would change the way we viewed our world. Columbia's journey today, as her namesake did back then, is pushing the frontiers of knowledge and science for all mankind. Thank you, Columbia." Runco then told the crew a fictitious engine burn was on board for them to look at to leave low Earth orbit and travel to the Moon. Commander Bob Cabana responded, "Don't we wish." On Saturday, July 16, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #17 reports: IML-2 experiment scientists continued using the microgravity laboratory of space to explore the properties of fluids and metals today. The Spacelab crew concentrated on a Lower Body Negative Pressure experiment to monitor their own adaptation to that microgravity. Early this morning, STS-65 Commander Bob Cabana exchanged experiment containers in the European Space Agency's Critical Point Facility, beginning a 77-hour experiment run to determine how various perturbations, such as heating or a pressure change, affect a fluid near its critical point - the special state where there is no difference between liquid and vapor at a specific temperature and pressure. This is the second part of a United States experiment which looks at how long it takes a fluid at the critical point to stabilize, or reach equilibrium, after it has been disturbed. Scientists will heat a portion of the cell's exterior, then observe how the heat transfers through the fluid. In the first segment of the experiment, the Critical Point Facility team charged a wire inside the test cell to 500 volts, simulating approximately the pressure created by gravity on Earth. "The effect of the charging was something like turning the gravity on and off," explained Principal Investigator Dr. Richard Ferrell. "The electric field caused the fluid to be drawn toward the wire. We could see changes in the amount of fluid in the vicinity of the wire, which agreed with our theory of fluid behavior." Ferrell and his team of 10 U.S. physicists will analyze their data to see how long it took for the fluid to relax when the charges were turned off. They will compare the two experiment segments to determine how pressure changes and heat diffusion interact to transfer energy. The Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit (BDPU) appears to have confirmed a theory proposed by Dr. Antonio Viviani of the Second University of Naples, Italy. Vapor bubbles were injected into a test cell filled with an alcohol-water solution, then alternate sides of the cell were heated and cooled. As Viviani had predicted, the bubbles did not always move toward the warmer side as they would in most materials. He explained, "This demonstrates for the first time that, in some fluids of high technology interest, bubbles can go toward the colder part of the fluid or stop in the middle, due to the particular interaction between temperature and surface tension" (the tension on the surface where the liquid and bubble meet). Insights into these mechanical properties could be applied to manufacturing new or better glasses, ceramics, composite materials and alloys in space and on Earth. Early this morning, Dr. William Johnson of the TEMPUS electromagnetic containerless processing reported another "first" - the detection of an unknown metastable phase in their nickel-niobium sample material. In a metastable phase, a material can be quite different than it is in a stable phase. For instance, a diamond is a metastable phase of carbon. "People have been wondering for a long time about the special behavior of this alloy, but there was no explanation for it," said TEMPUS team member Dr. Knut Urban. "The excellent quality of the space images allowed us to detect a phase which had been masked by other forces on Earth." The undercooled nickel-niobium sample was solidified and will be brought back to the ground for microstructural analysis. This afternoon, TEMPUS team members got another short look at a nickel- silicon alloy they had studied yesterday. The observation was halted when the molten alloy contacted the experiment cage. Dr. John Charles of Johnson Space Center says his team got the information they needed during the mission's third set of Lower Body Negative Pressure measurements on Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai and Payload Commander Rick Hieb. Crew members wrapped some padding around Mukai's waist before her turn in the negative pressure bag, resulting in a tighter vacuum seal. The procedure incrementally reduced, then raised, pressure on the crew members' lower bodies to draw fluids back into their legs. Their condition was monitored by ultrasound heart images and blood pressure readings during the experiment. Mukai reported the aquatic animals onboard are doing fine, then recorded some video of the Medaka fish. She counted around 20 baby Medaka fish in the IML-2 aquariums. Mission Manager Lanny Upton said another repair procedure for the Free-Flow Electrophoresis Unit is being formulated. It will be similar to those attempted yesterday, where additional water was forced into the unit's fluid cooling loop to remove a suspected air bubble. However, a time slot for the maintenance procedure has not yet been designated in the crew schedule. Approximately one-half of FFEU's allocated crew time is still available to accomplish the in-flight maintenance procedure. Eighteen of the 19 IML-2 experiment facilities are up and running well. Twenty-four of the 82 experiments are completed, and scientists have obtained quite a bit of data on most of the others. On Sunday, July 17, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #18 reports: As business continues to be routine aboard Columbia, the Red Team is beginning its 10th day of work on International Microgravity Laboratory-2 experiments. Commander Bob Cabana, Pilot Jim Halsell, Payload Commander Rick Hieb and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai began their workday at 4:45 a.m. CDT as the crew continues to shift its schedule to be ready for Friday's planned landing. On Sunday, July 17, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #18 reports: During their ninth day in space, Mission Specialists Don Thomas and Leroy Chiao took a few minutes out of their busy schedule to pay tribute to two NASA centers. On the 25th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, Thomas talked about some memorabilia he had onboard from those days and honored the people of Marshall Space Flight Center and Kennedy Space Center, "Who got the Apollo 11 mission off to a great start." Following their live broadcast, Thomas and Chiao got back to the business at hand, conducting life, materials and fluid science experiments in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission. Dr. Antonio Viviani of Aversa, Italy, received a round of congratulations from science teams at the Spacelab Mission Operations Control center in Huntsville at the end of his last scheduled experiment run in the Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit (BDPU) last night. Chiao placed a test container into the BDPU and performed various activities during the experiment while Viviani controlled the behavior of air bubbles in the alcohol-water solution by sending ground commands to the BDPU from Huntsville. The results of Viviani's IML-2 experiment fully confirmed over two years of his on-ground research and computer modeling. "Because of gravity, this experiment can not be done on Earth," explained Viviani. "And it could not be done in space without a good theory, a good facility and test container, outstanding support from the science team and a great crew." Fluid science investigations will help researchers develop better methods of producing stronger metal alloys and glass in space. Chiao conducted a second fluid science experiment in the BDPU overnight, using a three-layer liquid solution (consisting of fluorinert-silicone- fluorinert). Principal Investigator Dr. Jean-Claude Legros of Brussels, Belgium, wants to learn more about how to control fluid flows within the middle layer of a tri-layer solution. After Chiao agitated the test container to stir up the tracer particles inside, he installed the container into the BDPU facility, where the solution was heated. Two stainless steel curtains separating the three layers of fluid were rolled up, allowing the layers to touch. Next, the sides of the container were heated, creating a thermal gradient from one side of the container to the other. This type of research is of particular interest to scientists in the field of developing crystalline metals and semiconductors. Chiao also performed newly defined start-up procedures for the Applied Research on Separation Methods Using Space Electrophoresis (called RAMSES) last night. During the first flight for this facility, science and engineering teams have revised their pre-launch activation procedures to include a waiting period before the actual experiment runs. Once RAMSES was ready, Chiao began the electrophoresis process to separate proteins into a pure solution, research that is being conducted for a French pharmaceutical company. In another materials science experiment, Thomas monitored an 8mm sample of nickel and tin as the science team in Huntsville sent computer commands to the Electromagnetic Containerless Processing Facility (called TEMPUS) to melt, levitate and solidify the metal alloy. Dr. Merton Flemings, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studied the undercooling process of the nickel-tin alloy to determine how the properties of metals change in an unstable fast-frozen, supersaturated state. Flemings will share the data from his experiment with other science teams who are studying heat capacity of molten alloys, as well as the viscosity (internal friction) and surface tension (the force that keeps the liquid together in a drop). In life sciences studies, 12 of 19 scheduled experiments have been completed for the European Space Agency's Biorack investigations, and others will be conducted throughout the mission. Last night, Thomas activated cultures of human skin fibroblast and bacterial cells that were exposed to ionized radiation before launch. He placed the cells into the Biorack incubator where they were allowed to repair themselves. After various incubation periods, Thomas transferred the cell containers to the Spacelab freezer, completing this Biorack investigation, designed to help Principal Investigator Dr. Gerda Horneck of Cologne, Germany, understand more about how radiation-damaged cells repair themselves in microgravity. Thomas withdrew samples from two containers of baker's yeast and preserved them for a Biorack experiment which studies the effect of stirring and mixing on the growth of cells in microgravity. Dr. Augusto Cogoli of Zurich, Switzerland, will make postflight analyses of these yeast cells that were preserved at various stages of growth to help determine the best method of cultivating cells in space. Both Chiao and Thomas worked with samples of cress roots during their shift. They removed containers of chemically prepared cress roots from the Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope (called NIZEMI) static rack, activated them with water and returned them to the incubator where they will grow in microgravity for a couple of days before being exposed to varying levels of gravity. Dr. Dieter Volkmann of Bonn, Germany, is the principal investigator for this experiment, designed to determine the lowest level at which roots become sensitive to changes in microgravity. Thomas mounted a camera on the Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit (AAEU) and turned on a light in the goldfish tank, allowing Principal Investigator Dr. Akira Takabayashi of Toyoake, Japan, to see how the goldfish react to light stimulation in microgravity. Takabayashi's experiment further explores the hypothesis that space motion sickness is caused by conflicting messages sent from the eyes and the gravity-sensing mechanism, the otolith. Thomas also reported that the newts continue to appear healthy. He also said that of the eggs that were produced on Earth, 18 have hatched and are active, swimming around in their individual chambers. During the next 12 hour shift, STS-65 crew members will perform an inflight maintenance procedure on the Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit, and continue life and materials science experiments. On Sunday, July 17, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #19 reports: Today, IML-2 crew members assisted science teams with ground-commanded materials experiments, attempted to repair the Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit, and got a few well-deserved hours of rest. NASA Administrator Dan Goldin surprised the crew with a telephone call from Mission Control in Houston. He praised their hard work, saying it would help lay the groundwork for future space exploration. Payload Commander Rick Hieb volunteered two blocks of his free time today to perform maintenance procedures on the Japanese space agency's Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit. Assisted by Pilot Jim Halsell this morning, Hieb twice replaced all the distilled water in the unit's fluid cooling system to flush out air bubbles in the line. The unit reached its normal activation state and ran well for an hour and 20 minutes, then automatically shut off. Not willing to give up, Hieb tried the procedure for a third time just before his pre-sleep period. Thus far, the unit continues to operate within specifications. If this remains to be the case, the blue shift crew will prepare for a chromosome DNA separation experiment in the unit. Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai worked closely with ground controllers to perform a run of Dr. Klaus Leonartz' solidification study in the NIZEMI slow- rotating centrifuge. A transparent, two-component material which mimics the behavior of metal alloys was melted, then slowly resolidified, as the centrifuge turned to simulate various levels of gravity. The NIZEMI microscope gave Mukai and experiment scientists a clear view of the point where the liquid was turning into a solid, called the solidification front. "Using the NIZEMI, we can observe fluid flows and detect the gravity levels at which they begin," explained Leonartz. "We can also determine the effect of the fluid flow on the solid. If we can learn how to make semiconductors or metals more homogenous, we can improve their properties. By determining gravity thresholds, we can learn how to use other methods, such as electromagnetic forces, to surpress fluid flows during processing on Earth." Another fluid-flow experiment was conducted in the Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit this morning. An experiment container holding three layers of immiscible (non-mixing) fluids was heated from the top and the bottom. Dr. Jean-Claude Legros of Brussels, Belgium, watched downlinked video as resulting tension differences where the fluids contacted one another began to create flows within the layers. The team will use the observations to verify numerical calculations they had made to predict the velocity and direction of the fluid flows in the middle layer. "The rough data we received from our remote support center in Belgium seems to match our predictions," said Legros. The calculations could help researchers develop methods for controlling fluid flows during the manufacture of sophisticated materials, such as silicon and metal alloys for the electronics industry. The current Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit experiment, which continues until late tonight, uses vapor bubbles in a liquid refrigerant to study the process of evaporation and condensation where the liquid and vapor form common surfaces. It should provide a better understanding of boiling processes and the behavior of fluids at a liquid-vapor interface. Principal investigator for the experiment is Dr. Johannes Straub of the Technical University of Munich, Germany. The TEMPUS electromagnetic containerless processing facility levitated, melted and solidified an aluminum-copper-cobalt alloy this morning. After the mission, investigators will study the preserved sample to determine its atomic arrangement. They will be looking for "quasicrystals," a recently discovered atomic structure that can give materials a high degree of hardness, as well as novel electrical and physical properties. The study aims for a better understanding of how and why quasicrystals form. The flight crew suspended orbiter thruster firings for a short period this afternoon, providing the most stable environment possible as the TEMPUS facility melted a sphere of pure zirconium. The strong, ductile metal was heated to more than 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit (2,000 degrees Celsius), several hundred degrees higher than any for any previous melt in space. The sample was levitated for about 10 seconds, then cooled down and solidified. The Japanese space agency's Large Isothermal Furnace processed two cartridges of tungsten-nickel-iron alloys for Dr. Randall German's liquid phase sintering experiment. The material was heated so the iron and nickel formed a liquid, surrounding the uniformly dispersed powered tungsten. The method is used extensively on Earth to combine dissimilar materials, but researchers suspect gravity plays a role in distorting the microstructure of such alloys. German, of Pennsylvania State University, will compare seven different compositions of the space-processed alloy, heated for different periods of time, with similar alloys processed on Earth. He will look for differences in shape, texture, density and high-temperature strength. On Monday, July 18, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #20 STS-65 Astronauts Leroy Chiao, Don Thomas and Carl Walz discussed their work on the second International Microgravity Laboratory mission in a live television interview overnight. Columbia's Blue Team members told CBS' "Up to the Minute" program that they are enjoying their flight and looking forward to doing similar work on the International Space Station when it becomes operational. They also said they would like to follow in the footsteps of the Apollo 11 astronauts who landed on the Moon 25 years ago this week. Commander Bob Cabana, Pilot Jim Halsell, Payload Commander Rick Hieb, and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai began their 11th workday on orbit at 4:45 a.m. CDT after awakening at 2:45 a.m. On this shift, Cabana and Halsell will test their thinking skills on the Performance Awareness Workstation. Halsell also will pract ice on the Portable In-flight Landing Operations Trainer. Hieb will start the day as a subject for the Lower Body Negative Pressure device, being tested as a possible countermeasure against the detrimental effects of space flight, with Mukai assisting. Mukai will climb into the sack-like device that pulls bodily fluids back into the legs and feet as the subject of a second LBNP run. On Monday, July 18, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #20 While performing a scheduled examination of the Japanese newts container in the Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit (AAEU), Thomas reported that a second female adult newt had died. This Japanese red-bellied newt produced eggs earlier in the mission as part of an experiment for Dr. Masamichi Yamashita of Kanagawa, Japan, who is studying the effects of gravity on cells during the early stages of development. Principal Investigator Dr. Ken-Ichi Ijiri of Tokyo, Japan, received video from the Spacelab of his Medaka fish. Ijiri observed the swimming behavior of the Medaka and watched the Medaka fry (that were fertilized on Earth and recently hatched on this flight) as they swam in their own separate containers within the AAEU aquarium. Also at the AAEU facility, Chiao opened the window on the goldfish tank and closed it before his shift ended, giving the goldfish a daylight period. In the European Space Agency's Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit, Chiao initiated an investigation to study evaporation and condensation processes in fluids. More specifically, Dr. Johannes Straub, of Munich Germany, examined the boiling process of a liquid refrigerant. "For the first time, while watching video from space, we have seen that when two large bubbles join together, or coalesce, their movements produce new bubbles," explained Straub. "We are very excited about seeing this phenomenon since we can not do this experiment on Earth due to the buoyancy of bubbles. We are extremely pleased about the way the facility has performed and we appreciate the good job the crew has done to help us get this science." Knowledge gained from this investigation could influence future chemical engineering and manufacturing techniques. Thomas installed a sample container of indium-gallium-antimony into the Japanese space agency's Large Isothermal Furnace. This experiment is designed to help Principal Investigator Dr. Akira Hirata of Tokyo, Japan, develop new techniques to uniformly mix semiconductor alloys with different densities to produce materials that will transmit electrons more efficiently. Semiconductors are widely used in computers and other electronic devices. In an experiment to separate chromosome DNA from a nematode worm, Thomas injected concentrated suspensions of the DNA into the Japanese-provided Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit (FFEU), along with a special buffer solution designed to test isoelectric focusing. The FFEU appears to be operating well following a third inflight maintenance procedure, which was performed by the Red Team Sunday. Principal Investigator Dr. Hidesaburo Kobayashi of Saitama, Japan, is testing this method of chromosome separation in space to help solve problems in genetic mapping and molecular biology. Chiao monitored the start up of two separate experiments in the Electromagnetic Containerless Processing Facility (called TEMPUS) last night. In the first TEMPUS investigation, Principal Investigator Dr. Dieter Herlach studied a sphere of nickel and carbon alloy, which was undercooled, or solidified at a temperature below normal for this alloy. In the second TEMPUS experiment run, Chiao reported on the progress of a sample of iron and nickel alloy as it was melted, levitated and undercooled for Principal Investigator Dr. Ivan Egry of Cologne, Germany. Egry is studying internal friction (viscosity) and the force that keeps a liquid together in a drop (surface tension). Although both of these samples made contact with their cage while processing in the TEMPUS facility last night, ground commanding allowed them to be successfully retracted from the heating chamber. Chiao also conducted life science experiments in the Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope facility (called NIZEMI). He placed sample containers of slime mold (Physarum polycephalum) into the NIZEMI, where they were exposed to varying levels of gravity. This investigation will help Dr. Ingrid Block of Cologne, Germany, understand more about how single-cell organisms sense and respond to gravity. In an experiment for Dr. Dieter Volkmann of Bonn, Germany, Chiao placed seedlings of cress roots into the NIZEMI facility. Later, Thomas talked to Volkmann about the growth status of the cress roots. Volkmann is studying these chemically prepared cress roots to determine the lowest level at which the roots become sensitive to changes in gravity. Thomas placed samples of Loxodes striatus cells into the NIZEMI facility for an experiment to study the orientation, velocities and swimming tracks of these unicellular organisms. Since these cells may work similarly to the inner ear of vertebrates, Principal Investigator Dr. Ruth Hemmersbach-Krause of Cologne, Germany, wants to learn more about the underlying mechanisms that allow living creatures to sense gravity. In a technology experiment for Principal Investigator Dr. Augusto Cogoli of Zurich, Switzerland, Thomas took samples of baker's yeast from their containers and preserved them for post-flight analyses. This investigation, which studies the effect of stirring and mixing on the growth of baker's yeast, may influence the way life science experiments are performed in the future. While all these activities were going on in space, the Critical Point Facility science team in the Spacelab Mission Operations Control center in Huntsville watched video downlink of the sulfur hexafluoride sample as it was heated to reach its critical point (the state of a fluid at which liquid and vapor exhibit the same properties). On Monday, July 18, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #21 A small thruster jet failed early this morning, but was recovered after flight controllers determined the problem was a clogged transducer. Called a vernier engine, the thruster is one of six used to fine-tune the position of the spacecraft to keep it stable. STS-65 Commander Bob Cabana, Pilot Jim Halsell, Payload Commander Rick Hieb, and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai took time out to talk with Larry King for the Cable News Network show airing Tuesday at 8 p.m. As has been the case for most of the flight, Cabana and Halsell tested their proficiency skills on the Performance Awareness Worksta tion and the Portable In-flight Landing Operations Trainer. Hieb and Mukai took turns in the Lower Body Negative Pressure device, a possible countermeasure against the detrimental effects of space flight. Carl Walz, Leroy Chiao and Don Thomas woke up just before three this afternoon and took over for their co-workers at about 5 p.m. On Monday, July 18, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #21 Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai and Payload Commander Rick Hieb finished their fourth Lower Body Negative Pressure test today. As part of their natural adaptation to microgravity, space travelers experience a shift of fluid into their upper body. This experiment reduces pressure around a crew member's lower body to force fluids back to the legs. Echocardiograph and blood pressure tests made during various steps of lowered pressure show scientists how the crew member's cardiovascular system has adapted to microgravity. The experiment is part of the Johnson Space Center's Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Program, designed to protect the health and safety of the crew during 12- to 17-day missions aboard the Space Shuttle. Dr. Dieter Volkmann of Bonn, Germany, continued using the NIZEMI Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope to compare cress roots grown in microgravity with those grown in the Biorack centrifuge. The samples are being exposed to one-tenth of Earth's gravity on the NIZEMI centrifuge. "Thus far, we have observed a difference in gravity sensitivity between the microgravity samples and the one-gravity samples. That's a first," said Volkmann. "The microgravity roots responded in six minutes, while samples grown in the one- gravity centrifuge took 10 minutes." Volkmann will study the preserved roots after landing to pinpoint the structures within them that perceive low-level gravity. IML-2 controllers adjusted today's planned schedule to allow Mukai to perform the mission's second experiment in the Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit. The Japanese space agency experiment team says the facility has been "doing great" since Payload Commander Rick Hieb completed a successful maintenance procedure yesterday afternoon. The FFEU experiment, developed by Principal Investigator Dr. Wes Hymer, of Pennsylvania State University, examines rat pituitary cells. "Previous space flights have shown that the 'factory' which leads to the production of growth hormone is modified in space," said Hymer. "We are trying to find out whether the change occurs on the surface of the cell itself or on the surface of an individual growth-hormone-containing particle within the cell." When Mukai removed the cell culture kit from the incubator, she reported that a majority of the cells had come loose from the bottom of the container and were clumping together. She went ahead with the planned procedure for separating the sample into individual cells, but they remained clumped. Since unattached cells are required for electrophoresis, she returned the culture kits to storage. "The same procedures were done on identical cell cultures at Kennedy Space Center, and this did not happen," said Hymer. "It will take some time to determine whether flight factors caused the unexpected clumping." The second part of Hymer's experiment, which studies cells broken down into their individual sub-cellular components, will be conducted if a time slot becomes available on the next shift. Dr. Shankar Subramanian of Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, expanded his study of the interactions and migration of liquid drops in the Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit. For this experiment run, multiple drops are being injected into a container of silicone oil. Subramanian and his team are studying the drops' size, shape and speed of motion. The team will compare the observations with their calculations predicting the motion of drops in microgravity. This afternoon's Large Isothermal Furnace experiment evaluates a technique for improving the quality of alloys used in high-tech aircraft and spacecraft. Hieb placed a cartridge containing four titanium-aluminum alloys into the furnace to be melted and solidified. Two of the samples have ceramic particles added. The particles should increase the high-temperature strength of the material, improving its microstructure and thus its mechanical properties. On Earth, differences in density between the ceramic particles and the metal alloy keep the particles from distributing uniformly, but in space they should remain spread evenly within the samples. Dr. Masao Takeyama of Japan's Research Institute of Metals will compare the processed alloys to determine whether addition of ceramic particles is an effective method for controlling alloy structure. Hieb provided additional video of the fruit flies in Dr. Roberto Marco's Biorack experiment. Marco, who is conducting parallel experiments at Kennedy Space Center, reports the IML-2 flies appear to be adapting to microgravity. After greatly accelerated activity near the beginning of the mission, their current behavior is about the same as flies in Biorack's simulated gravity centrifuge in space and in his control experiment on the ground. This confirms a similar observation aboard the Russian BION-10 satellite in 1993. Mukai reported that the Animal Aquatic Experiment Unit seems to be working well, and the Medaka fish all appear to be healthy. A procedure has been designed to remove the newt which died last night from one of the four aquarium cassettes, so decomposition products will not get into the system's water loops. It will be carried out tonight, and the newt will be frozen to preserve it for analysis after landing. Newt eggs which were launched inside the cassette will remain to continue development. The eight principal investigators for the TEMPUS electromagnetic containerless processing facility shared brief observations of a one-quarter- inch sphere of pure nickel. They commanded operations from the ground, in order to give the crew more time for other experiment activities. The thermal equilibration experiment in the Critical Point Facility, which began Saturday, will continue throughout the night. The crew will work with Biorack, RAMSES electrophoresis separation facility, and Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit experiments. On Tuesday, July 19, 1994 at 7 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #22 STS-65 Commander Bob Cabana and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai started their twelfth day in space with a television interview that involved questions from Japan, Brazil and Australia. Topics included several of the experiments on the International Microgravity Laboratory-2 flight, the beauty of the Earth from orbit and the need to protect Earth's diminishing resources. Among the interviewers was Dr. Mamoru Mohri, who became the first Japanese payload specialist to fly aboard a space shuttle on the STS-47 Spacelab-J mission of September 1992. Mukai is the first female Japanese payload specialist to fly in space. Columbia's systems continue to perform almost flawlessly. One recent item of interest has been a continuing series of error messages from one of the shuttle's three inertial measurement units, which provide guidance information for the on-board computers. Flight controllers are studying the messages carefully, but have determined that the IMU is still functioning well and capable of providing data needed to land the shuttle. The orbiter remains in a 163 by 158 nautical mile orbit, circling the Earth every 90 minutes. On Tuesday, July 19, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #22 Mission Specialists Carl Walz, Don Thomas and Leroy Chiao took a break during their eleventh day in space to thank the French Space Agency's Jean- Jacques Favier, STS-65 alternate payload specialist at the Spacelab Mission Operations Control center in Huntsville. The crew then went back to work, conducting investigations in the weightless environment of space for the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission. During the first part of his shift, Thomas performed an inflight maintenance procedure to remove the dead newt from its container in the Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit. He then placed the newt into the Spacelab freezer to preserve it for post-mission analyses. Later, Thomas reported that the remaining adult newts and the recently hatched newt larvae continue to appear healthy. He also injected the newt tank with dye, which acts as a tracer, to help Principal Investigator Dr. Michael Wiederhold of San Antonio, Texas, study development of the gravity-sensing organs in the newts that hatched during the flight. The Japanese goldfish in the aquarium facility experienced their daylight period when Chiao opened the window to their tank at the beginning of his shift and closed the window before his shift ended. Thomas initiated an experiment in the French Space Agency's Applied Research on Separation Methods Using Space Electrophoresis (called RAMSES) facility. For this experiment, Thomas installed the sample bag of a highly concentrated protein extract into a buffer solution, which helped the proteins flow through an electrical field. This process, known as electrophoresis, caused the proteins to separate according to their individual electrical charges. The separated proteins will be returned to Earth for analysis by a French pharmaceutical company. Bernard Schoot of Romainville, France, co- investigator and Principal Investigator Dr. Victor Sanchez of Toulouse, France, were excited by the way the proteins separated last night. "This investigation went better than expected and we are extremely pleased," said Schoot. "Because of the high concentration of protein in this sample, we can not do this investigation on Earth." Chiao also conducted an experiment in the Japanese space agency's Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit (FFEU). This experiment run was the second part of an investigation for Dr. Wes Hymer of Pennsylvania State University. After Chiao injected a sample of rat pituitary cells with a solution that caused them to separate into growth hormones and prolactins, the cells (granules) were separated in the FFEU's electrophoresis chamber. Once the sample containers are returned to Earth, Hymer will analyze these separated cells to determine how they were affected by spaceflight. All pre-mission objectives for two experiments in the German-provided Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope (called NIZEMI) were completed last night. For the first experiment, Chiao placed a small container of succinonitrile-acetone into the NIZEMI facility. Dr. Klaus Leonartz of Aachen, Germany, watched video from the Spacelab as the two-component mixture solidified in microgravity. This type of low-gravity experiment will help improve materials in the future as scientists begin to understand more about the solidification process. Chiao also placed additional seedlings of cress roots into the NIZEMI centrifuge, exposing them to varying levels of gravity. Dr. Dieter Volkmann of Bonn, Germany is studying these chemically prepared samples of roots to understand more about how changes in gravity affect plant growth. This information is important as we consider raising plants for food and oxygen during extended stays in space. In the European Space Agency's Biorack facility, Chiao withdrew samples of baker's yeast to determine if it has been expanding during the flight. Researcher Dr. Augusto Cogoli of Zurich, Switzerland, is studying another way of stimulating growth in the yeast - stirring and mixing. There are two containers of baker's yeast involved in this experiment. One container has a stirring mechanism to mix the yeast culture. The second container, which serves as a control sample, does not have a stirring mechanism. Results from Cogoli's experiment may influence the way life science experiments in space are conducted in the future. Chiao added a culture medium to Bacillus subtilis bacteria that were exposed to radiation before launch. Dr. Gerda Horneck of Cologne, Germany, is the principal investigator for this experiment to test the hypothesis that gravity affects the ability of biological systems to repair themselves after radiation damage. Scientists must understand more about radiation-damaged cells and their ability to recover from the effects of radiation - an environmental factor in space - before humans can plan for much longer missions. Chiao deactivated the Japanese-provided Large Isothermal Furnace last night after all five of the scheduled experiment operations had been completed. After this IML-2 mission, scientists will analyze their alloy samples to better understand and improve production techniques on Earth. During the next 12 hours, the Red Team will be performing activities in support of the Spinal Changes in Microgravity experiment and conducting life science investigations in the Biorack and NIZEMI facilities. They also will transfer containers into the Free Flow Electrophoresis Unit and deactivate the Electromagnetic Containerless Processing Facility since all pre-mission objectives have been met. On Tuesday, July 19, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #23 The only issue of any significance is with a backup stabilizing unit on one of the three navigation platforms in the nose of the Orbiter. Called an Inertial Measurement Unit, or IMU, the device is used to provide navigation data to the spacecraft's onboard computers. The backup rate gyroscope has experienced transient spikes periodically, but none have interfered with the operation of the navigation platform. Flight controllers have compared the IMU with one of its sister units to ensure that it is healthy. Earlier today, the crew downlinked video of Japanese Payload Specialist Chiaki Naito-Mukai working in the Spacelab module with the Aquatic Animal Enclosure Unit and the Japanese Medaka fish. Payload Commander Rick Hieb and Mukai also participated in a Canadian experiment that measures changes to the astronauts' spinal columns. The astronauts also shared Earth views as the Orbiter passed over the South American continent. On Wednesday, July 20, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #24 STS-65 Commander Bob Cabana told reporters on the ground early Wednesday that the crew of Columbia is proud have the Apollo 11 lunar landing as part of its heritage, that today's space program is made up of people who are equally talented and hard working, and that they are ready to take on the challenge of an International Space Station. Cabana's comments came at the start of the in-flight news conference, which also covered the crew's ability to recover the operations of five experiment mechanisms during the course of the flight, the importance of America's space program as an inspiration for the country's young people, and the willingness of many members of NASA's astronaut corps to return to the Moon. Cabana also said the close coordination seen on the STS-65 International microgravity Laboratory-2 mission will serve as a model for space station operations, especially in the area of telescience, which has been exploited heavily on this flight with some 25,000 remote commands having been sent to the Spacelab experiments so far. Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, the first Japanese female to fly in space, fielded a variety of questions in both Japanese and English, including inquiries as what she felt was the most impressive view from orbit (The Earth's limb at sunrise and sunset), and what she would most like to do when she returns to Earth (see the people who worked so hard on this mission happy with the results). Flight controllers continue to monitor one of Columbia's three Inertial measurement Units, which has experienced a series of transient error messages, but remain convinced that the navigation instrument is healthy and could support landing. On Wednesday, July 20, 1994 at 6 p.m., STS-65 MCC Status Report #25 STS-65 Commander Bob Cabana observed the 25th anniversary of the first landing on the Moon today in a special commemoration on board the Space Shuttle which bears the same name as the Apollo 11 command module -- Columbia. At 3:18 p.m. CDT, the exact time the lunar module Eagle landed at Tranquillity Base 25 years earlier, Cabana extended his best wishes to all those celebrating the "giant leap for mankind." This afternoon, Cabana also talked to the crew aboard the Russia's Space Station Mir exchanging greetings and well wishes on the 25th anniversary of Apollo 11. In a linkup through the Mission Control Centers in Houston and Kaliningrad, Cabana talked with cosmonauts Yuri Malenchenko, Talgat Musabayev and Dr. Valery Polyakov about life on the Shuttle and Mir, and future cooperation in space on the International Space Station. The Orbiter systems continue to perform well allowing continuous science gathering in the pressurized Spacelab module in the payload bay in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory mission. In a precautionary measure, flight controllers are still monitoring the performance of Inertial Measurement Unit 1, which experienced transient errors in the redundant rate gyro earlier in the flight. Flight controllers also are beginning to review deorbit and entry messages in preparation for Columbia's return to Earth Friday. Two landing opportunities are available for Columbia at the Kennedy Space Center -- at 5:47 a.m. and 7:23 a.m. Long-range weather shows favorable conditions forecast for the landing. On Thursday, July 21, 1994 at 6 a.m., STS-65 Payload Status Report #26 reports: During their thirteenth day in orbit, Mission Specialists Don Thomas, Carl Walz and Leroy Chiao continued some of the final experiments for the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission and shut down some of the equipment in preparation for the Space Shuttle Columbia's planned landing on Friday. Chiao deactivated the Bubble, Drop and Particle Unit. This multi-user facility was developed by the European Space Agency an used extensively during the mission to help scientists understand more about the behavior of fluids in microgravity. Researcher Dr. Dorothy Spangenberg of Norfolk, Virginia, watched from the Spacelab Mission Operations Control center in Huntsville, as video from Spacelab brought images of her swimming jellyfish last night. "It was a great success," Spangenberg said, after seeing jellyfish that developed while in space swimming around in their containers inside the German-provided Slow Rotating Centrifuge Microscope. This microscope system, called NIZEMI, was designed to improve scientists' understanding of how microgravity affects the development of animals and plants and the role that gravity plays in the way organisms develop on Earth. Following this last NIZEMI experiment run, Chiao prepared the facility for the Shuttle landing. The last two experiments in the European Space Agency's Biorack facility were completed overnight. Thomas photographed lentil seeds, which were exposed to both microgravity and gravity environments, to help researchers test a theory about how gravity-sensing cells at the tip of plant roots regulate root growth. Principal Investigator Dr. Ghrald Perbal of Paris, France, has been investigating which direction plant roots grow when there is no distinguishable up or down, as is the case in the weightless environment of space. In the other completed Biorack experiment, Thomas moved one container of sea urchins to the Biorack incubator and one container to the cooler. Dr. Hans- Jurg Marthy of Banyuls-sur-Mer, France, is studying sea urchin embryos and larvae to determine if the way their skeletons absorb calcium and minerals is normal in space. Information gathered during this experiment could be applied to fighting disorders experienced by people on Earth (such as osteoporosis) and help protect future space travelers. After Thomas completed that experiment, he packed up the Biorack equipment. Part of this process included storing seven dosimeters that have been documenting the radiation environment inside the Biorack facility throughout the STS-65 mission. Dr. Guenther Reitz of Cologne, Germany, is principal investigator for this experiment, designed to provide a baseline of radiation data for all Biorack scientists to use when analyzing their experiment results after the mission. Biostack, a German-provided investigation, continued to collect data on the points of entry and paths of high-energy cosmic rays within the Spacelab module last night. Reitz is also the principal investigator for this multi-national program to determine the effect of radiation energy on life forms in space. Reitz's experiment uses two different strains of shrimp eggs and salad seeds. After the mission, scientists will compare any radiation damage to their IML-2 biological organisms with cosmic particle penetrations identified by the detectors. Thomas deactivated the Real-Time Radiation Monitoring Device (RRMD). This Japanese-developed instrument, which has actively measured the high-energy cosmic radiation entering the Spacelab module during IML-2, is the first device to transmit information to the ground during a flight. On longer spaceflights in the future, it may be possible to forecast radiation storms due to increased levels of solar activity, with devices similar to the RRMD. In another experiment to test the environment of the Spacelab module, Thomas used a hand-held, battery-powered air sampler to collect information on airborne contaminant levels in Spacelab. Results from this IML-2 investigation for Principal Investigator Duane Pierson of Houston, Texas, will be added to data from previous flights to establish baseline microbial levels during missions of different lengths to evaluate potential risk to crew health and safety. Last night, Thomas made the final observations of the newts and goldfish in the Aquatic Animal Experiment Unit (AAEU). Thomas exposed the goldfish to light stimulation, allowing Dr. Akira Takabayashi of Toyoake, Japan, to make further studies of their swimming behavior in orbit. Takabayashi said the goldfish "appear to have adapted to the weightlessness of space." After Columbia's landing, Takabayashi will observe the goldfish to determine their ability to re-adapt to the Earth's gravity. This experiment explores the hypothesis that space motion sickness is caused by conflicting messages being sent to the brain from the eyes and the otoliths (gravity-sensing mechanisms). An in-flight maintenance procedure was performed last night for the Applied Research on Separation Methods Using Space Electrophoresis facility (called RAMSES). After reviewing the data, managers decided not to attempt reactivation. Thomas performed scheduled recording disk change-out procedures on the Quasi-Steady Acceleration Measurement (QSAM) device. The QSAM system, located in a rack of the Spacelab module, has been running throughout this mission, detecting steady, low-frequency, residual accelerations that may have had an effect on some of the onboard experiments. In a related experiment, Chiao exchanged a data disk in the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) instrument. The SAMS device has been measuring higher-frequency accelerations and vibrations in the Spacelab module during this flight. Scientists will compare data from the QSAM and SAMS instruments with results from their IML-2 experiments to determine if onboard investigations were affected by accelerations during the flight. Payload Commander Rick Hieb and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai prepared the Lower Body Negative Pressure device for a day of activities as part of the Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Project. During the next 12 hours, Hieb and Mukai will continue with this activity, then stow the apparatus. Mission Name: STS-64 (64) Discovery (19) Pad 39-B (30) 64th Shuttle Mission 19th Flight OV-103 EAFB Landing (41) 28th EVA of Shuttle program Crew: Richard N. Richards (4), Commander L. Blaine Hammond, Jr. (2), Pilot Jerry M. Linenger (1), Mission Specialist 1 Susan J. Helms (2), Mission Specialist 2 Carl J. Meade (3), Mission Specialist 3 Mark C. Lee (3), Mission Specialist 4 Milestones: OPF -- 2/11/94 VAB -- 8/11/94 PAD -- 8/19/94 Payload: LITE-1, ROMPS, SPARTAN-201, TCS, SPIFEX, GAS(x11), SAFER, SSCE, BRIC-III, RME-III, MAST, SAREX-II, AMOS Mission Objectives: The STS-64 mission will carry the LIDAR In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE), a project to measure atmospheric parameters from a space platform utilizing laser sensors, the Robot Operated Materials Processing System (ROMPS) to investigate robot handling of thin film samples, and the Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN-201). SPARTAN is a free-flying retrievable platform with two telescopes to study the solar wind, a continuous stream of electrons, heavy protons and heavy ions ejected from the sun and traveling through space at speeds of almost 1 million miles per hour. The solar wind frequently causes problems on Earth by disrupting navigation, communications and electrical power. The STS-64 mission will also carry the Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment (SPIFEX). This experiment is designed to directly measure RCS plume loads in the far-field regime under actual on-orbit conditions. Discovery's payload bay also contains a GAS bridge assembly with 12 GAS canisters (G-178, G-254, G-312, G-325, G-417, G-453, G-454, G-456, G-485, G-506 and G-562). One additional experiment in the payload bay is the Trajectory Control Sensor (TCS) package positioned on an Adaptive Payload Carrier. It will provide relative trajectory data on a target vehicle operating in close proximity (less than 5000ft) of the Orbiter. The TCS will provide range and range rate data for target vehicles having a reflective surface. Additionally, the TCS provides bearing, bearing rate, attitude, and attitude rates for target vehicles utilizing special retro-reflectors. In Discovery's middeck area, STS-64 will carry the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system, the Solid Surface Combustion Experiment (SSCE), the Biological Research in Canister III (BRIC-III) experiment, the Radiation Monitoring Equipment III (RME-III) experiment. Other experiments onboard STS-64 include Military Application of Ship Trails (MAST), Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) and Air Force Maui Optical Site Calibration Test (AMOS). Launch: Launch September 9, 1994 6:22:35:042pm EDT. The Launch window opened at 4:30am EDT with a 2 hour 30 min window. The late afternoon launch was scheduled to permit nighttime operation of the LITE-1 laser early in the mission. The launch was delayed due to launch weather violations near the launch complex LC 39B area. Discovery's Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) occured at 6:33pm EDT while the orbiter was 790nm down range an at an altitude of 380,000 ft (52nm). Discovery's empty weight was 173,499lbs (with 3 SSME's) and the orbiter weight at liftoff was 241,434lbs. Payload weight up was 19,478lbs. Scheduled Trans-Atlantic Abort (TAL) sites were Zaragoza, Spain, Ben Guerir, Morocco and Moron, Spain. Orbit: Altitude: 140 nm Inclination: 57 degrees Orbits: 176 Duration: 10 days, 22 hours, 49 minutes, 57 seconds. Distance: 4.5 million miles Hardware: SRB: BI-068 SRM: 360L041 ET : SN-66 MLP: 2 SSME-1: SN-2031 SSME-2: SN-2109 SSME-3: SN-2029 Landing: September 20, 1994 on Runway 04 at Edwards Air Force Base at 5:12:52pm EDT. Nose wheel touchdown at 5:13:04 p.m. EDT with a wheel stop at 4:13:52 p.m. EDT. Discovery had four landing opportunities on 9/20/94, two in Florida and two at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The Florida opportunity was waived off due to low clouds and precipitation near the Shuttle Landing Facility. A KSC landing would have involved a deorbit engine firing at 12:11 p.m. CDT, on the flight's 174th orbit, followed by a touchdown at 1:11 p.m. CDT. A second opportunity would begin with a 1:45 p.m. CDT deorbit burn and result in a 2:45 p.m. CDT Florida touchdown. The opportunities for a landing at Edwards began on the 176th orbit with a deorbit burn at 4:14 p.m. EDT and touchdown at 5:11 p.m. EDT. A second opportunity would have Discovery fire its engines at 5:50 p.m. EDT and touchdown at 6:46 p.m. EDT. KSC September 19, 1994 2:42pm EDT was waived-off due to bad weather. Four landing opportunities -- two to Florida and two to California -- existed for Discovery on Monday. The first and primary opportunity began with a deorbit burn at 12:23 p.m. central time on the mission's 158th orbit leading to a 1:23 p.m. touchdown. A second opportunity to land at KSC would have begun with a deorbit burn at 1:55 p.m. on the 159th orbit and lead to a 2:55 p.m. touchdown. Later landing opportunities result in touchdowns at Edwards Air Force Base, Ca., at 4:24 p.m. or 5:56 p.m. Central time. The Monday weather forecast for KSC called for a chance of thunderstorms within 30 miles of the landing strip while it calls for acceptable landing weather at Edwards. Should the weather not cooperate today, Discovery has landing opportunities at both KSC and Edwards on Tuesday and Wednesday. The forecast for the later opportunities is similar to today's weather predictions. Discovery's Payload down weight was 19,436lbs and the orbiter landing weight was 211,834lbs. Mission Highlights: On Saturday, September 10, 1994 at 9 a.m. CST, STS-64 MCC Status Report #1 reported: Payload activities on board the Space Shuttle Discovery picked as the STS-64 crew began its second day in orbit. Discovery's six astronauts started Flight Day 2 to a parody of a Beach Boys tune called "We'll Have Fun, Fun, Fun on the Shuttle," sung by Mach 25. Before crew members went to sleep, the Lidar In-space Technology Experiment, STS-64's primary payload, was activated and reported to be in good working condition. Experiment controllers reported that they were receiving "terrific looking returns." LITE will be used during the course of the mission to collect atmospheric data with a laser system to measure clouds, particles in the atmosphere and the Earth's surface. This information will help scientists explain the impact of human activity on the atmosphere. Lidar, an acronym for light detection and ranging is similar to the radar commonly used to track everything from airplanes in flight to thunderstorms. It can be thought of as an optical radar, but instead of bouncing radio waves off its target, lidar uses short pulses of laser light. Some of that light reflects tiny particles in the atmosphere, called aerosols, then back to a telescope aligned with the laser. By precisely timing the lidar echo and by measuring how much laser light is received by the telescope, scientists can accurately determine the location, distribution and nature of the particle. The result is a revolutionary new tool for studying the composition of Earth's atmosphere. A new materials processing facility called ROMPS for Robotic Operated Materials Processing System also was activated yesterday and ran throughout the night. ROMPS will process crystals in microgravity by transporting a variety of semiconductors from storageracks to furnaces for processing. Mission Specialist Susan J. Helms powered up Discovery's robot arm to work with the Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment, also known as SPIFEX. The experiment consists of a 33-foot long beam that will be used to characterize and measure the plumes of the steering jets. SPIFEX will be maneuvered on the end of the robot arm to take measurements of 86 separate jet firings. This information will be used by engineers determine the effects of thrusters on large space structures such as the International Space Station. Crew members also will set up their ham radio equipment to support the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment. On Saturday, Sept 10, 1994 at 4:30 p.m. CST, STS-64 MCC Status Report #3 reports: Discovery's crew began its first full day in orbit with an assortment of experiments aboard the shuttle. Following a good performance checkout last night, the Lidar in Space Technology Experiment (LITE) completed three orbits of nightime observations above the eastern hemisphere. LITE took laser measurements of aerosols above northern Europe, clouds above Indonesia and the south Pacific, and the surface of the Himalayan Mountains. Simultaneous atmospheric measurements were performed by LITE in orbit and by researchers on the ground of the atmosphere above Tomsk, Russia, a site that has long been a part of various atmospheric studies. Also early today, Mission Specialist Susan J. Helms performed a check of Discovery's mechanical arm, finding it to be in excellent condition. Helms then grappled the Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment, a 32-foot long extension to the mechanical arm, raising it above Discovery's cargo bay. During SPIFEX activation, flight controllers noticed a communications problem with the interface between Discovery's payload general support computers and the data system on SPIFEX. After cycling a circuit breaker that powers the data system, communications were restored and SPIFEX is operating properly. Later, cold nitrogen gas was fired at SPIFEX to calibrate sensors which will be used to study the effects of the shuttle's reaction control system jet plumes. On Sunday, Sept 11, 1994 at 9 a.m. CST, STS-64 MCC Status Report #4 reports: Planning for the third day of STS-64 went smoothly last night as flight controllers refined the timeline to enhance today's payload activities. In general, the changes will allow for additional live satellite coverage for the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE) and the Space Plume Impingement Flight Experiment (SPIFEX), two of Discovery's primary payloads. LITE controllers have reported that they are seeing good results thus far. Crew members started their third day in space at 7:23 a.m. CDT to a parody of the song "My Girl" called "My World" by Mach 25. On Sunday, Sept 11, 1994 at 4 p.m. CST, STS-64 MCC Status Report #5 reports: Discovery's crew spent the first half of the mission's third day continuing an investigation of the exhaust plumes emitted by the shuttle's steering jets. Using the Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment attached to the end of the shuttle' s mechanical arm, Mission Specialist Susan Helms positioned instruments above steering jets both at the rear and over the nose of Discovery. Measuring single and dual jet firings, SPIFEX's instruments characterized the heat and pressure from the jets to help plan for dockings of the shuttle with the Russia's Mir Space Station and the International Space Station. Also, Commander Dick Richards and Jerry Linenger were interviewed by CNN, answering questions about their mission that had been sent in by CNN viewers. For the rest of the day, the focus aboard Discovery shifted back to laser observations using the Lidar in Space Technology Experment. LITE will take three successive orbits of observations during the last part of the crew's day. The crew also will exercise during the last part of the day, evaluating a new type of treadmill carried aboard Discovery. Exercise has been a long-standing portion of shuttle missions as one method for offsetting the effects of weightlessness on the body. On Monday, Sept 12, 1994 at 7 a.m. CST, STS-64 MCC Status Report #6 reports: Investigators are describing some of the data takes with the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment, or LITE, as "rich" when compared to measurements taken by ground and aircraft instruments. LITE is the first use of a "lidar" system in space. Information from the Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment, or SPIFEX, indicates that all instruments on the 32-foot long extension of the Discovery's robot arm are in good health and providing high quality data. At the end of the days activities, SPIFEX will be berthed on the starboard side of the payload bay so that the arm will be available for the deploy and retrieval of the Spartan satellite on Tuesday. SPIFEX is being used in tests to help engineers characterize exhaust plumes emitted by the shuttle's steering jets. Overnight, the Robot Operated Materials Processing System, or ROMPS, continued its smooth operations. The first U.S. robotics system to be used in space, ROMPS transports semiconductor samples from storage racks to halogen lamp furnaces for heating and cooling. The STS-64 crew began its fourth day in space at 6:23 a.m. CDT with the song "Ace in the Hole" by George Strait. On Monday, Sept 12, 1994 at 3 p.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #7 reports: A variety of observations by the Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) marked Discovery's fourth day in orbit, as well as a few final studies of the shuttle's steering jet exhaust plumes. LITE completed observations of smoke in the atmosphere above portions of South America, the sea surface in the mid-Atlantic, clouds above Central America, and the upper atmosphere above northern Europe. Observations by the laser radar were made during both daylight and night passes. Several precisely targeted observations required Commander Dick Richards to aim the laser by altering Discovery's orientation, while other sites were surveyed by using a slow rocking of Discovery to create a sweep with the laser pulses. Scientists with LITE are delighted with the information obtained thus far, and a variety of concurrent measurements by ground instruments and airborne instruments have been recorded. Earlier today, Mission Specialist Susan J. Helms conducted a few more tests of exhaust plumes from Discovery's small jets using SPIFEX, a 32-foot long instrumented boom grasped by the shuttle's mechanical arm. However, early in the test session, communications broke off between the laptop computer aboard Discovery and the experiment's instruments, causing several low-priority studies to be missed. The communications link was restored prior to latching the experiment back into its cradle along the right edge of Discovery's cargo bay. SPIFEX has completed the majority of its planned studies, including all of the studies of heat and pressures from the jet exhausts that were deemed to be a high priority for the experiment. The information will assist in planning future dockings between the shuttle and space stations. At 6:03 p.m. CDT today, Commander Richard N. Richards, along with Carl J. Meade and Mark C. Lee, the two astronauts who plan to conduct a spacewalk later in the flight, will be interviewed by a reporter for Space News. The interview will be carried live on NASA TV. The crew will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 10:23 p.m. central and awaken at 6:23 a.m. Tuesday. On Tuesday, Sept 13, 1994 at 8 a.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #8 reports: The STS-64 crew today prepared to release the Spartan-201 satellite which is expected to spend about 40 hours flying free of Discovery as it collects information on the Sun and its solar winds. Following deployment, the orbiter will perform three separation burns to move it away from Spartan to a station-keeping point about 50 miles behind. Spartan-201 will then begin its mission to look for evidence explaining how the solar wind is generated by the Sun. The solar wind originates in the corona, the outermost atmosphere of the Sun. Spartan-201- carries two separate telescopes to study the corona. The White Light Coronagraph measures density distribution of electrons making up the corona. The other telescope, the Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer investigates the temperatures and distribution of protons and hydrogen atoms through the layers of the corona. This information, which will be recorded on board the satellite and retrieved after landing, will help scientists characterize this part of the Sun. Spartan will be retrieved on Thursday to be berthed once again in Discovery's payload bay for the return home. Overnight, the Robot Operated Materials Processing System continued to processes semiconductor samples. Fifty-four of the 100 ROMPS samples have been processed, and controllers are pleased with the system's performance so far. Crew members began their fifth day in space at 6:23 a.m. CDT with a parody of the Beach Boys song "I Get Around" called "We Orbit Round" by Mach 25. The astronauts' efforts to conserve Discovery's cryogenic fuels are paying off. Flight controllers in Houston say the outlook for an additional day in space is promising. On Tuesday, Sept 13, 1994 at 8 p.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #9 reports: Discovery's crew was given a go to stay in space an additional day prior to the checkout and deployment of a science satellite designed to study the Sun's corona. Later, the crew continued work with a laser instrument to measure the Earth's atmosphere and cloud cover. Mission managers gave the go ahead to extend the mission after evaluating electrical power usage thus far. The latest margins showed electrical power consumption is running below pre-flight predictions to provide enough hydrogen and oxygen to permit an extra day of science data gathering. The STS-64 mission now is scheduled to conclude with a landing September 19 in the early afternoon. The Spartan satellite was released from Discovery's robot arm at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon followed closely by three separation maneuvers to slowly move the Orbiter away from SPARTAN to a station-keeping point about 50 miles behind. Two orbits after release, the satellite began its mission searching for evidence explaining how the solar wind is generated by the Sun. SPARTAN will be retrieved on Thursday to be berthed once again in Discovery's payload bay for the return home. After the deploy, the six crew members began preparations for continued work with the primary payload aboard the orbiter -- LITE. The laser device bounces off of the Earth's clouds and atmosphere providing real- time data on the environment and the effects of human interaction. Overnight, the Robot Operated Materials Processing System, or ROMPS, will continue to process semiconductor samples in canisters mounted on the side of the payload bay. The operation is conducted remotely while the crew sleeps. Discovery's crew will go to sleep shortly before 10:30 this evening and wake up tomorrow morning at 6:23 to begin checkout of spacesuit equipment to be used during Friday's spacewalk. On Wednesday, Sept 14, 1994 at 7 a.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #10 reports: Crew members began their sixth day in space with the song "On Orbit," sung by Mach 25 to the Green Acres theme. Following the completion of post-sleep activities, Mission Specialists Carl Meade and Mark Lee will begin checking out the space suits they will use during Friday's extravehicular activity. The six-hour space walk, currently scheduled to begin at about 9:45 a.m. Central Friday, is designed to test several tools and techniques that may be used at the International Space Station. Among the tools is the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue, or SAFER, a small, self-contained, propulsive backpack that can provide a free-flying astronaut control and mobility. SAFER is designed for self-rescue use by a space walker in the event the shuttle is unable or unavailable to retrieve a detached, drifting crew member. Science activities with the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment, or LITE, continued with three data takes. The science activities in space are being coordinated with concurrent activities on the ground. Tuesday, 10 different groups from Japan, China, Puerto Rico and the United States took measurements of the Earth's atmosphere from the ground at the same time LITE was recording data in space. SPARTAN-201 is moving out ahead of Discovery, opening at a rate of 3.6 n.m. per hour. Later today, the crew will start maneuvering the orbiter back toward the science satellite, setting up for its retrieval on Thursday. Overnight, flight controllers looked at the data from Discovery's rendezvous radar which was recording questionable readings during the deploy operations. Controllers have concluded that the signatures were the result of the radar's late acquisition of the satellite, the cause of which is still being investigated. The Robot Operated Materials Processing System, or ROMPS, also continues to process semiconductor samples in canisters mounted on the side of the payload bay. The operation, conducted remotely while the crew sleeps, is being characterized by its controllers as "very successful." So far, 74 of the 100 samples have been processed.. On Wednesday, Sept 14, 1994 at 5 p.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Discovery's crew on Wednesday checked out equipment that will be used during an untethered spacewalk on Friday; continued work in support of laser mapping of clouds, atmospheric and environmental conditions; and began the process of catching up with a science satellite which has been operating free of the Orbiter for two days. The two spacesuits were checked out by astronauts Mark Lee, Carl Meade and Jerry Linenger and are ready to support the spacewalk on Friday. They also tested the small jet pack that will be used to fly free of the Shuttle without tethers for the first time in 10 years. Also tested was an electronic checklist that fits on the forearm of the astronauts to provide computer data on various aspects of the spacewalk. While Lee and Meade are in the payload bay, Linenger will assist with the choreography from inside the Shuttle. Today, science activities with the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment, or LITE, continued with three data takes. The science activities in space are being coordinated with concurrent activities on the ground. The astronauts also began targeting Discovery for a rendezvous and retrieval of the SPARTAN satellite deployed Tuesday. The furthest distance the two reached prior to beginning the rendezvous was 60 nautical miles. Two small firings of the thruster jets on the Orbiter were conducted today and the closing rate was about one nautical mile per orbit. Flight controllers spent the day discussing options for rendezvous in the event the Orbiter's radar system was unavailable during the final stages of the rendezvous profile tomorrow. The system did not lock on to the satellite until about an hour after deploy. The problem has not yet been explained. The rendezvous options without the radar system include using the ground navigation data as well as using Discovery's on board star trackers. Though these procedures are not as precise and would require slightly more propellant than normal, the propellant margins are adequate to support a "no-radar" rendezvous and the crew and flight control teams are trained for just such a scenario. The Robot Operated Materials Processing System (ROMPS) continues to process semiconductor samples in canisters mounted on the side of the payload bay. The operation, conducted remotely while the crew sleeps has so far processed 78 of the 100 samples planned for the mission. On Thursday, Sept 15, 1994 at 7 a.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #12 reports: Discovery is slowly closing in on Spartan-201 as the STS-64 crew prepares to retrieve the science satellite later today. Spartan-201 was deployed from Discovery's payload bay Tuesday for about 48 hours of data collection on the solar wind and the Sun's corona. With Spartan's science operations nearing completion, crew members will fire Discovery's steering jets several times catch up with the satellite. Once Spartan is within the orbiter's each, Mission Specialist Susan Helms will use the robot arm to grab the satellite about 3:47 p.m. CDT and secure it in the payload bay for return home. The information gathered during the free-flying operations will be analyzed by scientists post flight. Later today, space-walking astronauts Carl Meade and Mark Lee will perform an abbreviated pre-breathing protocol in preparation of Friday's extravehicular activity. The protocol helps clean nitrogen from the blood of the EVA astronauts before they venture outside the crew cabin, thus preventing the condition known as "the bends." At 5:23 a.m., flight controllers awakened crew members with the song "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley. On Thursday, Sept 15, 1994 at 12 noon CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #13 reports: Discovery is closing in on the Spartan-201 satellite, aiming for a capture of the satellite at about 3:47 p.m. central time. Spartan will have spent a total of almost 48 hours flying free from the shuttle and performing its observations of the sun. Discovery's final approach toward Spartan will begin with a Terminal Phase Initiation, or TI, burn at about 1:44 p.m., when Discovery is about 8 nautical miles behind the satellite. Shortly before that engine firing, Mission Specialist Susan Helms will power up the shuttle's mechanical arm in preparation for the retrieval. Commander Dick Richards will take over manual control of Discovery at about 2:56 p.m. central as the shuttle closes to within a mile of the satellite. Flying with Discovery's aft flight deck controls, Richards will maneuver the shuttle to within 45 feet of Spartan so Helms can use the arm to lock on to the satellite, predicted to occur at about 3:47 p.m. central. Discovery's rendezvous radar system has been activated and is currently tracing the Spartan as the shuttle closes in. Earlier today, the crew decreased Discovery's cabin pressure to 10.2 pounds per square inch as part of preparations for tomorrow's planned spacewalk by Mark Lee and Carl Meade. The lower pressure, along with about 25 minutes Lee and Meade spent breathing pure oxygen, assists in purging nitrogen from the astronauts' bloodstreams to avoid a condition commonly called the bends when they encounter the 4.3 psi spacesuit pressure. On Thursday, Sept 15, 1994 at 7 p.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #14 reports: Space Shuttle Discovery and its crew of six astronauts successfully retrieved the Spartan 201 satellite Thursday afternoon, bringing the science satellite into the orbiter's cargo bay after two days of independent science research into solar activity. Mission specialist Susan Helms used the Shuttle's mechanical arm to grapple the satellite and bring it into its latches. Discovery's rendezvous radar, which had given some earlier problem indication when Spartan was deployed on Tuesday, performed well during the final rendezvous phase. Earlier today, the cabin pressure in Discovery was reduced to 10.2 PSI in preparation for Friday's spacewalk. Astronauts Mark C. Lee and Carl J. Meade will exit the orbiter's airlock Friday morning for a six-hour EVA to test of a device designed as a rescue aid or future spacewalkers who become untethered while working outside their spacecraft or space station. On Friday, Sept 16, 1994 at 7 a.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #15 reports: Mission Specialists Carl J. Meade and Mark C. Lee are getting ready to venture out of Discovery's crew cabin this morning to spend six hours testing a new propulsive backpack. Called SAFER for Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue, the backpack is designed for use in the event a crew member inadvertently becomes untethered while conducting an extravehicular activity. During today's space walk, Meade and Lee will take turns testing the cap abilities of the unit by performing four specific test sequences. The first sequence gives the operator an opportunity to become familiar with the device before attempting the other demonstrations. Once the space walker is familiar with the unit, the engineering evaluation will begin. For that test, the space walker will fly several short translational and rotational sequences. Next, a self-rescue demonstration will take place. In it, one space walker will stand in the foot restraint at the end of Discovery's mechanical arm and impart a series of rotations to the SAFER space walker. The SAFER space walker will then activate the unit's attitude control system to stop the rotation and fly back to the end of the arm. The fourth test, a flight qualities evaluation, will have the space walker fly a precise trajectory that will follow the bent mechanical arm, demonstrating the kind of precision translation that might be needed at the International Space Station. Preparations for the space walk began shortly after 7 a.m. CDT. At about 8:36 a.m., Meade and Lee will begin a 50-minute period of breathing pure oxygen in their space suits to cleanse the nitrogen from their blood before depressurizing the airlock. The two space walkers will step out of the airlock at about at 9:43 a.m. Today's EVA follows on the heels of Thursday's successful retrieval of the Spartan-201 satellite. Mission Specialist Susan Helms used Discovery's robot arm to capture the satellite and secure it in the payload bay for return home. Throughout the rendezvous, Discovery's radar system performed well. The STS-64 payloads also are performing well. Operations with the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment continued with four hours of data recording, including readings taken over Super Typhoon Melissa. The payload community also reported that the Robot Operated Materials Processing System has completed its crystal growth activities for the flight. On Friday, Sept 16, 1994 at 5:30 p.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #16 reports: Astronauts Mark Lee and Carl Meade today successfully completed the first untethered U.S. space walk in a decade, trying out a new rescue aid for astronauts who might float free from their spacecraft. The spacewalk or EVA lasted 6 hours 51 minutes and was the 28th in the Space Shuttle program. Lee and Meade exited the airlock mid-morning Friday and conducted several tests of the SAFER, the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue, while untethered in Discovery's cargo bay. Astronaut Jerry Linenger assisted his crewmates from inside the spacecraft and Susan Helms maneuvered Discovery's robot arm for the procedures. Saturday is the bonus day on orbit for STS-64, added when mission managers determined that onboard supplies were sufficient to get one more day of science operations. Additional runs are planned of the Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment or SPIFEX which looks at the effect of shuttle jet firings on other space structures, and the Lidar in Space Technology Experiment or LITE to study the atmosphere. On Sunday, Sept 18, 1994 at 3 p.m CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #20 reports: Although the primary scientific package aboard Discovery continued to observe Earth's climate for a few more hours, the crew of shuttle mission STS-64 began packing its bags Sunday afternoon for the trip home Monday. Commander Richard N. Richards and Pilot L. Blaine Hammond performed standard day-before-landing checks of Discovery today and found their spacecraft in good health. One of the 38 steering jets on Discovery did malfunction during a test firing, but the jet is not needed for the return to Earth and has been shut off. The Lidar in Space Technology Experiment, or LITE, laser radar instrument was scheduled to make several more observations of Earth tonight. The other experiments aboard Discovery, all of them having gathered as much or more data than originally planned, are complete. On Monday, Sept 19, 1994 at 7 a.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #21 reports: Flight controllers are keeping an eye on weather at in Florida and California while the STS-64 crew prepares Discovery for the trip home after spending almost 10 full days in orbit. Overnight, the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment wrapped up its operations for the mission following a special data take over an erupting volcano in New Guinea. Throughout the flight, LITE has emitted around 2 million laser pulses from the instruments in Discovery's payload bay and collected around 45 hours of data. Crew members, who awakened to the song "Yakkety Yak" by the Coasters," will begin their final deorbit preparations at about 8:23 a.m. CDT. On Monday, Sept 19, 1994 at 3 p.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #22 reports: Flight controllers opted to have Discovery spend an extra day in orbit hoping for clear Florida weather on Tuesday after today's landing opportunities to the Kennedy Space Center were thwarted by thunderstorms and low, thick clouds. The crew spent the last portion of today preparing the shuttle for an extra night in orbit. The crew will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 8:23 p.m. CDT and awaken at 4:23 a.m. CDT Tuesday. For Tuesday, Discovery has four landing opportunities -- two to Florida early in the afternoon and two to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in the late afternoon. Kennedy Space Center is the preferred landing site and all activities will be aimed toward the first opportunity to land at KSC with a deorbit engine firing at 12:12 p.m. CDT, on the flight's 174th orbit, followed by a touchdown at 1:12 p.m. CDT. A second opportunity to land in Florida would begin with a 1:45 p.m. CDT deorbit burn and result in a 2:45 p.m. CDT touchdown. The Tuesday forecast for Florida calls for conditions similar to today's with possible rain showers in the vicinity of the landing site. If weather again prohibits a landing at KSC Tuesday, flight controllers will likely attempt a landing in California. The forecast for Edwards Air Force Base calls for excellent landing weather Tuesday. Tuesday's opportunities for landing in California begin with a deorbit burn by Discovery at 3:16 p.m. CDT on the flight's 176th orbit leading to a touchdown at 4:13 p.m. CDT at Edwards. A second opportunity would have Discovery fire its engines at 4:50 p.m. CDT to begin its descent and touch down at 5:46 p.m. CDT at Edwards. On Tuesday, Sept 20, 1994 at 7 a.m. CDT, STS-64 MCC Status Report #23 reports: The STS-64 crew awakened at 4:23 a.m. CDT to the sounds of chirping birds and a crowing rooster and a medley of cartoon theme songs including Woody Woodpecker. The astronauts spent the morning configuring the orbiter for landing operations that will bring Discovery back to Earth, ending the 11-day mission. Discovery has four landing opportunities today -- two to Florida in the early afternoon and two to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in the late opportunity involves a deorbit engine firing at 12:11 p.m. CDT, on the flight's 174th orbit, followed by a touchdown at 1:11 p.m. CDT. A second opportunity would begin with a 1:45 p.m. CDT deorbit burn and result in a 2:45 p.m. CDT Florida touchdown. The opportunities for a landing at Edwards begin on the 176th orbit with a deorbit burn at 3:14 p.m. CDT and touchdown at 4:11 p.m. CDT. A second opportunity would have Discovery fire its engines at 4:50 p.m. CDT and touchdown at 5:46 p.m. CDT. Weather forecasters are predicting the possibility of low clouds and precipitation for the landing area in Florida, but excellent weather in California. Mission Name: STS-68 (65) Endeavour (7) Pad 39-A (52) 65th Shuttle Mission 7th Flight OV-105 8th Rollback RSLS Abort after SSME Ignition (5) EAFB Landing (42) Crew: Michael A. Baker (3), Commander Terrence W. Wilcutt (1), Pilot Thomas D. Jones (2), Payload Commander Steven L. Smith (1), Mission Specialist 1 Daniel W. Bursch (2), Mission specialist 2 Peter J.K. Wisoff (2), Mission Specialist 3 Milestones: Flow A: OPF -- 5/03/94 VAB -- 7/21/94 PAD -- 7/27/94 Flow B (rollback): VAB -- 8/24/94 PAD -- 9/13/94 Payload: SRL-2, CPCG, BRIC, CHROMEX, CREAM, MAST, GAS(x5) Mission Objectives: During the 10 day mission, the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL) payload in Endeavour's cargo bay will make its second flight. The SRL payload, which first flew during STS-59 in April 1994, will again give scientists highly detailed information that will help them distinguish between human-induced environmental changes and other natural forms of change. SRL-2 will take radar images of the Earth's surface for Earth system sciences studies, including geology, geography, hydrology, oceanography, agronomy and botany. The SRL payload is comprised of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR), and the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite (MAPS). The German Space Agency (DARA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) are providing the X-SAR instrument. The imaging radar of the SIR-C/X-SAR instruments has the ability to make measurements over virtually any region at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. The radar waves can penetrate clouds, and under certain conditions, also can "see" through vegetation, ice and extremely dry sand. In many cases, radar is the only way scientists can explore inaccessible regions of the Earth's surface. The SIR-C/X-SAR radar data provide information about how many of Earth's complex systems - those processes that control the movement of land, water, air and life - work together to make this a livable planet. The science team particularly wants to study the amount of vegetation coverage, the extent of snow packs, wetlands areas, geologic features such as rock types and their distribution, volcanic activity, ocean wave heights and wind speed. STS-68 will fly over the same sites that STS-59 observed so that scientists will be able to study seasonal changes that may have occurred in those areas between the missions. An international team of 49 science investigators and three associates will conduct the SIR-C/X-SAR experiments. Thirteen nations are represented: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The MAPS experiment will measure the global distribution of carbon monoxide in the troposphere, or lower atmosphere. Measurements of carbon monoxide, an important element in several chemical cycles, provide scientists with indications of how well the atmosphere can cleanse itself of "greenhouse gases," chemicals that can increase the atmosphere's temperature. STS-68 provided a continuation of NASA's Get Away Special (GAS) experiments program. The project gives a person or organization a chance to perform experiments in space on a Shuttle mission. Two universities, North Carolina A&T State University and University of Alabama in Huntsville, and the Swedish Space Corp., Soina, Sweden, will have small self-contained payloads flying during the STS-68 mission. Other GAS hardware in Endeavour's payload bay will carry 500,000 commemorative stamps for the U.S. Postal Service in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Other payloads aboard Endeavour include the Biological Research in Canister (BRIC) which will fly for the first time, and the Military Applications of Ship Tracks (MAST) which will be making its second flight. BRIC experiments, sponsored by NASA's Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications, are designed to examine the effects of microgravity on a wide range of physiological processes in higher order plants and arthropod animals (e.g., insects, spiders, centipedes, crustaceans). MAST is an experiment sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and is part of a five-year research program developed by ONR to examine the effects of ships on the marine environment. The Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) experiment, the Chromosome and Plant Cell Division in Space Experiment (CHROMEX) and the Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor (CREAM) experiment also will be carried aboard Endeavour. Launch: Launch September 30, 1994 at 7:16:00.068am EDT from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A. The Launch window opened at 7:16am EDT with a 2 hour 30 minute window. Orbiter weight at liftoff was 247,129 lbs including payload. Total vehicle weight was 4,510,392lbs. Payload liftoff weight 27,582lbs. Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) was at an Apogee of 115nm and a Perigee of 28nm at MET of 8min 35sec with Endeavour traveling at 25,779 feet per second. No OMS-1 burn was required. OMS-2 burn was 1min 42sec (164 fps) at MET 33 min. The launch was originally scheduled August 18, 1994, but there was a Redundant Sequence Launch Sequencer (RSLS) abort at T-1.9 sec after all 3 main engines ignited. This is the fifth time in the shuttle program where an RSLS abort has occured after main engine ignition. Previous aborts have occured on 41-D, 51-F, STS-55 and STS-51 . The automatic abort was initiated by the onboard General Purpose Computers (GPC) when the discharge temperature on MPS SSME Main Engine #3 High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump (HPOT) exceeded its redline value. The HPOT typically operates at 28,120 rpm and boosts the liquid oxygen pressure from 422 psia to 4,300 psia. There are 2 sensor channels measuring temperature on the HPOT. The B channel indicated a redline condition while the other was near redline conditions. The temperature at shutdown was at 1563 degrees R. while a normal HPOT discharge temperature is around 1403 degrees R. The readline limit to initiatate a shutdown is at 1560 degrees R. This limit increases to 1760 degrees R. at T-1.3 sec (5.3 sec after Main Engine Start). Main Engine #3 (SN 2032) has been used on 2 previous flights with 2,412 seconds of hot-fire time and a total of 8 starts. This was the first flight for the HPOT on Main Engine (SSME) #3. A new launch date was set for early October and then moved up to late September. The procedure that has been used on previous aborts treats an RSLS abort after SSME ignition as a launch and to require a complete engine reinspection. A rollback of Endeavour to the VAB was done on 8/24/94. Afterwards, Endeavour SSME's were removed and inspected. Three flight certified SSME's (removed from the Atlantis STS-66 mission) were installed on Endeavour and then Endeavour was rolled back to the launch September 13, 1994. SSME #3 was shipped to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for test stand firing over the Labor day weekend (9/5/94). Transatlantic Abort Landing (TAL) sites for the initial launch attempt were Zaragoza, Spain, Moron, Spain and Ben Guerir, Morocco. Abort Once Around landing site was White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. Orbit: Altitude: 120 nm Inclination: 57 degrees Orbits: 182 Duration: 11 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes, 8 seconds. Distance: 4,703,216 miles Hardware: (Flow A) SRB: BI-067 SRM: 360W040 ET : 65/LWT-58 MLP: 1 SSME-1: SN-2012 SSME-2: SN-2034 SSME-3: SN-2032 (Flow B) SRB: BI-067 SRM: 360W040 ET : 65/LWT-58 MLP: 1 SSME-1: SN-2028 SSME-2: SN-2033 SSME-3: SN-2026 Landing: Landing October 11, 1994 1:02:09pm EDT. Edwards Air Force Base concrete Runway 22. Endeavour did an OMS deorbit burn at 12:09 pm EDT about 4,600 miles from the landing strip at Edwards Air Force Base. The burn lasted 2 min 17 sec which lowered Endeavour's velocity 232 ft/sec. Astronaut John Casper flew the shuttle training aircraft at Edwards and said the weather was clear with light winds. Approach was from the south west with a right overhead turn of 280 degrees. Nose wheel stop at 13:02:21 EDT. Wheel stop at 1:03:08 EDT. Rollout was approximately 8,495 feet down the runway. Landing speed at main touchdown was approximately 265mph. Orbiter landing weight was 222,026lbs. Payload Landing weight was 27,582lbs. Landing was originally scheduled for KSC, October 11, 1994 at 11:36 a.m. EDT. The KSC landing attempts on 10/11/94 were waived off due to cloud cover over the Shuttle Landing Facility. Mission Highlights: On Friday, September 30, 1994 at 9 a.m. CST, STS-68 MCC Status Report #1 reports: The Flight Control team in Houston gave the "Go for Orbit Operations" just before 8 a..m. The crew then began setting up the experiment and systems hardware aboard Endeavour. The primary payload on this flight is the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-2), making its second flight to study the Earth's environment. Experiment operations will be conducted around the clock on this flight, with the astronauts divided into two teams. Commander Michael A. Baker, pilot Terrence W. Wilcutt and mission specialist Peter J.K. Wisoff are the "red team." Mission specialists Daniel W. Bursch, Thomas D. Jones and Steven L. Smith are the "blue team." On Friday, September 30, 1994 at 5 p.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #2 reports: Shortly after 4 p.m. today, flight controllers reported that the on-orbit checkout of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR-C) and the Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) had been completed, and that the primary SRL-2 instruments were ready for operation. Throughout the checkout, data takes were recorded over a number of sites, including Raco, Michigan; Bermuda; Bebedouro, Brazil; the Northeast Pacific Ocean and the Juan de Fuca Strait, between the United States and Canada. In addition to the prime payload, Wilcutt also activated the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth Experiment, the Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor, and checked on the mouse-ear cress seedlings growing in the CHROMEX-05 experiment. The crew successfully engineered an in-flight maintenance procedure to get additional cooling air to the CPCG apparatus after higher than desired temperatures were noted by crystal growth sensors. On Saturday, October 1, 1994 at 9 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #3 reports: Environmental studies continued throughout Saturday morning aboard Endeavour as six astronauts working around the clock in two shifts assisted the Space Radar Laboratory science team on the ground with real-time observations from space. While Commander Mike Baker and Pilot Terry Wilcutt made attitude adjustments of the orbiter to assist in precisely pointing the radar systems, Mission Specialist Jeff Wisoff provided running commentary and tape recording assistance for the many ground sites as Endeavour passed overhead at an altitude of 119 nautical miles. The STS-68 mission's three other crew members -- Steve Smith, Dan Bursch and Tom Jones -- perform the same duties on the opposite shift, beginning at about 4:30 this afternoon. Late Friday night, Tom Jones sent down some video of a volcano erupting in Kamchatka. The experiment scientists reported the volcano began erupting a couple of weeks ago, but the latest "burst" from the Kliuchevskoi (pronounced clue-chev-skoy) volcano occurred about eight hours after Endeavour's 6:16 a.m. launch Friday. The SRL team is planning a series of data takes using the radar equipment as Endeavour moves over that area of the world. Those images will be compared with similar radar images gathered during the STS-59 mission in April, prior to the volcanic activity. Other radar data gathering of the Earth's surface today included the desert regions of Africa, both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and mountainous regions of the East and West coasts of the United States. Early Saturday, Mike Baker sent down a short video tape of smudges and streaks he noticed shortly after launch on several of the forward flight deck windows. None of the streaks would hamper visual observations during entry and landing slated for Monday, Oct. 10. On Sunday, October 2, 1994 at 9 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #4 reports: Radar data gathering today included forest areas of North Carolina, ocean current patterns in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, desert areas in Africa, and mountainous regions of the East and West coasts of the United States. On Monday, October 3, 1994 at 10 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #5 reports: Endeavour's Space Radar Laboratory equipment continued to search the Earth's land masses and oceans for environmental changes that have occurred since the last SRL mission in April. The Red Team of Mike Baker, Terry Wilcutt and Jeff Wisoff will be on duty throughout much of the day while the Blue Team of Steve Smith, Dan Bursch and Tom Jones sleeps. Radar data gathering today included much of the East Coast of the United States, current patterns in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as other bodies of water, desert areas in Africa, and mountainous regions around the world. Mission Specialist Jeff Wisoff pinpointed storms, lightning and fires and relayed the information to the SRL science team. His observations help correlate and corroborate data collected from the science instruments, including the Measurement of Air Pollu tion by Satellite, which measures carbon monoxide levels in the atmosphere. Taking such measurements on this flight helps understand changes in the distribution of carbon monoxide as well as other seasonal changes in the environment that have occurred since Endeavour's last mission in April. On Monday, October 3, 1994 at 5 p.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #6 reports: Endeavour's payload bay cameras sent to Earth damatic video of the western coast of Oregon and the length of California and the Baha Peninsula that scientists will compae with radar images downlinked from Space Radar Laboratory-2 instruments earlier in the flight. The observations were part of a continuing effort to watch the Earth below for evidence of environmental changes that have occurred since the last SRL mission in April. The overall goal of the mission to better understand the differences in changes caused by natural processes and compare them to changes brought about by human activity. Radar data was recorded today over much of the East Coast of the United States, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Manitoba, Canada, and French Guyana. Special readings were taken with the Measurement of Air Pollution by Satellite instrument as intentionally set fires were monitored by scientists from the University of Iowa and the Canadian Forest Service. The wind field and thermal evolution of the fires will be analyzed to provide a better interpretation of carbon monoxide emissions from the burning forest and to help calibrate color infreared photography taken by the STS-68 crew. These fires were planned in advance of the mission, and would have been set for forest management purposes even if the shuttle mission were not in progress. Astronauts relayed information about storms, lightning, fires and clear cutting to the SRL science team that will be used to help understand the radar images and MAPS data on carbon monoxide levels in the atmosphere. On Tuesday, October 4, 1994 at 9 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #7 reports: STS-68 crew members this morning performed two slight maneuvers to fine tune Endeavour's orbit to mirror its track on the first Space Radar Laboratory mission to support a new experiment called interferometry. The trim burns adjust the orbit to within 30 feet of where it was in April which will allow scientists to make near identical measurements with the radar equipment to develop a three dimensional comparison of environmental changes during the six months separating the two missions -- STS-59 and STS-68. On Tuesday, October 4, 1994 at 5 p.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #8 reports: Space Radar Laboratory-2 scientists adjusted their observation plans to take advantage of an opportunity to train their instruments on the islands of Japan following a Tuesday night earthquake there. Endeavour passed over the Sarobetsu, Japan, calibration site about 3:30 p.m. CDT, and the Synthetic Aperture Radar sent down real-time data of the area below, allowing scientists to look for changes in the coastline of the islands that may have been due to the large tsunami waves associated with the quake. The Spaceborne Imaging Radar also recorded data on the area. STS-68 crew members continued to perform slight maneuvers to fine tune Endeavour's orbit to intersect its track on the SRL-1 mission to support a new experiment called interferometry. The trim burns adjusted the orbit to within 30 feet of where it was in April as it passed over the Mammoth Mountain, Calif., backup supersite. This should allow scientists to make nearly identical measurements with the radar equipment to develop a three dimensional comparison of environmental changes during the six months separating STS-59 and STS-68. Radar images over the Sahara desert and the North Atlantic will help scientists evaluate global changes and how they affect the climates in other areas of the world. Also today, Payload Commander Tom Jones discussed the significance of radar systems and the Earth's environment in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America. Mission Specialist Jeff Wisoff discussed the mission with CONUS Communications Syndicate affiliates WTKR-TV in his hometown of Norfolk, Va., and the All-News Channel in Minneapolis. On Wednesday, October 5, 1994 at 8 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #9 reports: Space Radar Laboratory scientists received some images of Japan, near the location of Monday nights earthquake, but any evidence of the natural disaster was not immediately noticeable. Other radar observations during the night included studies of other volcanoes including Mt. Pinatubo in the Phillipines, Cotopaxi in Ecuador, and Teide in the Canary Islands. Radar images recently processed on the ground were images of Pasadena, Ca., with ample clarity to allow the the Rose Bowl to be distinguishable, and images of Washington State and Yellowstone National Park, both showing scars from forest fires. During the night, the crew reported a missing thermal tile around one of the overhead windows of the orbiter. The tile apparently came off recently since crew members look out the window often to perform the visual observations that accompany radar operations. Flight controllers report that, while the tile is missing, the underlying thermal blanket is still intact. Astronaut Linda Godwin, who served as the payload commander on the first Space Radar Laboratory mission in April, briefed the crew from the payload control room about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, commemorating the tenth anniversary of Challenger's 41-G mission, which carried the Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR-B) and the Measurement of Air Pollution by Satellite (MAPS). She also noted the first flight aboard a Shuttle of that radar-imaging equipment on Columbia in November 1981. On Wednesday, October 5, 1994 at 4 p.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #10 reports: Mission to Planet Earth observations by Endeavour's payload bay radar instruments were being suspended temporarily Wednesday afternoon to save fuel while flight controllers work to fix a minor problem involving the shuttle's small reaction control system jets. One of the small rocket engines which help control the pointing of the Shuttle was turned off because of a temperature sensor problem. That caused all of the vernier jets, used for delicate pointing control, to be turned off and the larger steering jets to be used. The flight control team late Wednesday decided to allow the Shuttle's pointing to vary over a wider range to save thruster fuel while the initial problem was being addressed. A software change which will disregard the failed temperature sensor should be in place within 24 hours. Radar operations will be resumed once the update is made. The radar instruments earlier Wednesday collected images over the Kliuchevskoi volcano in Kamchatka, Russia, which erupted about 8 hours after Endeavour's launch Friday. Images also were collected over Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.; Chickasha, Okla.; Ruiz, Columbia; Cuprito, Nevada; Colima, Mexico; the Galopagos Islands and San Juan, Argentina. Observations with the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite were taken, with one particular target being line fires in British Columbia, Canada. On Thursday, October 6, 1994 at 8 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Endeavour's small steering jets are now back in continuous operation and Space Radar Laboratory observations are continuing on schedule after Mission Control sent a software update to the shuttle about 3:30 a.m. today. The software patch accommodated a failed temperature sensor in one of the vernier jets and allows Endeavour’s onboard computers to track the operation of the jet via a second sensor located near the failed sensor. While the patch was being developed and tested in simulators, observations by the Space Radar Laboratory continued at a reduced pace. These small jets were used only when Mission Control had solid, stable communications with the orbiter when ground controllers could monitor the jet firings. The jets were turned off when communications with the shuttle were unavailable or intermittent, a common occurrence during standard shuttle operations. The observations using the radar systems that were missed while the software patch was being put in place, had been performed at least once previously during the mission and are scheduled for observation again later in the flight. SRL scientists say the impact of the temporary pause is minimal on the scientific investigations under way. One observation completed during the night was of a controlled oil spill in the North Sea designed to test the radar's ability to discern oil spills from the naturally produced film caused by fish and plankton in the water. In addition to the 106 gallons of diesel oil placed in the water, 26 gallons of algae products were placed in the water nearby for radar comparison. The ground team expected to have the oil spill cleaned up within about two hours using oil-recovery ships in the area. The experiment was conducted to prove the usefulness of radar systems to more rapidly detect spills allowing quicker clean up. On Thursday, October 6, 1994 at 5 p.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #12 reports: Endeavour's astronauts this afternoon sent down spectacular videotape views of the west coast of California recorded as the shuttle passed about 115 nautical miles overhead on its 103rd orbit. The scenes covered the San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, Los Angeles, Vandenberg Air Force Base and San Diego Bay. During the next few days, scientists will test a new technique called "interferometry" as the earth observations data collection continues. The technique is expected to yield topographic information of unprecedented clarity by using slightly different shuttle positions to provide three-dimensional images of the terrain below. Among the Space Radar Laboratory observations today were the North Sea, where scientists intentionally released small oil and algae spills to see how well the SRL-2 instruments could track them, as well as observations of Bebedouro, Brazil; the Western and Northeast Pacific Ocean; Chickasha, Oklahoma; the Gulf of Mexico; Ruiz, Colombia; Sena Madureira, Brazil; Weddell Sea; the Kliuchevskoi Volcano in Kamchatmka; Stovepipe Wells, California; and the Galapagos Islands. Earlier today, the Mission Management Team extended STS-68 by one day to allow additional science. Endeavour is now expected to land at the Kennedy Space Center at about 10:36 a.m. Tuesday. The orbiter continues to perform well. The only problem reported during the day was the failure of a primary reaction control system jet. The jet problem is not expected to have any effect on the mission since the orbiter has two other jets thrusting in the same direction. On Friday, October 7, 1994 at 8 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #13 reports: Observations made during the night included the volcano Merapi on the Indonesian island of Java; Duke Forest in North Carolina; the Gulf of St. Lawrence; Sydney, Australia; and the volcano Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines. Tom Jones, the Payload Commander for this second flight of SRL, spent some time this morning explaining the importance of the radar's volcanic studies. Demonstrating with three common types of volcanic rock, Jones explained how the radar's various frequencies allow it to map lava and ash flows around volcanoes. The work one day may lead to a permanent radar platform in orbit for use in assisting predictions of impending volcanic eruptions and safeguarding people living near active volcanoes. Late Thursday, Endeavour's astronauts sent down spectacular views of the west coast of California recorded as the shuttle passed about 115 nautical miles overhead on its 103rd orbit. The scenes included the San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco, Monterey Bay, Los Angeles, Vandenberg Air Force Base and San Diego. On Friday, October 7, 1994 at 5 p.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #14 reports: Astronauts aboard Endeavour and Space Radar Laboratory-2 scientists on the ground today began in earnest to test the new technique of "interferometry" to produce even richer images of the Earth's surface. From an altitude of 111 nautical miles, the Spaceborne Imaging Radar and Synthetic Aperture Radar recorded long swaths of interferometric data over central North America, the Amazon forests of central Brazil, and the volcanoes of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. This morning, Endeavour's orbit was lowered from 117 nautical miles to 112 nautical miles to support a new technique called "interferometry." The technique is expected to yield topographic information of unprecedented clarity by using slightly different shuttle positions to provide three- dimensional images of the terrain below. The Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite experiment also continues to function well, and the crew's infrared film, used to provide complementary still images of fires investigated by MAPS, has been expended. Controlled "line fires" in Ontario, Canada, were set as planned and observed by the crew in an effort to help calibrate the MAPS measurements. On Saturday, October 8, 1994 at 5 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #15 reports: As Endeavour's seventh mission in space reaches the home stretch, scientific observations turn to the gathering of near three-dimensional views of various sites around the world to better understand climatic changes. The six crew members discussed the mission and the future of radar observations of the Earth during a news conference this morning. The radar array aboard the shuttle began a series of observations above volcanoes, glaciers and other sites designed to create 3-D images. These spaceborne radar images, produced regularly on a long-term basis, eventually could provide scientists with insight into movements of the Earth's surface as small as a fraction of an inch. Such close monitoring may allow scientists to detect pre-eruptive changes in volcanoes and movements in fault lines that precede earthquakes, providing an early warning of imminent natural hazards. Other future applications could include tracking the rate of global warming by monitoring the movement of glaciers and the tracking of floods and mudslides. Earlier this morning, Mission Specialist Dan Bursch took a break from his work to provide a television tour of the crew's orbital home office, explaining the shuttle's displays, controls, computers and cameras, as well as living accommodations. On Sunday, October 9, 1994 at 9 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #16 reports: It has seemed like deja vu on board Endeavour as the crew spent much of the last 24 hours precisely repeating many Space Radar Laboratory observations to provide scientists with duplicate images for highly accurate three-dimensional maps of volcanoes, glaciers and other phenomena. Overnight, Mission Specialists Jeff Wisoff and Steve Smith replaced one of three payload recorders which malfunctioned yesterday. The procedure, which the two astronauts trained for prior to the mission, was completed in about an hour and a half. Although only two of the payload high data rate recorders were functioning, the planned observations by the radar lab were not interrupted. The two recorders alone were sufficient for retaining the radar data obtained during the overnight shift of astronauts Smith, Dan Bursch and Tom Jones. Small engine firings by Endeavour late yesterday aligned the spacecraft's trajectory to within an estimated 65 feet of what had been planned when the spacecraft's orbit was lowered on Friday. This permits the precise repeat observations by the radar. During the night, Bursch and Smith took a break from their environmental studies to talk with KGO Radio in San Francisco. The interview included phone-in questions from area children. On Monday, October 10, 1994 at 10 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #16 reports: In low Earth orbit, Endeavour's systems are being checked out today to ensure they are healthy and ready to support landing Tuesday. The flight control surfaces will be tested using one of the hydraulic systems called an Auxiliary Power Unit, and ground station communications checks will be done. Interferometry data gathering with the radar instruments in the orbiter's payload bay continued throughout the night and morning prior to the scheduled deactivation of the X- band Synthetic Aperture Radar. Interferometry will allow scientists to overlay radar images of the same site taken on successive days forming a three dimensional image of the Earth's surface. These topographical images can be used to create a baseline used to understand the changes in the environmental and ecological climate around the world. Landing of Endeavour remains scheduled for Tuesday morning about 10:36 a.m. CDT. Two landing opportunities are available at the prime landing site at Florida's Kennedy Space Center and two are available in California at the Edwards Air Force Base Facility. Mission Name: STS-66 (66) Atlantis (13) Pad 39-B (31) 66th Shuttle Mission 13th Flight OV-104 EAFB Landing (43) Crew: Donald R. McMonagle (3), Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr. (2), Pilot Ellen Ochoa (2), Payload Commander Scott E. Parazynski, M.D. (1), Mission Specialist Joseph R. Tanner (1), Mission Specialist Jean-Francois Clervoy (1), Mission Specialist Milestones: OPF -- 5/30/94 VAB -- 10/3/94 PAD -- 10/9/94 Payload: ATLAS-03, SSBUV-7, CRISTA-SPAS, ESCAPE-II, PARE/NIR-R, PCG-TES, PCG-STES, STL/NIH-C, SAMS, HPP-2 Mission Objectives: The Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Sciences - 3 (ATLAS-03) is the primary payload aboard STS-66. It will continue the series of Spacelab flights to study the energy of the sun and how it affects the Earth's climate and environment. The ATLAS 3 mission will make the first detailed measurements from the Shuttle of the Northern Hemisphere's middle atmosphere in late fall. The timing of the flight, when the Antarctic ozone hole is diminishing, allows scientists to study possible effects of the ozone hole on mid-latitudes, the way Antarctic air recovers, and how the northern atmosphere changes as the winter season approaches. In addition to the ATLAS-03 investigations, the mission will include deployment and retrieval of the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometer Telescopefor Atmosphere, or CRISTA. Mounted on the Shuttle Pallet Satellite, the payload is designed to explore the variability of the atmosphere and provide measurements that will complement those obtained by the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite launched aboard Discovery in 1991. CRISTA-SPAS is a joint U.S./German experiment. Other payloads in Atlantis cargo bay include the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV-7) payload and the Experiment on the Sun Complementing ATLAS (ESCAPE-II). Payloads located in the middeck include the Physiological & Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE/NIR-R), Protein Crystal Growth-Thermal Enclosure (PCG-TES), Protein Crystal Growth- Single Locker (PCG-STES), Space Tissue Loss/National Institute of Health (STL/NIH-C), Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) and the Heat Pipe Performance-2 Experiment (HPP-2). Launch: Launch November 3, 1994. 11:59:43.060am EDT from LC-39B. Launch window was from 11:56am EDT to 12:58pm EDT.Window was 1 hr 02 min. Weather at KSC was excellent but a cold front approaching the Iberian Peninsula caused weather concerns at the Transatlantic Abort Landing (TAL) sites in Spain and Portugal. Weather at Zaragoza, Spain and Moron, Spain was unacceptable for launch but Ben Guerir, Morocco was initially marginal with cross wind in excess of 18 knots. Cross winds were showing a downward trend so the count was resumed at the T-9min mark at 11:47am EDT with a plan to reaccess the weather situation in Morocco at the T-5min mark. The countdown was held for three minutes and 43 seconds at the T-5 minute mark as managers discussed the weather at the transoceanic abort landing sites. At T-5min, cross winds were at 14-15 knots and a go was given for launch. No significant technical issues were worked throughout the duration of the countdown. Post launch inspections of the pad reveal no unusual damage to the pad surface or the mobile launcher platform. The solid rocket booster retrieval ships have reached the spent boosters. Divers have recovered the parachutes and the ships will begin towing the boosters back to Port Canaveral later today. Had Atlantis not launched by Monday, it would have been delayed until at least November 14 so that Helium in the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers & Telescope (CCRISTA-SPAS) payload could be replenished. The launch was originally scheduled for October 27 but the the need to refurbish three more engines for Atlantis after the RSLS abort of the initial launch attempt of STS-68 caused a week delay. Earlier during launch processing, on Monday, October 3, 1994 at 10 a.m. CDT, STS-68 MCC Status Report #5 reports that one of Columbia's windows was removed and placed on Atlantis which was found to have a tiny scratch in one of the overhead windows. Other concerns included a check of Atlantis's plumbing after a water leak onboard Endeavour during the landing of STS-68 on October 11, 1994. Orbit: Altitude: 164nm Inclination: 57 degrees Orbits: 174 Duration: 10 days, 22 hours, 34 minutes, 2 seconds. Distance: 4,554,791 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-069 SRM: 360L/W038 ET : SN-67 MLP: 3 SSME-1: SN-2030 SSME-2: SN-2034 SSME-3: SN-2017 Landing: 11/14/94 at 10:33:45am EST. Edwards Air Force Base Runway 22. Landing was originally scheduled for KSC but was diverted to California due to high winds, rain and clouds caused by Tropical Storm Gordon. Fourth diverted landing in 1994 and third in a row. 43rd landing at Edwards. Main wheel touchdown at 10:33:45 EST, Nose wheel touchdown at 10:33:56 and wheel stop at 10:34:34. Rollout distance 7,657 feet (2,334 meters). Rollout time: 49 seconds. APU #1 was requested shutdown shortly after landing due to fuel line temperature fluxuations. All other post landing activites were normal. Mission Control requested the Ammonia Boiler B to be activated at 10:38am EST. This is a normal procedure anytime the orbiter avionics need to loose excess heat beyond what can be done by cold soaking before deorbit. Planned KSC landing on 11/14/94 at 7:31 a.m. EST was passed over due to a tropical storm system off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic. This storm is expected to bring a chance of clouds and thunderstorms into the Kennedy Space Center for tomorrow's two east coast landing opportunities. The two landing times in Florida are 6:31 a.m. and 8:04 a.m. central time with the deorbit burn occurring about an hour prior to landing. Two landing opportunities available for California's Edwards Air Force Base were at 9:34 a.m. and 11:07 a.m. central time. The weather is expected to be favorable on the west coast tomorrow. Mission Highlights: Shortly after launch, on of Atlantis's Reaction Control System (RCS) steering jets on the Left Aft side failed. This is not expected to cause any problems due to the number of redundant RCS jets. On Thursday, November 3, 1994 at 5pm CDT, STS-66 MCC Status Report #1 reports: Commander Donald R. McMonagle, Pilot Curtis L. Brown Jr., Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa and Mission Specialists Jean-Francois Clervoy, Scott E. Parazynski, and Joe Tanner immediately began configuring Atlantis and its Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-3 payload for 11 days of scientific investigations that should provide clues on how the environment is changing and how humans contribute to those changes. The astronauts were given a "go" for orbit operations at 12:33 p.m. Central, and immediately began activation of the Spacelab pallet and its experiments. Ochoa and Tanner successfully checked out the 50-foot robot arm, and at 3:54 p.m. Central Ochoa reported that she had grappled the German-built Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS) and was beginning to power up its systems. Using the Canadian-built remote manipulator system, Ochoa will lift SPAS out of the payload bay Friday morning and deploy it for eight days of free-flying observations with its primary instruments -- the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere and the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation. The instruments will be measuring a variety of gases in the middle atmosphere and lower thermosphere. Also onboard SPAS will be the Surface Effects Sample Monitor, which will measure the decay of surfaces in the near-Earth environment of space. The astronauts are split into two teams to provide around-the-clock support for the scientific investigations. The Red Team of McMonagle, Ochoa and Tanner worked the first duty shift, while the Blue Team of Brown, Clervoy and Parazynski began a six-hour sleep shift at 3 p.m. Central that will put the astronauts on a night-shift schedule by Houston standards. On Thursday, November 3, 1994 at 6 p.m.CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #1 reports: The seven atmospheric and solar instruments from the previous ATLAS missions have reinforcements this flight - two new atmospheric experiments mounted on the German space agency's deployable CRISTA-SPAS satellite. Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa, a veteran of the ATLAS 2 mission, finished activating Spacelab systems at 1:34 p.m. CST. Ground controllers at Spacelab Mission Operations Control in Huntsville, Ala., completed commands to power up the ATLAS payload at 2:30 p.m, three and a half hours after launch. The first ATLAS 3 experiment operation was a test of the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment's sun tracker. The experiment, provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, views the atmosphere illuminated by the rising and setting sun to measure the quantity and distribution of 30 to 40 atmospheric gases - more than any other space instrument. The sun tracker's motorized mirrors follow the sun as it moves in relation to the orbiter, reflecting sunlight onto the instrument's detectors. Commander Donald R. McMonagle maneuvered Atlantis so the experiment team in Huntsville could receive real-time video as they commanded the tracker to scan from the middle to the edge of the solar disk. "This is the first time we have been able to compare video of the tracker's actual movements with the commands we sent," said Principal Investigator Dr. Mike Gunson. "We found the instrument is positioned very accurately, and this gives us an important reference point for commanding throughout the mission." ATMOS made its first science observation of an orbital sunrise at 4:30 p.m. Mission Specialist Joe Tanner used the orbiter's Remote Manipulator System arm to power up the CRISTA-SPAS satellite for a Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) status test. The experiment, one of two onboard the satellite, is encased in a thermos-bottle-like vacuum container cooled with super-cold helium. This prevents heat given off by the instrument from interfering with its readings of cool, infrared radiation in the atmosphere. After its deployment, the satellite will follow about 24 to 44 miles (40 to 70 kilometers) behind the Shuttle for a week, adding new insights on the distribution of gases which contribute to ozone chemistry in the middle atmosphere. On Friday, November 4, 1994 at 7:30am CDT, STS-66 MCC Status Report #2 reports: The CRISTA-SPAS science satellite was released from Atlantis`s payload bay early this morning for an eight-day flight free from the Shuttle to measure the Earth's atmosphere and ozone layer. After a complete checkout of the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) and the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation, Mission Specialist Jean-Francois Clervoy used the Shuttle's robot arm to gently raise the satellite out of the payload bay and released it at 6:50 a.m. Central. The release took place as Atlantis flew 164 nautical miles above Germany on the 14th orbit of the mission. Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa will use the robot arm again on November 12 to capture the satellite and place it back in the payload bay for the trip home. Overnight, Curtis L. Brown Jr., Parazynski and Clervoy worked with the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor, one of seven instruments that comprise the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-3 payload. The payload complement is designed to study the Earth's atmosphere with particular attention to the ozone layer and will help researchers determine how human activity is affecting the atmosphere. Brown also took sightings on several stars to calibrate and test Atlantis's heads up display and Course Optical Alignment Site instruments. These instruments are used to backup the Inertial Measurement Units on board the orbiter that keep Atlantis oriented in space. Mission Commander Donald R. McMonagle, Ochoa and Mission Specialist Joe Tanner began their second day in space at about 4 a.m. today. The other three astronauts are scheduled to go to bed at about 1 p.m. this afternoon On Friday, November 4, 1994 at 6 a.m. CDT, STS-66 Payload Status Report #2 reports: At MET 0/19:00, Instruments aboard the third Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-3) Spacelab mission have been powered up, and two of them took readings of a variety of gases in the middle atmosphere throughout the past twelve hours. Information from the ATLAS experiments, along with that gathered by free-flying satellites, will give scientists increased insight into the complex chemistry of the middle atmosphere which affects global ozone levels. The mission's atmospheric studies continued as the Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS), made its first set of measurements and employed its improved scan mode to continuously observe Earth's far horizon and look for traces of water vapor, ozone and chlorine monoxide at different altitudes. The instrument, mounted on the Spacelab pallet, uses a dish-shaped antenna to study the chemistry of ozone, and also to measure temperature and pressure, in Earth's middle atmosphere. Using its new chlorine monoxide receiver, that is twice as sensitive as the one that flew on the ATLAS 1 (STS-45) and ATLAS 2 (STS-56) missions, MAS can take better measurements of chlorine monoxide, an important compound involved in ozone depletion, over both hemispheres. Also, the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument continued to operate nominally, making its observations of orbital sunrises and sunsets and measuring the concentrations of more than 30 gases in the middle atmosphere. The device uses a technique called limb sounding, which involves viewing the infrared portion of sunlight as it shines through the Earth's horizon, or 'limb.' Because trace gases absorb at very specific infrared wavelengths, the science team can determine what gases are present, in what concentrations, and at what altitudes. A more thorough knowledge of which gases are present, and of how their concentrations change over time, can help scientists determine the extent of man-made and natural changes. Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa activated the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment, which will be used to verify the accuracy of atmospheric ozone and solar ultraviolet irradiance data obtained by instruments on free-flying National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA satellites. Its door was opened to expose the instrument to the space environment, and a period of "outgassing" followed, during which the device cooled until 5:30 a.m. CST. SSBUV will take its first atmospheric readings after the first period of solar observations. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) experiment began its checkout and pre-deploy activities in preparation for its release aboard the ASTRO-SPAS retrievable satellite at 6:50 a.m. CST. This instrument will gather the first global information about medium and small scale disturbances in trace gases of the middle atmosphere. These measurements will be taken in three dimensions simultaneously and will provide information about disturbances caused by winds, waves, turbulence and other processes. A pressure increase observed earlier in CRISTA's liquid helium container has since leveled off and should not affect the scheduled deployment of the satellite. Also aboard the ASTRO-SPAS carrier, the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) will measure amounts of hydroxyl and nitric oxide in the middle atmosphere and lower thermosphere, from 24 to 72 miles (40 to about 120 km) high. The solar instruments have been activated and calibrated for the first period of solar observations. SOLSPEC and SUSIM are operating nominally. ACRIM successfully completed its shutter test and is undergoing further testing. During the next twelve hours, solar observations will begin after the deployment of ASTRO-SPAS as ATLAS 3 starts its second day in orbit. All Spacelab systems are working well at this time. On Friday, November 4, 1994 at 5pm CDT, STS-66 MCC Status Report #3 reports: The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-Shuttle Pallet Satellite (CRISTA-SPAS), released from Atlantis this morning to fly free and study the sun for eight days, is now trailing Atlantis by about 22 nautical miles, separating from the orbiter at a rate of about three miles per orbit. During the afternoon, controllers for the satellite prepared CRISTA-SPAS for the hands-off operations over the next several days. Controllers refined the satellite's navigation via ground commands to solve a brief problem with its precise pointing ability, but CRISTA-SPAS is now working well as it aims the scientific instruments at their planned targets. Ochoa took two brief breaks from her work today first to explain the Measurement of Solar Constant Experiment, or SOLCON, to ground controllers and then to answer questions about her research from high school honor students during an interview with WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. The crew reported a minor problem with the resistance settings on an exercise bicycle carried on board Atlantis, however the problem was solved by manually setting the bike's tension for each astronaut. Exercise is a constant feature of all shuttle missions for both ongoing medical studies and as a method of counteracting the effects of weightlessness on the body. On Friday, November 4, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #3 reports: (MET 1/7:00) With the STS-66 mission well into its second day in orbit, six additional instruments are at work to decipher the complex chemistry of Earth's atmosphere. The flight is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth, a coordinated research effort to comprehensively study the planet's environment. The mission's first solar observation period, which began around noon today, will measure the sun's energy during daylight portions of eight orbits. All four solar instruments are veterans of both previous ATLAS (STS-45,STS-56) flights, plus either Spacelab 1 (STS-9) or Spacelab 2 (51-F) in the mid-1980s. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) and Belgium's Measurement of the Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiment detect the total amount of radiation from the sun, to within 0.1 percent accuracy. The Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC) experiment from France breaks sunlight down into ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths, while the Naval Research Laboratory's Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) concentrates on ultraviolet radiation. Sunlight, particularly ultraviolet radiation, provides energy for the chemical reactions that create atmospheric changes. Before scientists can predict accurately how human activity will affect the atmosphere, they must thoroughly understand the natural forces driving it. Even small fluctuations in solar radiation are important parts of that equation. For instance, variations of one percent or less in total solar radiation could cause droughts or lengthy periods of unseasonal cooling. Two new atmospheric instruments are in operation for the first time in space - the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) experiment and the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI). Both are aboard the autonomous CRISTA-SPAS satellite, which the crew deployed at 6:50 CST this morning. After receiving several hours of start-up commands from the operations team at Kennedy Space Center, the instruments made their first observations shortly before noon. CRISTA, provided by the University of Wuppertal in Germany, is gathering data to give scientists their first three-dimensional global "maps" of the middle atmosphere. The instrument uses three infrared telescopes looking in different directions to locate small-scale structures of various gases, thought to be distributed in the atmosphere by winds, wave interactions, turbulence and other disturbances. Global measurements of these gases and their changes will help scientists create more precise models of the chemistry and dynamics of the stratosphere - the region of the atmosphere 10 to 30 miles above the Earth which contains the ozone layer - and give them a better understanding of Earth's energy balance. Science operations for CRISTA were interrupted when the satellite's guidance system lost sight of its reference stars this afternoon, but they resumed when ground commands successfully reoriented the satellite a few hours later. MAHRSI is making ultraviolet measurements of nitric oxide and hydroxyl in an area parallel to that of CRISTA's center telescope. Comparing results from CRISTA and MAHRSI will provide important insights into the chemistry and the heating and cooling of the middle atmosphere. Both hydroxyl and nitric oxide are natural chemicals that react with ozone and other gases to affect the chemical balance of the ozone layer. This is the first time hydroxyl has been measured from space so low in the atmosphere. Principal Investigator Dr. Robert Conway, of the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., reports that the first data received from MAHRSI is remarkably close to their predictions, based on expected hydroxyl amounts and instrument properties. While the CRISTA/SPAS instruments were being activated, the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment got two bonus observations of orbital sunsets, measuring the distribution of trace gases in the atmosphere over northern Europe. This morning, the Goddard Space Flight Center's Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment completed internal calibration exercises to ensure it is operating properly. The experiment team is completing preparations for SSBUV to take its first science data - measurements of ultraviolet radiation from the sun - on the last two solar orbits tonight. This afternoon, Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa restarted the ATLAS 3 Global Positioning System (GPS), and it locked onto four of the positioning satellites in orbit. An earlier attempt had only locked onto two of the necessary four satellites. This will give ATLAS 3 experiment teams an extra means for verifying the precise locations where their instruments take data. Primary position information comes from the Shuttle's inertial measurement units. ATLAS 3 payload controllers and the Millimeter Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) team in Huntsville are investigating a loss of science data transmission from the MAS instrument, which occurred after its successful observations last night. Thus far, they have not determined the source of the problem. The next MAS operations are scheduled for early tomorrow morning. After solar observations conclude just before midnight, the crew will point the Shuttle toward the CRISTA-SPAS satellite to receive a sample of science data to be relayed to the ground. Then the atmospheric instruments will begin another set of measurements, and SSUBV will make its first ATLAS 3 readings of global ozone. On Saturday, November 5, 1994 at 9am CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #4 reports: The rate at which the CRISTA-SPAS separates from the orbiter has been smaller than expected, but the distance between the two spacecraft is well within safe limits for Atlantis' scheduled maneuvering engine firings. In fact, one of those periodic engine firings that had been scheduled for this morning was not needed as the satellite and shuttle continued to separate at a sufficient rate, a deletion that resulted in fuel savings for the orbiter. The Blue Team of astronauts -- Pilot Curt Brown and Mission Specialists Jean-Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski -- began their day about nine last night. Parazynski worked with a student-designed payload, Experiment of the Sun for Complementing the ATLAS Payload and for Education (ESCAPE). ESCAPE is conducting research in extreme ultraviolet wavelengths, a field in which little research has been done over the last 20 years. On Saturday, November 5, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #4 reports: Solar instruments aboard the third Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS 3) completed their first eight orbits of observations last night, and the mission's second session of atmospheric observations is currently in progress. Scientists need both types of data to view the "big picture" of factors which influence this planet's atmospheric life-support system, especially its protective ozone layer. The period of solar observations concluded around midnight CST, and the crew pointed the Shuttle toward the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-Shuttle Pallet Satellite (CRISTA-SPAS) to receive a sample of science data to be relayed to the ground. Science teams for the four solar instruments at Spacelab Mission Operations Control in Huntsville report their observations went very smoothly, and the quality of the data collected looks good. At around 6:45 p.m. CST, Commander Donald R. McMonagle, aided by Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa, maneuvered the Orbiter Atlantis to perform a special calibration of the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM). This planned procedure allowed the SUSIM device to scan across the sun, pointing at the sun's center and at four off-center points to verify the alignment of the instrument on the center of the sun. Changes in ultraviolet radiation output bring about changes in Earth's atmospheric conditions, such as the amount of ozone in the middle atmosphere. A better record of the sun's ultraviolet output will help scientists distinguish between atmospheric changes caused by variations in ultraviolet radiation and those brought about by human activity. The Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM), from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Belgium's Solar Constant experiment (SOLCON) each made extremely precise, independent measurements of the total solar irradiance, or total energy from the sun received by the planet Earth. Computer models suggest that even small variations in this total solar irradiance could have significant impacts on climate. Therefore, these instruments measure this quantity to a long-term accuracy of plus or minus 0.1 percent or better. SOLCON commands were sent from their remote control facility in Brussels. France's Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) experiment concentrates on measuring solar radiation as a function of wavelength in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared. The device is monitored by scientists at the Spacelab Mission Operations Control center in Huntsville, Ala., but most calibrations and observations for this instrument are controlled through the onboard equipment computer. Some commands are sent from the remote center in Brussels. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) instrument, from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, completed a cooling period and then made its first observations of the mission during the last two orbits of the solar observation period. Scientists will compare those measurements with readings of ultraviolet radiation scattered back from the Earth's atmosphere, to be obtained by SSBUV in the atmospheric observation periods of the ATLAS 3 mission. Ozone absorbs different wavelengths of ultraviolet light at different altitudes, so comparisons of the incoming ultraviolet radiation with backscattered radiation give scientists a highly accurate picture of the total amount of ozone in the atmosphere, as well as its distribution by altitude. Atmospheric observations resumed at around 1 a.m. CST, with remote-sensing operations by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS). The instrument is observing orbital sunrises around the South Pole to study the Antarctic ozone hole and compare ozone amounts inside and outside the edge of the swirling mass of cold air known as the "polar vortex." This vortex acts as a container for chemical reactions that cause ozone depletion. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) and the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI), two new atmospheric instruments aboard the retrievable CRISTA-SPAS satellite, continue to make observations of the middle atmosphere's chemistry. CRISTA measures a variety of gases in the middle atmosphere, and MAHRSI detects the amounts of nitric oxide and hydroxyl in the middle atmosphere and lower thermosphere. With its fast scanning technique, CRISTA recorded several hundred thousand spectra of trace gases in Earth's atmosphere. Currently, all systems aboard the CRISTA-SPAS satellite are working nominally. The ground control team for the Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) instrument is currently working with ATLAS 3 payload controllers to determine the nature of a problem which is preventing the reception of scientific data from the instrument. It is suspected that the problem is internal, possibly a malfunction in the instrument's microprocessor. Until the source of the problem is determined, its potential impact on MAS's science remains uncertain. On Saturday, November 5, 1994 at 5pm CDT, STS-66 MCC Status Report #5 reports: The astronauts on board Atlantis gathered spectacular views of a late season hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean as they continued supporting scientific observations being made with the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science. Mission commander Donald R. McMonagle shared images of Hurricane Florence during an interview this morning with The Weather Channel. Throughout the day, McMonagle and his crew mates on the Red Team -- Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa and Mission Specialist Joe Tanner -- tended to a variety of middeck experiments on board Atlantis and continued supporting both the ATLAS-3 and CRISTA-SPAS payloads. The CRISTA-SPAS satellite currently is trailing Atlantis by about 42 miles, and the distance between the two spacecraft is increasing by about 2 miles each orbit. On Saturday, November 5, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #5 reports: (MET 2/7:00) ATLAS 3 experiments aboard the Shuttle Atlantis are in the midst of an atmospheric observation period which began early this morning and will continue until Sunday night. The two instruments aboard the autonomous CRISTA-SPAS satellite are in their second day of collecting additional information about the composition of the atmosphere. "The ATLAS 3 mission is the most complete global health check on the atmosphere that has ever been done, measuring more trace gases that are important in ozone chemistry than any previous research effort," said Mission Scientist Dr. Tim Miller. Scientists will add the mission's atmospheric and solar studies to those of satellite instruments to help determine what creates ozone variations over different parts of the globe at different times of the year. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV), from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is measuring the total amount of ozone under the orbiter's path and how it is distributed by altitude. SSBUV's primary purpose is to verify ozone readings made by its sister instrument aboard the NOAA-9 meteorological satellite and NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer on the Russian Meteor 3 satellite. Satellite instruments can be degraded by extended exposure to ultraviolet radiation and particles such as atomic oxygen. SSBUV undergoes rigorous calibration before and after flight. By comparing its measurements with those made by the satellites over the same Earth location within the hour, scientists can make corrections for any drift in the satellite instruments. ATLAS 3 is SSBUV's seventh flight. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument made spectral measurements of the atmosphere during orbital sunsets over Northern Hemisphere sites from Eastern Europe to the middle portion of North America. Orbital sunrises illuminated the atmosphere for ATMOS observations as far south as the Antarctic coast. The ATMOS team at Spacelab Control in Huntsville relays data to their lab at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, where it is translated to show the amounts and distribution of 30 to 40 trace gases which influence ozone chemistry in the middle atmosphere. This morning, Commander Donald R. McMonagle pointed the orbiter's cargo bay toward the CRISTA-SPAS satellite for three hours of communications with the instruments onboard -- the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) and the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI). The Shuttle relayed sample data that had been recorded onboard to scientists at Huntsville and the Payload Operations Center in Florida. Preliminary data analysis indicates that MAHRSI science operations are going very well, according to instrument scientist Jeff Morrill of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. "We feel confident that we will be able to determine distributions of hydroxyl in the middle atmosphere." Hydroxyl is a hydrogen compound that plays a part in the natural destruction of ozone. Measurements of nitric oxide, another catalyst in ozone chemistry, will take place later in the mission. CRISTA Principal Investigator Dr. Dirk Offermann said he is "very satisfied" with his data, reporting the instrument had measured more than two million spectra in 22 hours of operation. The instrument is making a three-dimensional map of how a variety of gases are distributed in the middle atmosphere. CRISTA's space observations are supported by an ambitious ground-based campaign. Sounding rockets are launched twice a day when the Shuttle and CRISTA-SPAS pass over the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. On both daily passes over the Hohenpeissenberg station in Germany, high-precision ozone-measuring balloons are launched. Coordinated readings also are being made by airplane flights west of Scotland over the Atlantic. Data from these instruments will provide extra calibration for the CRISTA measurements. Throughout the morning, the Millimeter Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) team worked with ATLAS 3 payload controllers to revive their instrument. The onboard computer still is not responding. Though they will continue these efforts the remainder of the flight, the MAS team feels they have very little chance of obtaining more science data from ATLAS 3. According to Principal Investigator Dr. Gerd Hartmann, MAS experienced an apparent malfunction of its onboard computer system at 6:56 CST Friday morning, resulting in loss of science data transmission to the ground and an inability to communicate with the computer. The problem was discovered when communications were reestablished with the ATLAS 3 payload after the CRISTA-SPAS deployment. Indications are that a sudden input current surge in MAS data control electronics may have burned out some electrical components. The cause of the current surge and the actual components which failed probably will not be firmly established until the instrument is examined after landing, . Prior to the malfunction, MAS worked flawlessly for 12 hours, with ten hours of data obtained on water vapor and ozone distribution over America, Africa and Europe. Some useful information on chlorine monoxide also was gathered. Atmospheric observations will continue throughout the night, with an hour-long interruption around midnight to relay science data from instruments on the CRISTA-SPAS satellite through Atlantis to the ground. On Sunday, November 6, 1994 at 9am CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #6 reports: With the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science operating in Atlantis' payload bay, the six astronauts are continuing round-the-clock studies of the Earth's atmosphere and ozone layer. The Blue Team -- Pilot Curt Brown and Mission Specialists Jean-Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski -- began its fourth day on orbit about 8 p.m. CST Saturday. Throughout their shift, the three astronauts have worked with the instruments comprising the ATLAS-3 payload. Atlantis is station-keeping in front of the CRISTA-SPAS science satellite at a distance of about 48 nautical miles. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere satellite was deployed Friday and will be retrieved Saturday following eight days of atmospheric data gathering. Clervoy devoted most of his work day with the Heat Pipe Performance experiment designed to evaluate fluid transfer through various types of pipes for possible use on future spacecraft. Today the Red Team -- Mission Commander Donald R. McMonagle, Mission Specialist Joe Tanner and Ochoa -- will support a number of secondary experiments housed in Atlantis' middeck. McMonagle will work with the Heat Pipe Performance experiment. Each of the Red Team astronauts will exercise on the Shuttle's bicycle ergometer during their workday. On Sunday, November 6, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #6 reports: (MET 2/19:00) Atmospheric instruments of the ATLAS-3 Spacelab continue to use a variety of remote-sensing techniques to define the chemical composition of Earth's atmosphere. The chemistry of the middle atmosphere is very complex, involving many gases. Accurate measurements of a large number of trace molecules are needed to verify computer models of how that chemistry works, so atmospheric changes which occur naturally can be distinguished from those that are induced by human activity. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument continued to view the sun's infrared radiation through the Earth's atmospheric limb during orbital sunrises and sunsets, making global measurements of the composition of the troposphere, stratosphere and mesosphere. Already, the device has provided additional data on atmospheric trace gases in near real-time. For the first time, scientists here at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville have been completing analysis of ATMOS' observations within 24 hours of acquisition and comparing their results with those obtained by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) aboard the Russian Meteor 3 satellite. Such rapid data reduction represents a remarkable improvement over the previous flights of the ATMOS instrument. According to ATMOS team member Mark Abrams, "by building automated data processing systems, we've been able to reduce the data processing time by more than a factor of a hundred....from months to hours." ATLAS 3 marks the fourth flight of ATMOS aboard the Shuttle. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (SSBUV) peered through the atmosphere to the Earth's surface to identify both the total amount of ozone present and its distribution by altitude. The SSBUV team has already done preliminary processing of solar data taken by the instrument on Friday to determine how well it compares with data from previous missions. So far, analysis has revealed that these measurements are of high quality and that they agree to within one or two percent with results from ATLAS 1 and 2. This information should help the scientists to distinguish those processes induced by solar activity from those caused by human activities. During the current atmospheric observation period, SSBUV has completed 14 orbits of Earth views and 12 concurrent measurements with its sister instrument aboard the NOAA-9 spacecraft. The primary purpose of SSBUV, now on its seventh flight , is to verify the accuracy of data being gathered by free-flying satellites. After 30 hours of data collection, the CRISTA instrument had measured more than three million infrared spectra of trace gases in the Earth's atmosphere. The device has completed over 6000 measurements of variations in the distribution of trace gases at heights between 30 and 150 km with a resolution of 1.5 km. CRISTA continues to collect data at a rate of 26 spectra per second, and all parts of the system are working nominally. The second instrument aboard CRISTA- SPAS, the MAHRSI experiment, is measuring hydroxyl spectra in the middle atmosphere, and the observed spectral data shows a clear detection of hydroxyl. Hydroxyl plays a key role in the natural destruction of ozone. Both CRISTA and MAHRSI are very pleased with the quantity and quality of the data they have received. Atmospheric observations will continue to be the primary focus of activity for the next shift, followed by another period of communication period with the CRISTA-SPAS spacecraft. Then, the mission's second solar pointing period will begin. On Sunday, November 6, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #7 reports: (MET 2/7:00) The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's ATMOS team reported interesting preliminary results of their observations inside the Antarctic polar vortex, an area of high-speed circulation over the South Pole. The circulation bottles up chemical constituents, making it something of a test tube where the atmosphere can be studied in isolation. "Our data show very low ozone levels over the Antarctic, as expected for this time of year," said ATMOS Principal Investigator Dr. Mike Gunson. "We also see evidence from certain long-lived gases that the air descended to lower altitudes as it cooled over the preceding winter period. This also was expected, but it is the first time it has actually been observed over such a broad range of altitudes." A "hole" in the ozone layer forms over the Antarctic around September each year, when increased springtime sunlight strikes air cooled during the Southern Hemisphere winter. The sun's ultraviolet radiation triggers chemical reactions that both create and destroy ozone. In recent years, human activity has introduced high levels of chemicals into the atmosphere which upset its natural balance. For instance, one free atom of chlorine released from chlorofluorocarbons can destroy thousands of ozone molecules. "By late November, ozone-rich air from the mid-latitudes mixes with the Antarctic air to fill in the lost ozone, and chemicals such as nitrogen oxides - - which act like a sort of atmospheric antacid -- begin to gobble up free chlorine, repairing the ozone loss," explained Gunson. In the winter, nitrogen oxides are frozen as nitric acid in ice crystals in polar stratospheric clouds. ATLAS 3 is flying during an intermediate period, when the ozone hole has begun to recover but before it has dissipated. Today's data indicate that nitrogen oxides are still very low. Chlorine measurements will be available in the next couple of days. During this morning's communications period with the free-flying CRISTA-SPAS satellite, the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) began taking readings of nitric oxide at high altitudes. The instrument previously had been making global readings of hydroxyl, and it will return to that mode during the next communications period. Both gases are active in the natural cycle of ozone chemistry. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) continues to scan the atmosphere, making millions of spectra to map global locations and movements of some 15 trace gases. The huge number of observations is necessary because each cubic mile of atmosphere over the Earth is essentially its own separate chemical laboratory. For scientists to thoroughly understand chemical reactions and transport mechanisms like atmospheric winds, they must have extensive samples from as many latitudes, longitudes and altitudes as possible. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment is finishing up its first period of atmospheric viewing, recording ozone levels and distribution for comparison with instruments aboard free-flying ozone-monitoring satellites. SSBUV is housed in two Get-Away Special (GAS) canisters, mounted in the orbiter's cargo bay just in front of the ATLAS 3 Spacelab pallet. Data from the instrument is being relayed to the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., the instrument's home base, for preliminary analysis. The atmospheric observation period for the Shuttle-mounted instruments will end at about 6:30 p.m. CST. Then the orbiter will maneuver to relay communications between CRISTA-SPAS instruments and ground controllers for one orbit. Eight orbits of solar observations will follow. On Monday, November 7, 1994 at 8 a.m CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #7 reports: The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere satellite is trailing Atlantis at a distance of about 55 nautical miles. On Sunday, Commander Donald R. McMonagle performed a station-keeping burn to keep the two spacecraft at a relative distance of about 40 n.m. until CRISTA-SPAS is retrieved on Saturday following eight days of atmospheric data gathering. Throughout the night, the Blue Team -- Pilot Curt Brown and Mission Specialists Jean- Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski -- maneuvered Atlantis to allow one of the seven instruments to measure fluctuations in the amount of ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun. Middeck payload activities included a status check of the protein crystal growth experiment and activation of the student-designed ESCAPE experiment which is studying extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. After completing his shift, Clervoy discussed the mission and his experiences thus far with French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur, Minister of Defense Francois Leotard, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Jose Rossi and European Space Agency Director General Jean-Marie Luton. Crew members also used cameras on board Atlantis to document environmental changes as they orbited at an altitude of approximately 160 n.m. On Monday, November 7, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #8 reports: (MET 3/19:00) ATLAS 3 had completed a total of 30 orbits of atmospheric observations at the conclusion of the mission's second atmospheric period last night, when Commander Donald R. McMonagle maneuvered Atlantis to relay communications between CRISTA-SPAS instruments and ground controllers for one orbit. During these scheduled communications, the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) and Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) instruments send their data through the Shuttle Orbiter to scientists on the ground. This enables them to make real-time calibrations and adjustments of these instruments . The CRISTA instrument has now collected about 5 million infrared spectra of trace gases in the Earth's atmosphere. In this communication period, the MAHRSI science team again turned their instrument from nitric oxide measurements at high altitudes to global hydroxyl measurements which will continue into the next shift. Both hydroxyl and nitric oxide participate significantly in the ozone chemistry cycle. The Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) and the Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiment took "superb" readings of the total solar energy coming to Earth, according to Roger Helizon of the ACRIM team. They made preliminary data comparisons with each other, as well as with observations by the ACRIM 2 instrument aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). Science teams said that the rough comparisons were very good, indicating that instruments measuring total solar irradiance on the satellites had not experienced significant degradation. ATLAS instruments take very reliable readings of the sun, since they are carefully calibrated against strict laboratory standards before and after each flight. Yet these readings are "snapshots" of only a few days' duration. Long-term conditions are tracked by free-flying satellites, whose instruments may be somewhat degraded by extended exposure in space. By comparing the two measurements, scientists can determine the amount of degradation in free-flying satellite readings. This allows them to make accurate corrections, essential to tracking subtle changes over time in the solar energy influencing atmospheric conditions. The Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) instrument again received good data from solar observations of the infrared, visible and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The data from these observations is sent to Paris, France for processing, and so far the results of this data analysis are according to expectations. The Naval Research Laboratory's Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) was calibrated successfully, then received good data during the seven solar orbits, permitting comparisons with the SUSIM instrument aboard the UARS satellite. The UARS SUSIM has been decreasing in sensitivity since the satellite was placed in orbit. This is to be expected since ultraviolet light, which SUSIM monitors, has a severe impact on space instruments. Comparison with ATLAS measurements gives scientists an accurate yardstick for evaluating that degradation. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment made solar irradiance measurements during the sixth and seventh solar orbits of this shift. The instrument is operating nominally. The instrument has now completed a total of four solar and 22 Earth orbital views and is making solar ultraviolet data comparisons with SUSIM and SOLSPEC. The current solar viewing period will continue until around 7:30 am CST this morning. Atmospheric observations will follow, after the next communication between the CRISTA-SPAS instruments and ground controllers. On Monday, November 7, 1994 at 5 p.m CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #8 reports: As the crew worked through its fifth day in space, Mission Commander Don McMonagle spent some time testing heat pipe designs and a special type of cooling radiator that has no moving parts. The tests are part of the Heat Pipe Performance experiment which involves applying specifically-measured amounts of heat to the various heat pipe designs, measuring the cooling capacity of the pipe, and determining the limits of each design's operation. McMonagle found time for additional experiment runs with the heat pipes today beyond those originally planned. The tests will provide designers with insight into how well the pipe designs operate in weightlessness. Heat pipes, because of their efficiency and reliability, already are used on some permanent satellites as cooling devices. Earlier today, ground controllers noticed performance of one of the channels of Atlantis' Ku-band communication system was degrading. The system is used for high data rate communications with the ground, such as the ATLAS science data. The problem was traced to the connections between one of Atlantis's network signal processors and the Ku- band system. Ground controllers switched to a backup processor aboard Atlantis and full communications capability has been restored. The original network signal processor still works well for all modes of communication except the single Ku-band channel. Around midday today, Atlantis performed a slight engine firing to maintain its distance from the CRISTA-SPAS satellite. CRISTA-SPAS is now trailing Atlantis at a distance of approximately 47 nautical miles, and is extending that distance by about 1 nautical mile per orbit. On Monday, November 7, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #9 reports: (MET 4/7:00) Complementary instruments aboard the Shuttle Atlantis and the CRISTA-SPAS satellite are in the fifth day of the STS-66 mission, making a detailed examination of Earth's life support system, the atmosphere. "Each separate experiment is enhanced by the others, because we can compare similar measurements with other instruments," said Ernest Hilsenrath, principal investigator for the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment . SSBUV studies both solar radiation and atmospheric gases. It compares the amount of ultraviolet radiation from the sun with that scattered back from the Earth. The difference reveals the amount of ozone in the atmosphere. Over the past few months, Hilsenrath and his colleagues with the Naval Research Laboratory's Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) and France's Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) experiment have been closely comparing their solar ultraviolet measurements from the previous ATLAS flights. They are also comparing the short-term, highly calibrated ATLAS readings with long-term measurements from solar ultraviolet instruments on NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). "We're finding that the agreement among the instruments is ten times better than the agreement which existed between solar instruments that flew before UARS [launched in 1991] and ATLAS [first launched in 1992]," said Hilsenrath. New computer capabilities and experience from previous flights are speeding up comparisons of the solar observations, Hilsenrath added. "It took us 30 months to compare results from ATLAS 1 and 18 months to compare those from ATLAS 2, but within 36 hours of our first ATLAS 3 observations, we were beginning some preliminary comparisons," he said. Ultraviolet light is the driver for ozone chemistry. Therefore, for scientists to predict atmospheric changes, they must have a thorough understanding of fluctuations in ultraviolet radiation. At the end of the flight's second solar observation period this morning, the astronaut crew maneuvered the Shuttle to scan the solar experiments across the disk of the sun. The "criss-cross" scan checks the accuracy of their coalignment and measures how much the instruments' response depends on the sun angle. A communications period with the CRISTA-SPAS instrument followed. It was extended for about an hour, allowing the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) to refine their pointing by doing extra light-of-sight calibrations with bright guide stars. Both MAHRSI and the other satellite-mounted instrument, the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA), will furnish detailed measurements about the global atmosphere that complement those of the ATLAS instruments. MAHRSI zeros in on hydroxyl and nitric oxide, two natural gases important in ozone chemistry. CRISTA is mapping three- dimensional distributions and movements of some 15 trace gases. After the satellite communication period, SSBUV joined the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment for the mission's third round of atmospheric observations. ATMOS principal investigator Dr. Mike Gunson reports that his instrument has already collected the equivalent of some 40,000 floppy disks of data on trace gases in the atmosphere. "To understand the myriad of chemical pathways in the atmosphere and how they relate to each other, we need to collect detailed information on as many gases as possible," Gunson said. Gunson said preliminary ATMOS data show the Antarctic ozone hole region seems to be very well contained, with marked differences between the atmosphere inside and outside the hole. Thus far, he has seen no signs of intermediate zones. Though it is too early to interpret readings of Northern Hemisphere ozone, both Hilsenrath and Gunson expect to see it recovering to normal levels after depletion triggered by the Mt. Pinatubo volcano eruption in 1991. "Of course, predictions have been known to be disproved by actual observations," added Hilsenrath. On Tuesday, November 8, 1994 at 8 a.m CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #9 reports: With Atlantis' systems performing without problem, the six astronauts that make up the STS-66 crew took time to discuss the progress of the mission with reporters during the traditional in-flight press conference. Questions from reporters in Texas, Florida and France covered a variety of subjects ranging from the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-3 activities to election day. Besides stating that he was pleased with the progress of the mission thus far, Mission Commander Don McMonagle also confirmed that all five U.S. astronauts had the opportunity to vote prior to the flight. Over night, the Blue Team of Curt Brown, Jean-Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski worked supporting the ATLAS-3 instruments and a Heat Pipe Performance unit designed to test various types of cylinders that could provide a more effective and efficient method of dissipating heat on future spacecraft and space stations. Brown oversaw a small maneuvering engine firing performed just after five this morning to refine Atlantis' orbit in front of the Shuttle Pallet Satellite which was deployed on the second day of the mission. The series of engine firings maintain the proper distance from the satellite prior to its capture and return to the payload bay scheduled for Saturday. The Red Team of Commander Don McMonagle and Mission Specialists Ellen Ochoa and Joe Tanner took over control of the orbiter and payloads about six o'clock this morning as the crew continues to divide the day into two 12-hour shifts. On Tuesday, November 8, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #10 reports: (MET 4/19:00) The third mission of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS 3) is providing an opportunity for scientists from around the world to gather data about our planet and its atmosphere. Instruments on board Space Shuttle Atlantis operated throughout the night, sending back information about the conditions of the Earth's protective blanket. The Atlas 3 instruments have completed their second atmospheric and second solar observation periods. The atmospheric instruments continue to gather high-quality data about the atmosphere, and the ATLAS science teams are very pleased with the mission's results so far. Currently, the Shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay is pointed toward the Earth for the flight's third atmospheric period. Investigators for the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment have been compiling a precisely calibrated database of global stratospheric ozone measurements. SSBUV, which compares direct solar ultraviolet radiation with the amount of sunlight scattered off the Earth's surface, is using the amount of cloud coverage seen through a payload bay camera in order to determine what produces the backscattering in their field of view. According to SSBUV co-investigator Richard Cebula, "cloud cover helps us understand the reflectivity of the Earth and how that reflectivity affects the retrieval of ozone data." A primary objective of SSBUV during the ATLAS series of missions is to provide highly accurate ozone measurements that will be used to verify data being obtained by free- flying satellites. SSBUV readings help scientists resolve the problem of calibration drifts in ozone-sensing instruments that are exposed to the environment of space for long periods of time, thus improving the accuracy of the measurements. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscope (ATMOS) continued to observe the atmosphere last night, having completed a total of 110 observations of the sun through the atmosphere during sunrises and sunsets. Scientists want to learn more about the components of the middle atmosphere, how they interact, and how they change over time. Models of stratospheric chemistry are used to predict the future evolution of this atmospheric region, and ATMOS data will help in the evaluation of those models. ATMOS also viewed the Sun with no atmospheric interference to provide calibration of the solar spectral background, solar spectral features, and instrument response to the sun. The CRISTA-SPAS instrument completed its period of communications with the Orbiter early in the evening, during which the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes (CRISTA) made a small, two degree turn from viewing the atmospheric limb to view the Earth directly and verify the instrument's altitude, then turned back to look through the atmosphere. According to CRISTA Principal Investigator Dirk Offermann, this planned special mode of operation "gives us an altitude reference independent of the star tracker." CRISTA has begun a period of observations in the high atmosphere and is acquiring approximately 4,000 height scans of trace gases per day. These measurements have important applications for atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, as well as for the understanding of Earth's energy balance. The Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) experiment continues to accurately measure the concentration of hydroxyl in the middle atmosphere, collecting data that will help scientists more accurately test the current understanding of observed ozone levels in the middle atmosphere and resolve conflicts between satellite ozone observations and ozone amounts predicted by computer models. MAHRSI does this by observing light emitted by hydroxyl molecules after they absorb ultraviolet energy from the Sun. Hydroxyl is an important member of the odd hydrogen family, those gases that contain a single hydrogen atom, and contributes directly to the destruction of ozone in the middle atmosphere. "Things are looking very good for data analysis," said Principal Investigator Robert Conway as MAHRSI continues to work on producing "the first ever global maps of hydroxyl." On Tuesday, November 8, 1994 at 5 p.m CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #10 reports: Throughout the day, the Red Team of Don McMonagle, Ellen Ochoa and Joe Tanner worked with the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-3, maneuvering the orbiter to provide the scientific instruments with the best view of the Earth and the Sun. Crew members also spent time with a variety of middeck payloads, including the protein crystal growth experiment and a space tissue loss study designed to validate Earth- based models on how microgravity affects the human body. This afternoon, McMonagle commanded a small maneuvering engine firing to increase the closing rate between CRISTA- SPAS and Atlantis. The maneuver will keep the relative distance between the two spacecraft at 40 to 60 nautical miles prior to its capture and return to the payload bay scheduled for Saturday morning. The Blue Team, now in its seventh flight day, is awake and preparing for another busy shift. Pilot Curt Brown, and Mission Specialists Jean- Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski will perform routine communications health checks with CRISTA-SPAS and Brown will maneuver Atlantis in support of ATLAS-3 observations of cloud tops and atmospheric gasses. On Tuesday, November 8, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #11 reports: (MET 5/7:00) "As we approach the halfway point in this mission, the management team is very proud of the flawless performance of the Spacelab, and the scientists are very pleased with the data they are getting," said ATLAS 3 Mission Manager Paul Hamby in today's press briefing. Information being collected during the 11-day flight will help scientists understand the chemistry, dynamics and physics of Earth's protective ozone layer. The German ASTRO-SPAS satellite, with its payloads the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) and Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI), is orbiting the Earth about 65 miles away from Atlantis. ASTRO-SPAS systems are in very good health, and CRISTA and MAHRSI continue gathering large amounts of data. Thus far in the mission, CRISTA has collected more than eight million infrared spectra of trace gases in the atmosphere. During their communication period with the ground this morning, the two instruments checked alignment of their fields of view with bright targets in the night sky. CRISTA tracked Mars and MAHRSI used Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, as reference points. The coalignment confirmed that both were pointing at the correct altitudes. The two instruments then began several hours of cooperative observations, taking measurements of nitric oxide in the coldest part of the atmosphere, called the mesopause, about 62 miles (100 kilometers) above the Earth's surface. "In this region, nitric oxide has a fairly long lifetime," explained MAHRSI Principal Investigator Dr. Robert Conway. "By watching its movement as the instruments circle the globe, orbit after orbit, we can see how waves and winds transport the gas." Nitric oxide collects high in the mesosphere above the winter polar region. Atmospheric circulation then transfers it to lower latitudes above the equator and pushes it down into the upper stratosphere. Though other members of the nitrogen oxide family slow ozone depletion in the lower stratosphere by absorbing chlorine, nitric oxide at higher altitudes participates in the chemical cycle that destroys ozone. MAHRSI returned to its primary task of measuring hydroxyl in the upper stratosphere during this afternoon's communications linkup between the satellite and the ground. Dr. Dominique Crommelynck, principal investigator for Belgium's Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiment, and Roger Helizon with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) say they are pleased with results so far from their measurements of the total radiation from the sun. Both appear to agree with previously obtained values from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite's ACRIM-II instrument and the ATLAS 2 mission. Crommelynck said he has been able to adjust measurements from earlier space instruments to assemble a single set of continuous observations since 1978. He stressed, however, that "scientists will need measurements over tens or even hundreds of years to truly understand the influence of solar radiation on Mother Earth." Principal Investigator Dr. Gerard Thuillier has received the first processed Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) data from his home laboratory at the National Center for Scientific Research in Paris, and science teams here in Huntsville are beginning to compare ultraviolet radiation data taken during the mission's initial solar observation period. Thuillier and Dr. Michael VanHoosier, co-investigator for the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM), say data from both of their instruments and Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment show a high level of agreement. This afternoon, SSBUV completed a series of atmospheric measurements to calibrate their sister ozone-monitoring instrument aboard the NOAA-9 meteorological satellite. Then they adjusted their spectrometers to detect a wavelength range virtually identical to that measured by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS). For 11 orbits, SSBUV will make six measurements per second of the total ozone under the Shuttle's orbital path. Results will be used to calibrate the mapping spectrometer, which has been making similar readings from the Russian Meteor-3 satellite since 1991. On Wednesday, November 9, 1994 at 8 a.m CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Overnight, Pilot Curt Brown commanded a maneuvering burn that placed Atlantis in a station keeping orbit 35 miles ahead of the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere satellite. The satellite will continue to gather data about t he Earth's atmosphere and protective ozone layer until Saturday when Brown and Mission Commander Don McMonagle are scheduled to complete a rendezvous with CRISTA-SPAS. In the orbiter's payload bay, the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science continues its observations of the chemical processes that affect the Earth's atmosphere. Throughout the day, both teams of astronauts will continue to monitor the ATLAS -3 investigations with Brown and McMonagle commanding Atlantis into a series of attitudes to enhance the scientific observations. The Blue Team, consisting of Brown and Mission Specialists Jean-Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski, supported the Heat Pipe Performance and Protein Crystal Growth Experiments. Parazynski also demonstrated a new resistive exercise device comprised of a series of tethers which allowed him to use his own body weight for resistance. Data indicate that load-bearing exercise may minimize bone density loss during extended space flights. Parazynski also discussed mission objectives and Tuesday's election results with KCBS television in Los Angeles, Calif., during an interview late last night. On Wednesday November 9, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #12 reports: (MET 5/19:00) The solar instruments are in standby, as science teams evaluate data from the first two solar observation periods and prepare for the third. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment measured the chemical and physical composition of the middle atmosphere. Since ATMOS first flew on Spacelab 3 in 1985, scientists have retrieved height profiles of over 30 trace gases from ATMOS data, including several chlorofluorocarbons, nitrogen-oxygen compounds, ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water and methane. The instrument measures these gases selectively and can simultaneously observe about ten to fifteen trace gases in one observation. The ATMOS instrument viewed the stratosphere at orbital sunrise and sunset, gathering information in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Since trace gas molecules absorb solar radiation at different wavelengths, ATMOS determines which wavelengths are being absorbed, giving scientists a more detailed picture of the molecular makeup of the atmosphere. ATMOS data from ATLAS 3 will be compared to information gathered during other missions to examine worldwide, seasonal and long-term atmospheric changes. According to Principal Investigator Mike Gunson, ATMOS has already far exceeded its minimum success requirements for the mission, performing "well beyond expectations" on its "most productive, and certainly most scientifically interesting, flight ever on any Shuttle mission." ATMOS has now filled about 80 percent of its onboard recorder, having completed a total of 166 sunrise and sunset observations. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment continued to perform coincident measurements for NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and with ozone measuring instruments flying on the NOAA 9 satellite as called for by the National Plan for Stratospheric Monitoring. The SSBUV instrument makes its ozone measurements by comparing the amount of solar radiation reaching the top of the Earth's atmosphere to the amount being scattered back from the atmosphere. This information gives scientists a measure of the amount of ozone present in a given area. At around 3:45 CST this morning, the SSBUV team participated in what Principal Investigator Ernest Hilsenrath called "a spontaneous experiment collaboration" with the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) instrument to test the possibility of using MAHRSI's limb-scanning ability to measure ultraviolet radiation and ozone in the lower stratosphere. Taking advantage of a planned CRISTA-SPAS maneuver in which MAHRSI scanned the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum at heights between 55 and 15 km, the SSBUV team cooperated with the MAHRSI team to demonstrate the feasibility of this ozone limb-scanning technique in preparation for a solar limb- scanning instrument currently under development for possible use on future space missions. SSBUV measures ozone in the upper stratosphere by looking straight down at the Earth using ultraviolet backscatter observations. MAHRSI, on the other hand, measures hydroxyl and nitric oxide in the stratosphere and mesosphere, using limb-scanning, or edge on viewing above the Earth's horizon. This experiment successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using limb-scanning of the ultraviolet spectrum to obtain ozone measurements in the lower stratosphere. According to MAHRSI Principal Investigator Robert Conway, "there was a question about whether our instrument had enough sensitivity to perform this experiment successfully, but, sure enough, we did. The data look excellent." Analysis of this experiment's results will continue throughout the next shift. During the second half of the next 12 hour shift, the four solar science instruments for ATLAS 3 will begin their third period of solar observations. The Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Belgium's SOLCON experiment will measure the total solar energy received by the Earth. The SOLSPEC experiment will concentrate on the sun's radiant output in ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths while the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor examines solar output in the ultraviolet wavelengths. SSBUV will also observe the sun during one or two of the solar orbits, and the second Experiment of the Sun for Complementing the Atlas Payload and for Education (ESCAPE-II) will be in operation for all solar orbits. On Wednesday, November 9, 1994 at 5 p.m CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #12 reports: The crew told Mission Control that night time passes are becoming shorter as the shuttle's orbit aligns more with the line between night and day, called the terminator. By the last day of the flight, Atlantis' orbit will be almost parallel to the terminator, putting the crew in continual daylight for several orbits. Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa told controllers the crew can see as many as 13-14 layers in the atmosphere during sunsets, while Commander Don McMonagle said they are collecting photographs of the sunsets with a 300 millimeter telephoto lens to supplement the atmospheric data obtained by cargo bay instruments. Throughout the day, McMonagle performed a series of maneuvers to position the ATLAS instruments for solar science gathering, rotating the orbiter toward the sun during observations and away from it between observing opportunities. During one maneuver, several "failed jet" messages were observed. Flight controllers are studying the possibility that one of two hand controllers used to fire the shuttle's large steering jets may have sent spurious firing commands to the shuttle's jets when it was powered on for a maneuver. The jets were turned off at the time and did not fire. The problem does not impact any of the shuttle's current scientific work, since the smaller steering jets, or verniers, are used to point the shuttle for the atmospheric observations. An analysis of the problem, including a possible checkout of the hand controller, is continuing. On Wednesday November 9, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #13 reports: (MET 6/7:00) ATLAS 3 atmospheric instruments have finished another two days of observations to check the health of the atmosphere, and the four solar instruments are in the midst of their third set of observations. With the mission less than a day past its mid-point, the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument has already gathered more data than it did during either ATLAS 1 or ATLAS 2. One of the gases it focused on in the last observing period was hydrogen chloride, which provides a direct measurement of the amount of chlorine available in the atmosphere for ozone chemistry. Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa explained this morning that ATMOS is unique not only because it measures as many as 30 or 40 trace gases simultaneously, but also because it can detect very small concentrations of those gases -- down to a few parts per billion. "Even though the quantities are small," she observed, "these gases can play a large part in ozone destruction." The ATMOS team has encouraged the crew to get as many photographs of the atmosphere as possible, and this afternoon Commander Don McMonagle made pictures as a sunrise illuminated Earth's thin protective blanket. Ochoa viewed the sunrise with high-magnification binoculars, and she commented that she could see 13 or 14 atmospheric layers above the clouds. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment completed a series of Earth ozone measurements to calibrate those being made by NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) aboard the Russian Meteor-3 satellite. A six-orbit period of solar observations began at around 1 p.m., with the Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiment and the Active Cavity Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) making very precise measurements of the total radiation arriving at Earth from the sun. The Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) instrument and Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) are looking at the sun's radiation as a function of wavelength. This morning, principal scientists for SUSIM, SOLSPEC and SSBUV announced that preliminary data for their first set of ultraviolet solar observations agree approximately to five percent of one another. This is the closest agreement ever achieved by three individual solar instruments without post-flight calibration. The correlation is especially significant since each instrument uses different physics to achieve their calibration. The scientists expect to refine the agreement even further during post-flight analysis. "It is important to obtain very accurate measurements of ultraviolet radiation, because it sets up the chemistry in the atmosphere, triggers catalytic cycles that make and destroy ozone, and drives heating in the atmosphere," said SSBUV Principal Investigator Ernest Hilsenrath. Changes in this ultraviolet output are very subtle, but their impact is of the same order as that of chemicals released into the atmosphere by industrial activity. To distinguish changes due to solar variations from those caused by human activity, both must be closely tracked. "Measurements made by the ATLAS missions and the satellite instruments they calibrate will provide a baseline for the future," said Hilsenrath. "They will be a legacy for environmental investigators in the next century, so they can look back at our data and compare it with changes they may observe in the atmosphere." While the Shuttle-based experiments concentrate on the sun, the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) experiment and the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) are continuing atmospheric observations from aboard Germany's free-flying CRISTA-SPAS satellite. CRISTA Principal Investigator Dr. Dirk Offermann, of the University of Wuppertal in Germany, reported his instrument has made the first global readings of atomic oxygen in far-infrared wavelengths as low as 62 miles (100 kilometers). "This is important because it will help us understand how atomic oxygen functions as a cooling mechanism in the upper atmosphere," explained Offermann. Though far-infrared readings of atomic oxygen at similar altitudes have been made during brief sounding rocket flights, and by satellite instruments at higher altitudes, they have never before been made so low in the atmosphere on a global scale. Atomic oxygen is produced in the upper stratosphere when solar ultraviolet light strikes molecular oxygen (the form of oxygen people breathe), breaking it down into single oxygen atoms. The MAHRSI team has processed preliminary data showing global concentrations of hydroxyl. Hydroxyl is very influential in the ozone chemistry of the middle atmosphere. On Thursday, November 10, 1994 at 8 a.m CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #13 reports: After several "failed jet" messages were observed following a maneuver earlier today, ground controllers had the crew check the forward hand controller to verify its operation. Checkout validated performance in all axes and flight controllers continue to study the possibility that contacts in the hand controllers were transiently energized when the flight control power was turned on. The problem does not impact any of the Shuttle's current scientific work, since the smaller steering jets, or verniers, are used to point the shuttle for the atmospheric observations. Clervoy took time to discuss the science and objectives of the STS-66 mission with European media representatives during an interview overnight. With the mission past its halfway point, the Red Team -- Mission Commander Don McMonagle, Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa and Mission Specialist Joe Tanner -- are scheduled to take a half day off today and the Blue Team will take a half day off following wakeup late this afternoon. The half day off is a standard practice for Shuttle missions lasting more than 10 days. On Thursday, November 10, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #14 reports: (MET 6/19:00) The ATLAS 3 solar instruments completed the sixth and final orbit of their solar observation period at around 9:25 p.m. CST, and then last night's scheduled communications with the CRISTA-SPAS satellite started. This was the third of four periods planned during ATLAS 3 for the Shuttle's cargo bay to point at the sun. By accumulating data during multiple observation periods, scientists can make extremely precise measurements of the sun's total energy output and its dispersion. Multiple solar periods also allow them to study short-term solar variations. All the solar instruments collected very high quality data. Two University of Colorado students participated in science planning meetings in Huntsville during the last three solar observation periods. The students represented a Colorado Space Grant Consortium project, the second Experiment of the Sun for Complementing the ATLAS Payload and for Education (ESCAPE-II), housed in a Get-Away-Special canister in the Shuttle cargo bay. A secondary payload co-manifested for the ATLAS 3 mission, ESCAPE-II is making observations concurrently with the ATLAS solar instruments, in particular with the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM), which also measures solar ultraviolet radiation in the same wavelength ranges. The experiment was designed, managed and built entirely by 60 undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Colorado in Boulder. ESCAPE II is a follow-on payload to the Extreme Ultraviolet Solar Complex Autonomous Payload Experiment (ESCAPE I), also known as the Solar Ultraviolet Experiment (SUVE), which flew in April 1993 onboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-56/ATLAS 2 mission. Instruments on ESCAPE II include a Far Ultraviolet Spectrometer (FARUS) and a digital Lyman Alpha Spectrum Imaging Telescope (LASIT), which obtain digital images of the solar disk in extreme ultraviolet, 121.6 nanometer, wavelengths in which little research has been done over the last 20 years. The experiment is expected to shed new light on how the sun's extreme ultraviolet wavelengths affect the upper atmosphere, as well as providing for the ESCAPE II students what instrument Team Leader Kathy Wahl called "a hands-on education that you do not get in any classroom experience." The Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) monitored solar irradiance in its ongoing effort to determine possible fluctuations in the sun's total output of optical energy. The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) also carries a similar ACRIM instrument, and the two ACRIM's have been making cooperative observations throughout the mission. At the close of the last solar observation period, ACRIM team member Roger Helizon observed, "the sun is very stable this year. This gives us flat data plots, allowing us to do very tight collaborative measurements with UARS." After the end of the solar period and during the communications between the orbiter and the CRISTA-SPAS instruments, atmospheric observations resumed as the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) switched from measuring hydroxyl to measuring nitric oxide at heights of 60 to 84 miles (100-140 km). At around 3:30 a.m. CST, the MAHRSI science team at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville used an Internet connection to research data records of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE), a satellite launched in 1978, to obtain an old ultraviolet spectrum observation of the Moon. In order to compare and validate their spectral measurements of hydroxyl, the MAHRSI team looks for an ultraviolet spectrum, that is free from atmospheric interference, to use as a reference. Ultraviolet spectra of the Moon are ideal for such purposes, and the data records of IUE furnished this reference. "For us, it's a real breakthrough in the analysis of our data," commented MAHRSI Principal Investigator Robert Conway . Meanwhile, the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) instrument continued collecting infrared spectra of trace gases. CRISTA has taken a total of over ten million spectra so far, an amount that would fill more than six thousand computer discs with raw data. Both the CRISTA and MAHRSI instruments continue to perform well, amassing valuable atmospheric data. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument continued observing orbital sunrises and sunsets to identify and measure molecules and their vertical distribution in the atmosphere. ATMOS acquired good spectral data on key atmospheric molecules, especially chlorine-containing gases, that it is intended to measure as part of its science objectives. The ATMOS science team reports that the experiment's onboard data recorder is over eighty-five percent full and that they are trying to take as many of their measurements via live down link in order to conserve the remaining recorder space for the rest of the mission. The Shuttle crew made occasional maneuvers of Atlantis during the night to help facilitate this live down link. On Thursday, November 10, 1994 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #14 report: During space flights lasting more than 10 days, flight controllers schedule a few hours of off-duty time for each crew member. This break from the steady pace of activities helps astronauts maintain their high performance levels throughout the mission. The Red Team - - Mission Commander Don McMonagle, Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa and Mission Specialist Joe Tanner -- had its off-duty time Thursday afternoon while the Blue Team -- Pilot Curt Brown, and Mission Specialists Jean-Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski -- has Thursday evening off. Maneuvers to orient Atlantis to enhance the science gathering efforts of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science continued throughout the day. During the first half of its day, the Red Team also worked with a variety of middeck experiments being carried on Atlantis. On Thursday, November 10, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #15 reports: (MET 7/7:00) The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment support team, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, has been working around the clock to convert the instrument's raw data into gas-distribution charts. ATMOS scientists at Spacelab Mission Operations Control in Huntsville say preliminary results seem to provide important pieces in the puzzle of how the Antarctic ozone hole originates and what happens after the ozone is completely destroyed. "We knew that industrial chlorofluorocarbons have been reaching the stratosphere, where they release free chlorine atoms which then break down Antarctic ozone by the end of winter," said ATMOS Principal Investigator Dr. Mike Gunson. "Today's preliminary results tell a very interesting story about how the chlorine is deactivated in the springtime, as the Antarctic ozone layer begins to return to normal conditions." The data indicated that at altitudes of about 12 miles (20 kilometers), where ozone depletion is greatest, almost all of the chlorine had been chemically bound into hydrogen chloride molecules. At 15 miles (25 kilometers), the atmosphere recovers in a different way. There, the chlorine appeared in both chlorine nitrate and hydrogen chloride compounds. Gunson added that ATMOS data from ATLAS 3 strongly suggest the ozone hole is a very contained region of the atmosphere. "If the very low water-vapor and nitrogen levels we see in the ozone hole were being spread out to other parts of the atmosphere, that would help explain what causes decreases in ozone levels at mid-latitudes and the tropics," he said. "However, we are not seeing a direct tie between the two areas. If the ozone hole does affect mid-latitudes, it must be in a more indirect fashion." Sunsets in the Shuttle's orbital path are occurring further south as the mission progresses, so ATMOS observations in the Northern Hemisphere are focusing increasingly on tropical regions. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) experiment, aboard the free-flying CRISTA-SPAS satellite, has mapped the atmosphere over nearly the entire globe five times since it went into operation Friday. Its three-dimensional records of trace gases in the middle atmosphere will reveal details never measured before. The CRISTA instrument was built to a large part by students at the University of Wuppertal in Germany and two of their professors. The original idea for the experiment was conceived in 1985. "While the actual instrument was manufactured by industry, students did the calculations, constructed the cryostat, designed the optics, then integrated the equipment with the help of university technicians," said Professor Dirk Offermann. After the mission, the data reduction will be done almost entirely by students. "The instrument is working almost perfectly, and we are very pleased with the results," Offermann added. Offerman is guiding CRISTA science planning at Spacelab Mission Operations Control in Huntsville, and his colleague, Professor Klaus Grossmann, is commanding telescope operations from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. About 20 students from undergraduate to doctoral levels have been involved in the project over the last nine years. The Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) made measurements of hydroxyl this morning as the CRISTA-SPAS satellite orbited over Southern California. MAHRSI then began a 12-hour set of scans to track distributions of nitric oxide in the middle atmosphere. At the same time, the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment started 24 hours of nitric oxide measurements. During last night's solar observations, SSBUV took readings of the sun in nitric oxide wavelengths to furnish comparisons for today's observations. SSBUV controllers first studied nitric oxide during the ATLAS 2 mission, using their instrument's ability to focus on specific wavelengths to pinpoint the gas, then refined the procedure during the STS-62 flight last March. Both nitric oxide and hydroxyl are active in the chain of chemical reactions that destroys ozone in the middle atmosphere. On Friday, November 11, 1994 at 8 a.m.CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #15 reports: The Blue Team -- Pilot Curt Brown, and Mission Specialists Jean-Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski -- spent time attempting to fix a hand-held laser device being carried on board Atlantis. The laser is part of a technology demonstration to show that the hand held radar can provide reliable range and range rate information during shuttle rendezvous operations. Maneuvers to orient Atlantis to enhance the science gathering efforts of the ATLAS-3 payload continue on board, as do operations with several middeck payloads including the Protein Crystal Growth and Space Tissue Loss experiments. On Friday, November 11, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #16 reports: (MET 7/19:00) Preliminary results, available for the first time during an ATLAS mission, continue to provide scientists and the crew with insights to both the investigations and the processes occurring in the atmosphere. Among the results to date is the detection of increasing amounts of Freon-22 in the stratosphere. This chemical, used as a replacement for Chlorofluorocarbons, is not as great a threat as Chlorofluorocarbons to the ozone layer, but is still a growing source of stratospheric chlorine. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment is viewing sunrises and sunsets through the Earth's atmospheric limb, measuring the trace gases involved in the chemistry of the stratosphere and mesosphere. The ATMOS onboard recorder is nearing capacity, and observations will likely be downlinked live from the orbiter Atlantis throughout the remainder of the mission. The crew will continue to maneuver the Shuttle in ways to best enable the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) to provide real-time downlink of ATMOS's observations of sunrises and sunsets. ATMOS Principal Investigator Dr. Mike Gunson commented that the data are posing a "challenging scientific puzzle" as well as providing a "really interesting story to tell about the ozone hole and the processes leading to its formation." "I'm really happy with the way things have gone," he added. "Enormously successful is almost an understatement at this point." The Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC) instrument, which measures solar radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared wavelengths, viewed the Earth during this atmospheric period. Although primarily a solar instrument, SOLSPEC took advantage of the Earth-viewing position of the orbiter to record ultraviolet and visible light as it was scattered back from the atmosphere. This data will be combined with information from SOLSPEC's solar observations to determine concentrations of trace gases in the atmosphere The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) instrument continues to obtain measurements of nitric oxide concentrations as the instrument viewed the Earth. These observations are being performed in conjunction with the MAHRSI instrument to produce a more comprehensive understanding of nitric oxide distribution in the atmosphere. The Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) instrument continues to gather nitric oxide data and is working with the SSBUV team to measure global distributions of this compound, which is active in the chain of chemical reactions that destroys ozone in the middle atmosphere. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) experiment acquired very high resolution data through "oversampling," or making double measurements in specific altitudes to obtain better resolution, during its scans. At this time, CRISTA has taken observations in all of its operating modes, and the science team is very pleased with its performance. On Friday, November 11, 1994 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #16 reports: The ATLAS-3 observations were put on hold for a little more than an hour today due to an electrical problem. A power inverter that converts direct current electricity to alternating current electricity for the ATLAS instruments and their support equipment shut down unexpectedly. Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa aboard Atlantis quickly switched to a backup inverter that repowered the equipment. However, to ensure there was not an electrical problem with the instruments themselves, flight controllers delayed observations for a short while to analyze the situation. Observations with the ATLAS-3 instruments resumed about 4 p.m. Also, the crew switched the onboard flight control computer being used for systems management to a backup mass memory unit after a connection between the computer and the primary MMU proved faulty. Both the computer, one of five flight control computers on board Atlantis, and the MMU are in excellent condition. The problem was only in the connection between the two devices. To restore full backup capability onboard, flight controllers may eventually ask the crew to switch the Systems Manager function to a different computer and assign another function to the current SM computer. During the day, Mission Specialist Joe Tanner took a brief break to talk with a Chicago radio station, answering questions about Atlantis's. Commander Don McMonagle took a phone call from Dr. Herman Smith, a retired Marine Corps Captain in Houstan's VA Medical Center, to commemorate Veterans Day and christen a new patient bedside telephone system. On Friday, November 11, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #17 reports: (MET 7/19:00) Preliminary results, available for the first time during an ATLAS mission, continue to provide scientists and the crew with insights to both the investigations and the processes occurring in the atmosphere. Among the results to date is the detection of increasing amounts of Freon-22 in the stratosphere. This chemical, used as a replacement for Chlorofluorocarbons, is not as great a threat as Chlorofluorocarbons to the ozone layer, but is still a growing source of stratospheric chlorine. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment is viewing sunrises and sunsets through the Earth's atmospheric limb, measuring the trace gases involved in the chemistry of the stratosphere and mesosphere. The ATMOS onboard recorder is nearing capacity, and observations will likely be downlinked live from the orbiter Atlantis throughout the remainder of the mission. The crew will continue to maneuver the Shuttle in ways to best enable the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) to provide real-time downlink of ATMOS's observations of sunrises and sunsets. ATMOS Principal Investigator Dr. Mike Gunson commented that the data are posing a "challenging scientific puzzle" as well as providing a "really interesting story to tell about the ozone hole and the processes leading to its formation." "I'm really happy with the way things have gone," he added. "Enormously successful is almost an understatement at this point." The Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC) instrument, which measures solar radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared wavelengths, viewed the Earth during this atmospheric period. Although primarily a solar instrument, SOLSPEC took advantage of the Earth-viewing position of the orbiter to record ultraviolet and visible light as it was scattered back from the atmosphere. This data will be combined with information from SOLSPEC's solar observations to determine concentrations of trace gases in the atmosphere The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) instrument continues to obtain measurements of nitric oxide concentrations as the instrument viewed the Earth. These observations are being performed in conjunction with the MAHRSI instrument to produce a more comprehensive understanding of nitric oxide distribution in the atmosphere. The Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) instrument continues to gather nitric oxide data and is working with the SSBUV team to measure global distributions of this compound, which is active in the chain of chemical reactions that destroys ozone in the middle atmosphere. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) experiment acquired very high resolution data through "oversampling," or making double measurements in specific altitudes to obtain better resolution, during its scans. At this time, CRISTA has taken observations in all of its operating modes, and the science team is very pleased with its performance. On Saturdy, November 12, 1994 at 5 a.m. CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #17 reports: The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) satellite ended its eight-day mission this morning when the STS-66 crew retrieved the science satellite and returned it to the orbiter's payload bay for the trip home. Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa captured the Shuttle Pallet Satellite, with its CRISTA and Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) instruments, with the robot arm at 7:05 a.m. Central this morning as Atlantis traveled southeast of New Zealand on Orbit 141. Following additional testing while on the end of the robot arm, the satellite is scheduled to be placed back into the payload bay at about 9:30 a.m. today. During the rendezvous sequence, Atlantis flew an elliptical pattern in front of the satellite called a MAHRSI Football maneuver to allow the instrument to gather Shuttle glow data. Investigators will use the information to calibrate data obtained from the atmospheric instruments by detecting and measuring the gas hydroxyl in the proximity of the orbiter. Crew Commander Don McMonagle also tested a new rendezvous technique to demonstrate the approach that will be used on Atlantis' next flight in June 1995 to rendezvous and dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. The technique, which has the orbiter approaching from beneath its target, minimizes thruster jet firings that could "plume" or contaminate the space station systems and solar arrays. Throughout the night, the Blue Team of astronauts -- Pilot Curt Brown and Mission Specialists Jean-Francois Clervoy and Scott Parazynski -- supported the rendezvous activities, maneuvering Atlantis through a series of burns to place it in the correct position for its rendezvous with CRISTA-SPAS. The Red Team -- McMonagle, Ochoa and Mission Specialist Joe Tanner -- woke up at 2 a.m. to oversee the final stages of the satellite rendezvous and retrieval. Tanner used a hand-held laser device that will be used on the Shuttle/Mir docking missions to gather precise range and range rate data throughout the rendezvous. On Saturday, November 12, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #18 reports: (MET 8/19:00) Both MAHRSI and the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) instrument participated overnight in a cooperative experiment with the Shuttle Solar Ultraviolet Backscatter (SSBUV) instrument. The CRISTA-SPAS satellite, which carries CRISTA and MAHRSI, pointed in an almost completely downward, or nadir, direction to allow these two instruments to operate in an observation mode similar to that of SSBUV, measuring variations in infrared and ultraviolet radiation scattered back from cloud tops and Earth surface areas. Dr. Dirk Offermann, the CRISTA principal investigator, reports that the experiment went very well, and the instruments even passed over one end of the now-elongated Antarctic ozone hole. According to Dr. Offermann, CRISTA verified this fact when it recorded "a clearly visible decrease in our ozone signals" over the tip of South America. CRISTA is the only instrument flying with the STS-66 mission that can use infrared scanning to view the Earth's atmosphere even at night. At around 12:45 a.m., MAHRSI and CRISTA collaborated on another exploratory observation, simultaneously obtaining spectral measurements of the moon in ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths. This direct look at Earth's satellite will be used as a reference standard for data processing. Robert Conway described the spectrum as superior to the one acquired from the Internet on the previous day, saying, "We needed to know exactly how our instrument looks at these measurements." The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment has completed 73 Earth observations periods and, along with the other ATLAS 3 experiments, has temporarily shut down for CRISTA-SPAS retrieval. The instrument team is assessing whether to attempt observations of the moon in conjunction with other instruments and is preparing for further Earth and solar view observations. The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument primarily observed sunsets over equatorial latitudes last night. "That's really important to us," said ATMOS Co-Investigator Mark Abrams, who described the equator as a "source region" for ozone mixing over more heavily populated areas of the globe. "Having a good idea about what the source region looks like gives us a good idea about what is going on over the mid-latitudes," he added. ATMOS has made more than 200 solar occultations in this mission, more than the combined occultations of its three previous flights. Many of these measurements will be correlated with observations from instruments on NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. Although ATLAS 3 is flying during what was expected to be the quietest portion of the current solar cycle, information from other observatories obtained via the Internet reveals an unexpected amount of solar activity, including sun spots. The SUSIM instrument has detected higher solar intensities at short wavelengths than expected during its observations, and these data will be critical in characterizing what is occurring and developing a better understanding of solar activity. The instrument team decided to keep the instrument door open and take data during CRISTA-SPAS retrieval. This data will be compared with that obtained with the instrument door closed during deployment. Preparations are now underway to retrieve the CRISTA-SPAS carrier and secure it in the Shuttle's payload bay. As part of this, the orbiter is in the process of maneuvering around the carrier, in an operation known as the "MAHRSI football" because of the shape of its path, so the MAHRSI instrument can make ultraviolet observations of the Shuttle and the area immediately around it. The measurements of the Shuttle and its attendant "Shuttle glow" will help scientists improve their understanding of this phenomenon and assist with refining data from ATLAS and other missions by allowing interference created by the glow to be predicted. After the ASTRO-SPAS carrier has been secured at around 7 a.m. this morning, the ATLAS 3 mission will begin its final period of atmospheric and solar observations. On Saturday, November 12, 1994 at 8 p.m. CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #18 reports: Atlantis' crew safely tucked an atmosphere-observing satellite into the shuttle's cargo bay today ending eight days of independent science gathering activities taking measurements of the Earth's atmosphere and sun. The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) instrument mounted on its Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS) is now latched securely in Atlantis' payload bay for its return trip to Earth. Observations with the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science instruments aboard Atlantis continued throughout the day. With CRISTA securely in place, Ochoa again commanded the shuttle's robot arm to view an icicle that formed on the exterior of the left hand cargo bay door during a routine water dump Friday. The television views showed the door's edges and latches to be free of ice. Flight controllers are considering a variety of options to dislodge the icicle, including using the shuttle's robot arm to break it off of Atlantis' payload bay doors. On Saturday, November 12, 1994 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #19 reports: (MET 9/7:00) Two unique atmospheric instruments concluded almost eight days of very successful operations, as STS-66 Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa retrieved the German Space Agency's reusable CRISTA-SPAS satellite this morning. Its two instruments -- the German Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA), from the University of Wuppertal, and the Middle Atmospheric High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI), from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. -- were designed to measure concentrations and distribution of trace gases in Earth's atmosphere on a global scale. Dr. Dirk Offermann, principal investigator for the CRISTA experiment, reported that his instrument performed almost flawlessly as it gathered unprecedented three-dimensional profiles of the atmosphere. About 100 gigabits of data from 180 hours of CRISTA observing time are stored on magnetic tapes onboard the satellite. "The measurement speed of CRISTA is so high, that conventional satellites would deliver this data set in about half a year," said German Space Agency representative Dr. Wolfgang Frings. CRISTA will be the first instrument to provide such detailed information on the "weather" in the upper atmosphere -- the dynamics of winds, temperature changes and movements which distribute the gases that influence ozone chemistry. According to Offermann, the CRISTA investigation is not finished yet. A campaign of balloon and rocket experiments will continue for about two weeks, providing additional comparisons on the dynamic atmosphere. Post-flight calibrations at Kennedy Space Center will check on the accuracy and precision of CRISTA measurements. "This is an important capability only offered by the Space Shuttle, because it brings instruments back to Earth," Offermann said. "Like CRISTA, we have had a most amazing week," said MAHRSI Principal Investigator Dr. Robert Conway. The instrument accomplished what he termed the "difficult and rather delicate" task of collecting high-resolution, global maps of hydroxyl in the middle atmosphere. It also did almost 30 hours of nitric oxide mapping, much of it in cooperation with the Shuttle Solar Ultraviolet Backscatter (SSBUV) experiment. Both gases are active catalysts in ozone destruction. Conway compared some early MAHRSI hydroxyl measurements with water vapor data from the Millimeter Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS), collected during the mission's first atmospheric research period. "Water vapor is a parent molecule of hydroxyl, because the production of hydroxyl depends on the abundance of water vapor," explained Conway. "By combining the MAS water vapor maps with MAHRSI's maps of hydroxyl abundances, we have two parts of the puzzle for understanding the photochemistry of ozone." The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment has completed atmospheric observations for ATLAS 3, after having accumulated the equivalent of 110,000 floppy disks of data -- more than from all three of its previous flights combined. Today ATMOS viewed the sun directly, rather than using it to illuminate Earth's atmosphere. The current angle of the Shuttle's orbit in relation to the sun would spread atmospheric observations over such a wide area that they would not be useful. "It would be like taking the temperature of Los Angeles and Mexico City at the same time," said ATMOS Assistant Project Manager Gregory Goodson. The unusual illumination conditions of the STS-66 orbit, which changed gradually over the course of the flight, were planned to accommodate the requirements of both ATMOS and CRISTA. Sensitive infrared measurements of the full sun provide an essential reference for ATMOS scientists because they must remove solar spectra from their atmospheric observations to properly interpret results. Solar scientists will get valuable information about the sun's chemistry and physics from the high-resolution infrared spectra as well. Spectacular Earth scenes broadcast from Shuttle cameras today supported the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment's "reflectivity measurements." The video and SSBUV spectra will be compared to determine how various Earth surface features like clouds, oceans, deserts and mountains reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere. Variations in reflectivity affect SSBUV's measurements of the total ozone above the different surface features. "Today's studies give atmospheric scientists a tool for adjusting their ozone models," explained an SSBUV team member. France's Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) experiment is making more readings of solar radiation scattered back from Earth. Though its primary objective is measuring the spectral radiation of the sun, SOLSPEC's Earth views will be compared with its solar results to determine the amount of ozone in the atmosphere. The data also can be compared with that being made by SSBUV, whose primary assignment is to track ozone concentrations by comparing ultraviolet radiation backscattered from the Earth with solar ultraviolet radiation. On Sunday, November 13, 1994 at 10 a.m. CST, STS-66 MCC Status Report #19 reports: Today, crew members continued supporting observations of the instruments that make up the third dedicated Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science. They also checked the small thruster jets to ensure their health for tomorrow's landing activities, deactivated several of the middeck secondary experiments and began packing up equipment for the trip home. Mission managers have decided not to use the robot arm to dislodge an icicle that developed on the left payload bay door and extends to the water dump nozzles on the left side of the orbiter. The decision was made after the camera on the end of the robot arm which would provide ground controllers with insight into the operation malfunctioned overnight. Since the ice is not a safety concern, managers opted to not perform the procedure without the ability to watch it on the ground. On Sunday, November 13, 1994 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-66 Payload Status Report #20 reports: (MET 9/19:00) The Atlantis crew maneuvered the orbiter's cargo bay to face the sun last night for the last of four ATLAS 3 solar observation periods. All four solar experiments -- the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM), the Solar Constant (SOLCON) and Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) experiments, and the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) -- are adding nine orbits of observations to the excellent data they acquired during previous solar periods. The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) instrument is operating in its solar-viewing mode during one of the sun orbits. Solar observations are a vital part of this atmospheric mission, because energy coming from the sun drives the Earth's climate system and the photochemistry of ozone in the stratosphere. ACRIM Co-Investigator Dr. Roger Helizon, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is especially pleased with comparative sunspot activity measurements his team has made with similar instruments aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). "We learned more about the sensitivity of this device than ever before," he commented, adding that the sun during ATLAS 3 has "just the right amount of sunspot activity" to facilitate sunspot measurements. SOLCON's unattended monitoring of solar irradiance began at around 11:00 p.m. CST with instrument activation, and the instrument continues to make solar observations. Data from these observations will help determine the total amount of energy reaching Earth from the sun and how this energy changes over time. The solar constant experiments, designed to take measurements to an accuracy of one-tenth of one percent, are part of a long-term plan during which scientists hope to collect 100 years of data on solar variations. The total energy output of the sun varies only slightly, but variations of just one- half percent over a time scale of decades are thought to be capable of creating major climate changes. Observations of the sun made from space, above the distorting influence of the atmosphere, can be much more precise than ground-based readings. The first observations with this level of accuracy were made by NASA's Solar Maximum Mission in the 1980's. Before it powered down and entered a deep space cooling period in preparation for its solar observations, SSBUV took measurements in a single wavelength, just short of the visible light wavelengths. This data will help the scientists better understand ultraviolet scattering in the atmosphere, which is important in understanding the accuracy of ozone measurements. After one orbit of pointing at deep space for its cooling period, SSBUV began its solar observations, and is in the process of planning unprecedented lunar observations in conjunction with SUSIM and SOLSPEC to measure the moon's albedo, or the ratio of reflected to incoming sunlight, in various wavelengths. According to SSBUV Principal Investigator Ernest Hilsenrath, this will be the "most accurately calibrated set of instruments ever to look at the moon." The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment, having completed all of its atmospheric observations for the mission, is gathering solar spectral data by looking directly at the sun with no atmospheric interference during sunsets. This will provide solar scientists with a high quality solar infrared spectrum. ATMOS has already taken more solar data than on all of its previous missions and is hoping for a solar spectrum with a high ratio of signal to noise, to "capitalize on the opportunity to maximize the amount of data we have," according to Principal Investigator Dr. Mike Gunson. Following an instrument calibration, SOLSPEC performed three sets of direct Earth measurements in the ultraviolet ranges to assist in the determination of the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The instrument then began unattended solar observations. SOLSPEC is currently gathering data on solar irradiance in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths. After performing a pre-observation calibration to help monitor the instrument's high-resolution performance, SUSIM resumed performing solar observations. The instrument is currently obtaining a complete set of spectral scans to determine the ultraviolet solar irradiance. Currently, crew members are scheduled to deactivate the payload later this evening. Science teams and payload controllers at Marshall are still awaiting word as to whether the Shuttle landing will be delayed due to weather. ATLAS instruments might have an opportunity for four bonus observations, two atmospheric and two solar, if a decision is made to postpone landing. After the mission, analysis of these data will begin, producing results which will eventually be publicly archived. "The data belong to everybody," observed NASA Headquarters Program Scientist Dr. Jack Kaye. "Following post-flight data analysis, the data ultimately will be deposited in Earth Observing System Data Information System archives at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, where it will be made available to atmospheric scientists around the world." Mission Name: STS-63 (67) Discovery (20) Pad 39-B (32) 67th Shuttle Mission 20th Flight OV-103 Night Launch (10) MIR Rendezvous / Fly around 1st Mission with Female Pilot EVA Operations Crew: James D. Wetherbee (3), Commander Eileen M. Collins (1), Pilot C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.) (3), Mission Specialist Janice E. Voss, Ph.D. (2), Mission Specialist Bernard A. Harris, Jr., M.D.(2), Mission Specialist Vladimar G. Titov (4), Cosmonaut Milestones: OPF -- 9/28/94 VAB -- 1/05/95 PAD -- 1/10/95 1/17/95 Start of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) 1/18/95 Flight Readiness Review 1/21/95 Load hypergolics 1/23/95 Hot fire APU No. 2 1/26/95 Ordnance install and hypergolic pressurization 1/27/95 Install and checkout spacesuits 1/29/95 Crew arrival for launch (12 midnight) 1/29/95 Begin S0007 Countdown procedure (4:30pm) 2/01/95 Begin 24-Hour Scrub Turnaround 2/03/95 Launch Payload: SPACEHAB-3, Spartan-204, MIR-Rendezvous, CSE, GLO-2, ODERACS-II, IMAX, SSCE, AMOS, MSX Mission Objectives: STS-63's primary objective was to perform a rendezvous and fly around of the Russian space station MIR. The objectives of the MIR Rendezvous/Flyby are to verify flight techniques, communications and navigation aid sensor interfaces, and engineering analyses associated with Shuttle/Mir proximity operations in preparation for the STS-71 docking mission. Other objectives of this flight are to perform the operations necessary to fulfill the requirements of experiments located in Spacehab-3 and to fly captively, then deploy and retrieve the Spartan-204 payload. Spartan-204, the Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy, is a free-flying retrievable platform. It is designed to obtain data in the far ultraviolet region of the spectrum from diffuse sources of light. Two crewmembers will also perform a five hour spacewalk. Payloads flying aboard STS-63 include the Cryo Systems Experiment (CSE), the Shuttle Glow (GLO-2) experiment, Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS-2), the Solid Surface Combustion Experiment (SSCE), the Air Force Maui Optical Site Calibration Test (AMOS) and the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX). Launch: Launch February 3, 1995 at 12:22:03.994am EST. Transatlantic abort (TAL) sites were setup at Zaragoza, Spain; Ben Guerir, Morocco and Moron, Spain but were not needed. MPS Main Engine cutoff was on schedule at MET of 8min 33 sec. A go was given for APU shutdown at 12:36am EST. There were two RCS thruster problems during launch. Thruster L2D failed and RCS R1U experienced a minor thruster leak during ascent. These jets have redundancy and are not expected to cause any violations with the MIR Rendezvous/Flyby RCS redundancy rules. One flight waiver was processed for upper level winds at Mach 1.4 in the event of a single MPS engine out. The SRB booster recovery ships are in the recovery area and have spotted the SRB's. Due to 9ft seas in the area, recovery operations are not expected to begin until daylight. The launch was originally scheduled for February 2, 1995 at 12:49am EST but a 24 hour scrub turnaround was put into effect due to a failure in Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) #2. Although 3 IMU's are installed onboard the shuttle, if necessary, a flight can be accomplished with only one. The IMU's are located on the flight deck forward of the flight deck control and display panels. The failed unit was removed and replaced and the countdown was set to pick up at the T-11 hour mark at 8:31am EST 2/3/95. Launch window is 5 min. The actual launch time is expected to vary by several minutes based on new MIR state vectors for Shuttle rendezvous phasing requirements which will be updated an hour before launch. Rollout to Pad 39-B occured 1/10/95. 1st motion was around 12:40 p.m. with hard down at around 8pm. The rollout to Pad 39-B was originally scheduled for 1/11/95 but was moved up one day when the pressure in a right hand orbital maneuvering system pod oxidizer manifold dropped from 150 psi to about 15 psi. The manifold serves 4 of the OMS thrusters on the right hand pod. One of these thrusters (R3A) has a documented very minor leak which was managed and controlled during the past two flights. However, from the time the orbiter left the OPF (1/5/95) to the time it was first powered up in the VAB , the manifold pressure dropped significantly. Engineers think this radical drop was caused by cold weather effects on the thruster's seal this past weekend. The manifold pressure was brought up to about 65 psi in the VAB, the maximum available with equipment in the VAB and after the rollout to the pad, the mainfold pressure was returned to the standard 150psi. Low pressure in the manifold over a period of time may cause other thruster seals to dry-out and leak. On 1/12/95, it was decided to proceed with plans to replace the leaking thruster on the right hand orbital maneuvering system pod. On 1/19/95, workers replaced both leaking thrusters (R3A and R3R) and leak checks are complete and good. Also, a faulty seal and quick disconnect on Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) No. 2 was successfully replaced. Orbit: Altitude: 213nm Inclination: 51.6 degrees Orbits: 129 Duration: 8 days, 6 hours, 28 minutes, 15 seconds. Distance: 2,992,806 miles Hardware: SRB: BI-070 SRM: 360Q/L042 ET : SN-68 MLP : 2 SSME-1: SN-2035 SSME-2: SN-2109 SSME-3: SN-2029 Landing: KSC February 11, 1995 at 6:51 a.m EST on Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 15. Mission Highlights: On flight day one (2/03/95) at 9:20am EST, Commander James D. Wetherbee performed a 39sec OMS burn to place it on a intercept course with the Russian MIR Space Station. At that time, Discovery was located 7000nm behind MIR at an altitude of 190nm. Payloads in the middeck and in the SpaceHab module were powered up and the RMS arm was checked out. On Friday, Feb 3, 1995 at 6:30 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #1 reports that flight controllers were troubleshooting a problem with AFT RCS thruster R1U which has a slow leak of 2-3lbs/hr. Though thruster leaks are a common occurrence, the leaky jet is slightly more of a concern for STS-63 because of the Mir rendezvous. Flight rules for mission dictate that Discovery must have all its aft firing thrusters operational before it moves within 1,000 feet of Mir. In past missions, leaks frequently cleared themselves once the jets were warmed by either thruster firings or the sun. Subsequently, flight controllers asked Commander James D. Wetherbee to position the orbiter so that sun would shine on the top side of the vehicle for several hours to help warm up the leaking jet. Currently, controllers are proceeding with the rendezvous as planned but will continue to watch the leak. Checkouts of the robot arm also went smoothly. The arm will be used later in the mission to position and deploy the Spartan-204 payload for its far ultraviolet measurements of the space phenomena. On Friday, Feb 3, 1995 at 1:15 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #2 states: The leaking RCS thruster is losing between 1-2 pounds of propellant every hour, a manageable loss according to mission managers. Temperatures on the thruster remain constant at about 54 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, controllers may have to close a manifold that supplies propellant to the leaking jet. Closing that valve would preclude the use of another healthy maneuvering jet which is to be used for close-in maneuvering around Mir. In that case, Discovery would not maneuver any closer than 1,000 feet from Mir. Crew members also activated the Spacehab module and began working with the experiments housed inside. Twenty different experiments ranging from protein crystal growth to a robotics demonstration comprise the STS-63 Spacehab payload complement. The astronauts also conducted a photographic survey of Discovery's payload bay using the shuttle's robot arm. On Saturday, Feb 4, 1995 at 8:30 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #3 states: One of the first tasks for the crew during its second day is space was to deploy the Orbital Debris and Radar Calibration Spheres, or ODERACS, from a canister in the shuttle's cargo bay. The three spheres and three wire strands, all of varying sizes and composition, were released from Discovery on time at about 10:57 p.m. CST Friday and will be used to fine-tune ground radars and optics worldwide that track space debris. The spheres and wires may remain in orbit for times ranging from as short as 20 days to 280 days. Mission Specialist and Russian Cosmonaut Vladimir Titov later used the shuttle's mechanical arm to lift the SPARTAN-204 satellite from the cargo bay shortly after midnight for several hours of studying the shuttle glow phenomenon and shuttle steering jet firings. Shuttle glow is an effect created by the interaction of the shuttle's surfaces with atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit and is being observed on the mission by the Far Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer aboard SPARTAN. Following the conclusion of the SPARTAN-204 operations, the satellite was latched down in the payload bay. Throughout the day, Discovery has continued to close the distance with Mir at a rate of about 180 nautical miles with each orbit. Discovery is now in an orbit of 200 by 182 nautical miles, about 4,400 miles behind Mir. One of Discovery's steering jets continues to slowly leak propellant. On Saturday, Feb 4, 1995 at 4:30 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #4 states: On the ground, flight controllers are assessing plans for up-close maneuvers with Mir after a forward reaction control system thruster (RCS thruster F1F) on Discovery began leaking during a hot fire test earlier today. The thruster's oxidizer supply line has been closed and Discovery has been maneuvered to a nose-toward-the-sun attitude to warm the thruster. Flight controllers report they are seeing a gradual increase in temperature on the forward jet. Throughout the evening, flight controllers will continue to look at what effect the failure may have on the planned rendezvous as well as their options for restoring thruster operations. On Sunday, Feb 5, 1995 at 7:30 a.m. CST, the Mission Update status briefing reported that the problem with forward RCS thruster F1F is now resolved. Previously it was leaking at the rate of 3-5lbs per hour. The forward part of the shuttle was placed in sunlight and allowed to head up and RCS manifold #1 was turned off. In an attempt to stop the leak, Commander James D. Wetherbee and Pilot Eileen M. Collins closed and reopened the manifold of the leaky thruster several times. Pressure was allowed to build up in the manifold and then the manifold was open and the thruster commanded to fire. This cleared out any residual fuel left in the thruster and stopped the leak. This same procedure was repeated on the leaking AFT R1U thruster to no avail. At this time, Discovery 2000nm behind MIR and closing at a rate of 190nm per orbit. The next orbital burn is scheduled for approximately 1:39pm EST. On Sunday, Feb 5, 1995 at 10 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #5 reports: Discovery is expected to catch up with the Russian space station Monday morning, but mission managers are still discussing how close the orbiter will come to the Mir. The original plan calls for Discovery to come within 33 feet of the Mir complex, but because of a leaking steering thruster, controllers also are looking at back-up plans for having the shuttle fly around Mir at a distance of 400 feet. Mission managers in both countries are continuing to work toward a consensus. Meanwhile in the Spacehab module, activities with its 20 experiments are progressing smoothly. Among those activities, crew members tested a small robot called Charlotte. Designed by McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, Charlotte is designed to service other experiments in the absence of the crew. The robot moves along cables and has the capability to change experiment samples and perform many routine procedures. The crew also activated an experiment that studies how materials burn in weightlessness. In this instance, the Solid Surface Combustion Experiment is examining how Plexiglas burns. On Sunday, Feb 5, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #6 reports: Commander Jim Wetherbee and Pilot Eileen Collins closed and reopened the jet manifold several times in an attempt to stop the leak, but those attempts were not successful. Shortly before the crew went to sleep, the manifold was closed. The crew will receive a wake-up call at 11:21 p.m. CST to begin Flight Day 4. Discovery is in a 208 by 197 nautical mile orbit, less than 1,000 nautical miles behind Mir and closing that distance by about 78 miles with each orbit. On Monday, Feb 6, 1995 at 7 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #7 reports: Discovery's crew has begun preparations for a close encounter with the Russian Mir space station this afternoon, although two possible plans for the rendezvous exist -- one that would have Discovery move to about 35 feet from Mir at its closest point and another that would have Discovery remain about 400 feet from Mir. Regardless of how close Discovery approaches the station, for either plan, Discovery will fire its engines at 8:16 a.m. central and again at 9:02 a.m. central in maneuvers designed to decrease the present rate -- 79 nautical miles per orbit -- that the shuttle is closing in on the station. Next, Discovery will fire its engines at 10:37 a.m. central, when the shuttle is about 8 nautical miles from Mir, to begin the final phase of the rendezvous. Discovery will arrive at a point about 400 feet directly in front of Mir at 12:16 p.m. central. For the plan which has Discovery stay 400 feet from Mir, the shuttle would then begin a flyaround of Mir at 1:30 p.m., circling the station completely by about 2:16 p.m. and firing its engines to depart the vicinity of the station at 2:28 p.m. Under a plan where Discovery would approach to 35 feet from Mir, Discovery would reach that closest point to the station at 1:20 p.m. The shuttle would then back away and reach a point 400 feet distant again at about 2 p.m.. Discovery would begin a flyaround of Mir from a distance of 400 feet at 2:26 p.m., completing the circle and firing its engines to separate from the vicinity at 3:13 p.m. Which plan will ultimately be used depends on an evaluation of a leaking right aft maneuvering jet aboard Discovery that is on going by both shuttle flight controllers and Mir flight controllers. A final decision is expected as the morning progresses, although both rendezvous plans are identical until 12:16 p.m. central, the time when Discovery arrives a a point 400 feet from Mir. On Monday, February 6, 1995 at 8:23am, Commander James D. Wetherbee and Pilot Eileen M. Collins performed a minor orbital burn (NH burn) that adjusted Discovery's altitude and places the oribiter about 48nm behind MIR. The burn lasted 13 sec (8.6ft/sec). Vladimar G. Titov began 2-way raido communications with MIR via a special hand-held VHF radio. First radio contact was made at about 550,000ft. The 8sec NC-4 burn occured at 9:02am CST with Discovery at 48nm away from MIR. This places the orbiter in position for the NCC-burn. The NCC-burn is the first burn calculated by onboard computers using onboard navigation derived from orbiter star tracker sightings) After the NCC-burn, the TI-Burn puts Discovery into the final phase of rendezvous at 8nm behind MIR. This will start Dicovery on an arc that will take it below MIR. On Monday, Feb 6, 1995 at 9:30 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #8 reports: Discovery's crew was given a "go" to fly within 35 feet of the Russian Mir space station at 9:25 a.m. CST. F. Story Musgrave communicated to the crew that flight controllers worked out a plan that will give them a GO to approach MIR to 10 Meters. The rules setup with this plan require 3 conditions; 1) That the right RCS Manifold #1 providing fuel to the leaking R1U thruster be closed before 300 meters; 2) That Discovery approach no closer than 10meters; and 3) That in the event of any further loss of "Low Z" RCS thruster capability, that the crew open the closed manifold, back out to 400ft and hold position. Discovery fired its engines at 8:16 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. CST in maneuvers that decreased the rate that the shuttle is closing in on the station. At 2/6/95 at 11:38 CST, Discovery is 2nm away from MIR closing the distance at 19ft/sec. The 3rd mid-course correction was successful at 11:41 CST and Discovery is now closing at 16.5ft/sec. Cosmonauts on MIR reported that they were able to see Discovery's RCS jets firing. At 11:48am CST, with Discovery and MIR flying above and just north of Hawaii. Discovery was 1.3nm away from MIR, nose pointing forward with the payload bay pointing towards MIR. Discovery was moving toward MIR at 9ft/sec. At 11:59am CST Discovery was about 1700ft from MIR and moving at 3ft/sec. Cosmonauts onboard MIR report that they were able to see commander James D. Wetherbee waving in the orbiter windows. At 2/6/95 at 12:06 CST (.9ft/sec and 960ft from MIR), Discovery switched to a Low-Z attitude mode that restricts RCS thrusters firings that point away from the MIR space station. Discovery is slightly in front of and below MIR. At 12:22pm CST, Discovery matched the velocity vector of MIR and linked up orbits at 422ft. Both Discovery and MIR downlinked video of each other from close proximity. Discovery station kept at this location for about 1 hour before moving in to closest approach at 10meters. Closest approach with MIR occured at 13:23pm CST while Discovery was over the Pacific Ocean and at an altitude of 213 nautical. It lasted for 10 min. On Monday, Feb 6, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #9 reports: "As we are bringing our space ships closer together, we are bringing our nations closer together," said STS-63 Commander Jim Wetherbee after Discovery reached the point of closest approach. "The next time we approach, we will shake your hand and together we will lead our world into the next millennium." Wetherbee reported that Discovery performed well during the operations. The orbiter's performance, he said, was identical to that of the flight simulators the crew trained in. Mir Commander Alexander Viktrenko reported that the orbiter's thruster firing did not affect the Mir's solar arrays. All insights collected today will be used to refine planning for the first time a shuttle docks with Mir later this year. The close approach operations went as planned and achieved a distance of 37 feet between the top of the SpaceHab module and the surface of the MIR module. Discovery then backed out to 400 feet and started MIR/Fly around operations. At 3:13pm CST Discovery initiated the burn that would seperate Discovery from MIR. As the two spacecraft seperated, Discovery gathered data that will be used for the MIR Docking approach on STS-71. On 2/6/95 at 5:23pm CST Discovery was seperated from MIR and orbiting the earth at 214nmx207nm, Discovery had been slowly closing the distance between it and Mir since a few hours after it reached orbit. Today, the final phase of rendezvous brought the orbiter from behind the Russian station to a point about 400 feet in front it. Discovery then moved down the velocity vector (an imaginary line extending in the direction of travel of a space vehicle) toward Mir. After reaching the point of closest approach over the Pacific Ocean at an altitude of 213 nautical miles and maintaining that position for 10 minutes, Discovery moved away from Mir and initiated a fly-around of the station. On Tuesday, Feb 7, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #10 and PAO commentary on NASA Select reports: As Discovery was over Brazil, it prepared to release the Spartan 204 payload. The RCS jets were inhibited and the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) Robot arm was placed in its derigidized position. Mission Specialist and Russian Cosmonaut Vladimir G. Titov released the Spartan 204 satellite and its Far Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph instrument from the shuttle's mechanical arm on time at 6:26 a.m. central. At 6:31am CST, Commander James D. Wetherbee backed Discovery away and Vladimar G. Titov confirmed that Spartan was in good health by reporting the satellite has performed its first solo maneuvers. Discovery will move away from Spartan 204 at about 4nm per orbit. The Spartan 204 satellite will spend about two days flying free of Discovery, studying the gas and dust that fills space between stars and planets. Spartan's observations will be recorded aboard the satellite for analysis by scientists after Discovery's return to Earth. The satellite will be retrieved by the orbiter's robot arm Thursday just prior to a spacewalk by Mission Specialists Bernard Harris and Mike Foale. On Tuesday, Feb 7, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Discovery's fifth day in space has come to a close as the STS-63 crew turns its attention from rendezvousing with a Russian space station to scientific investigations, satellites and spacewalks. Crew members continued working with the 20 experiments residing in the Spacehab module. The experiments -- which represent a diverse cross-section of technological, biological and other scientific disciplines -- include plant studies, crystal growth studies and a robotic experiment. Just before the crew turned in, flight controllers faxed several pictures taken from video sent by Mir during the rendezvous activities Monday. The pictures showed how Discovery looked to the Mir crew while it approached the Russian station. On Wednesday, Feb 8, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #12 reports: Discovery's crew focused on preparations today -- for a spacewalk planned for Thursday and the shuttle's return to Earth planned for Saturday morning. Payload Commander Bernard A. Harris and Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale spent several hours this morning unstowing and checking the spacesuits they'll use tomorrow for a five hour spacewalk. The spacewalk will evaluate the warmth provided by thermal garments added to the spacewalkers' gear and as well as the astronauts' ability to maneuver large objects, in this case, the Spartan satellite. Harris and Foale reported the suits and other gear are in excellent shape and ready for the spacewalk. Also, Commander James D. Wetherbee and Pilot Eileen M. Collins checked out the flight control systems Discovery will use for landing. The cockpit displays and controls, navigation aids and the shuttle's aerosurfaces were tested and found in excellent shape as well. On Wednesday, Feb 8, 1995 at 2 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #13 reports: Commanders of two space vehicles talked about their missions and their historic rendezvous in space today during a special ship-to-ship conversation from the Space Shuttle Discovery and the Russian Space Station Mir. STS-63 Commander James D. Wetherbee and Mir Commander Alexander Viktorenko spoke through an interpreter in Houston's Mission Control Center. The conversation focused on the missions of the two crews and the success of their rendezvous on Monday. Wetherbee said he especially enjoyed the point in the joint operations when Mir maneuvered to a new attitude while Discovery was circling it. "It was like dancing in the cosmos," Wetherbee said. "It was great." The commanders also said they were looking forward to meeting each other on Earth and exchanged compliments about the two space vehicles and the teams that designed them. "Together our programs will be even better," Wetherbee said. The six crew members officially began their eight-hour sleep period at 1:52 p.m. Central. When they wake for their seventh day in space, Mission Specialists Bernard A. Harris and C. Michael Foale will begin preparing for their four and a half hour spacewalk. Harris and Foale will test improvements in their spacesuits and perform several mass handling exercises. The two spacewalkers checked out their suits earlier today and confirmed that they were ready for Thursday's activities. The spacewalk will begin around 6 a.m. Central, shortly after the retrieval of the Spartan-204 satellite. Spartan has been flying free of Discovery since Tuesday morning, collecting data on the interstellar medium. On Thursday, Feb 9, 1995 at 6:30 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #14 reports: Discovery's crew performed the second rendezvous of the mission today and are now in the midst of a spacewalk in one of the busiest days ever aboard a Space Shuttle. Commander James D. Wetherbee and Pilot Eileen M. Collins flawlessly eased the shuttle to the Spartan-204 satellite this morning, which had been released from Discovery on Tuesday, to allow astronaut Janice E. Voss to capture it using the mechanical arm. Voss locked on to the satellite and its cargo of research on the material in interstellar space at 5:33 a.m. CST as Discovery flew 240 miles above the Pacific Ocean south of the Aleutian Islands. While free-flying from Discovery, Spartan's Far Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph gathered more than 40 hours of observations to study the interstellar medium, the gas and dust that fills space between stars and planets and of which new such bodies are formed. Just after the satellite was captured, crewmates C. Michael Foale and Bernard A. Harris began a five-hour spacewalk to test new thermal devices designed to warm their spacesuits and evaluate how well they can manipulate the 3,000-pound Spartan-204 satellite in weightlessness. Harris became the first African-American to walk in space as the EVA started at 5:56 a.m. CST. On Thursday, Feb 9, 1995 at 3 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #15 reports: Two of Discovery's astronauts performed at 4 hour, 39 minute, spacewalk to test modifications in their spacesuits and gain experience in handling large masses in space. Mission Specialists Bernard A. Harris and C. Michael Foale floated into Discovery's payload bay shortly after 6 a.m. Central to begin the shuttle program's 29th spacewalk. After arranging their tools in the payload bay, Harris and Foale were lifted out of the payload bay on the robot arm to evaluate how well new space suit undergarments would keep them warm. For the test, Mission Specialist Vladimir C. Titov positioned the arm so that the two spacewalkers were high above and away from the relative warmth of the payload bay. They stayed in position for about 15 minutes, subjectively rating their comfort levels while sensors in their gloves collected objective data that will be compared to temperatures taken of the space environment around them. For the second part of the spacewalk, Harris conducted a mass handling exercise with the Spartan-204 satellite to gain experience in moving large objects on orbit. While Harris was finishing his portion of the exercise, both astronauts reported that their hands were beginning to get cold. Flight controllers subsequently decided to cancel Foale's mass handling tasks and end the spacewalk early. Harris and Foale re-entered Discovery's airlock and finished their spacewalk around 10:30 a.m. Central. All the information collected during the extravehicular activity will be used to refine and develop spacewalk techniques and systems for future shuttle and International Space Station EVAs. As the spacewalk was beginning, Mission Specialist Janice E. Voss was using the robot arm to pluck the Spartan-204 satellite from orbit and secure it in the payload bay. Spartan-204 had been flying free of Discovery for two days, collecting information on the material in interstellar space. On Friday, Feb 10, 1995 at 7 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #16 reports: Discovery's crew began powering off experiments and packing up the shuttle cabin in preparation for Saturday's trip home. Two final observations were performed during the morning with the GLO experiment, a study of the glowing effect created as the shuttle's surfaces interact with atomic oxygen in orbit. Commander James D.Wetherbee and Pilot Eileen M. Collins fired Discovery's steering jets to allow the experiment to observe their effect on the glow. On Friday, Feb 10, 1995 at 3 p.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #17 reports: Shuttle astronauts got one last look at the Russian Space Station Mir before they return home Saturday, a fitting end to Discovery's historic 20th flight. At about 12:35 p.m. Central, Mir performed an on-orbit maneuver during which STS-63 crew members reported that they could see the station near the horizon as it trailed behind the orbiter at a distance of 850 nautical miles. To Discovery's payload bay cameras, Mir looked like a small flashing star. The sighting occurred as crew members were in the last stages of putting away their experiments and equipment to configure the orbiter for Saturday's trip back to Earth. Discovery is scheduled to land at Florida's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility Saturday, firing its engines at 4:44 a.m. CST to lead to a touchdown at about 5:51 a.m. CST. The weather forecast for Florida is currently favorable for the landing, although flight controllers will be watching a possibility of low clouds and strong winds there closely as the forecast is continually updated. Florida's weather is forecast to deteriorate on Sunday. Two other landing opportunities exist for Discovery Saturday at Edwards Air Force Base, Ca., as well. The first, which is unlikely to be used since it occurs prior to the first Florida opportunity, would have the shuttle fire its engines at 4:38 a.m. CST leading to a touchdown at 5:43 a.m. CST. The second opportunity for Edwards occurs one orbit after the Florida opportunity and would have Discovery fire its engines at 6:13 a.m. CST leading to a touchdown at 7:19 a.m. CST. Edward's weather is forecast to be excellent for a landing Saturday , and managers may opt to land there if Florida's weather prohibits a landing. Discovery also has backup landing opportunities available in both Florida and California on Sunday. On Saturday, Feb 11, 1995 at 7 a.m. CST, STS-63 MCC Status Report #18 reports: The Shuttle Discovery swooped to a dawn landing at the Kennedy Space Center this morning on time to complete an historic eight-day mission highlighted by the first rendezvous by a Shuttle with the Mir Space Station. Commander Jim Wetherbee and Pilot Eileen Collins guided Discovery to a textbook touchdown on KSC's Runway 15 at 5:51 AM CST to complete a 2,992, 806 million mile mission spanning 129 complete orbits of the Earth, the 20th flight for Discovery. With nearly perfect weather at KSC awaiting him and his crewmates, Wetherbee fired Discovery's orbital maneuvering system engines to enable Discovery to drop out of its orbit for an hour-long descent through the Earth's atmosphere. Discovery cut a blazing path through the pre-dawn skies over the heartland of America as it raced toward its Florida landing site. Live television pictures of the landing were transmitted to the Russian Mission Control Center in Kaliningrad, Russia, where flight controllers beamed them up to the three cosmonauts travelling aboard the Mir Space Station. Less than an hour after completing their flight, Discovery's astronauts left their vehicle for post-landing medical exams and reunions with their families. The astronauts returned to Houston's Ellington Field for a welcoming ceremony at 5:30pm CST. Mission Name: STS-67 (68) Endeavour (8) Pad 39-A (53) 68th Shuttle Mission 8th Flight OV-105 Night Launch (11) 1st Launch new AF Range Control Center Longest Mission to date EAFB Landing (44) Crew: Stephen S. Oswald (3), Commander William G. Gregory (1), Pilot Tamara E. Jernigan (3) , Payload Commander John M. Grunsfeld (1), Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence (1), Mission Specialist Ronald A. Parise (2), Payload Specialist Samuel T. Durrance (2), Payload Specialist Scott D. Vangen (0), Alternate Payload Specialist Milestones: OPF -- 10/21/94 VAB -- 02/03/95 PAD -- 02/08/95 01/05/95 - Interface Verification Test 01/11/95 - End-to-End Communications Test 02/03/95 - Rollover to VAB 02/13/95 - Launch Readiness Review 02/08/95 - Rollout to LC-39A 02/14/95 - Start Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test 02/15/95 - Flight Readiness Review (10:00am) 02/15/95 - Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test T-0 (11:00am) 02/20/95 - Close AFT Engine Compartment 02/21/95 - Ordanance Installation 02/24/95 - Close Payload Bay Doors 02/26/95 - Crew Arrives at KSC (10:45pm) 02/27/95 - Begin STS-67 Launch Countdown (2:00am) Payload: ASTRO-2, MACE, GAS(x2), PCG-TES-03, PCG-STES-02, SAREX-II, CMIX-03, MSX Mission Objectives: Astro-2 is the second dedicated Spacelab mission to conduct astronomical observations in the ultraviolet spectral regions. It consists of three unique instruments - the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE). These experiments will select targets from a list of over 600 and observe objects ranging from some inside the solar system to individual stars, nebulae, supernova remnants, galaxies and active extragalactic objects. This data will supplement data collected on the Astro-1 mission flown on STS-35 in December 1990 aboard Columbia. Because most ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, it cannot be studied from the ground. The far and extreme ultraviolet region of the spectrum was largely unexplored before Astro-1, but knowledge of all wavelengths is essential to obtain an accurate picture of the universe. Astro-2 will have almost twice the duration of its predecessor, and a launch at a different time of year allows the telescopes to view different portions of the sky. The mission promises to fill in large gaps in astronomers' understanding of the universe and lay the foundations for more discovery in the future. On the Middeck, science experiments include the Protein Crystal Growth Thermal Enclosure System Vapor Diffusion Apparatus-03 experiment (PCG-TES-03), the Protein Crystal Growth Single Thermal Enclosure System-02 (PCG-STES-02), the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II), the Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE), the Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus Instrumentation Technology Associates Experiments-03 (CMIX-03) and the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX). The Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE) is a space engineering research payload. It consists of a rate gyro, reaction wheels, a precision pointing payload, and a scanning and pointing payload that produces motion disturbances. The goal of the experiment is to test a closed loop control system that will compensate for motion disturbances. On orbit, Commander Stephen S. Oswald and William G. Gregory will use MACE to test about 200 different motion disturbance situations over 45 hours of testing during the mission. Information from MACE will be used to design better control systems that compensate for motion in future spacecraft. Two Get Away Special (GAS) payloads are also on board. They are the G-387 and G-388 canisters. This experiment is sponsored by the Australian Space Office and AUSPACE ltd. The objectives are to make ultraviolet observations of deep space or nearby galaxies. These observations will be made to study the structure of galactic supernova remnants, the distribution of hot gas in the Magellanic Clouds, the hot galactic halo emission, and emission associated with galactic cooling flows and jets. The two GAS canisters are interconnected with a cable. Canister 1 has a motorized door assembly that exposes a UV telescope to space when opened. UV reflective filters on the telescopes optics determine its UV bandpass. Canister 2 contains two video recorders for data storage and batteries to provide experiment power. Launch: Launch March 2, 1995. 1:38:34 am EST. Launch window was 2 hour 30 min. At 9:09pm EST, the only launch constraints were weather related with a 40% chance for launch. At 9:11pm the astronauts had their breakfast in the astronaut quarters on the 3rd floor of the Operations and Checkout building . Commander Stephen S. Oswald and William G. Gregory were given a final weather briefing while the rest of the crew suited up. At 10:22pm, the STS-67 crew left for Pad 39-A and arrived at 10:42pm. By 11:58pm the crew was all loaded and communications air-to-ground voice checks were completed. By 12:50am on 3/2/95, the door to Endeavour's mid-deck was sealed and a go was given to clear the white room. There were 4 minor problems tracked during the count. The first problem occured early in the count. An experimental configuration of communications system caused a timing glitch that was quickly corrected. This configuration enables the orbiter to use the TDRSS during ascent in lew of the Bermuda Tracking station. The goal was to get a communications lock via TDRSS in 7 seconds instead of a normal 40 seconds and if successful, this will improved safety and may eventually reduce the need for the Bermuda Tracking station. The second problem was a minor leak in the LH2 storage system on Pad 39-A. This leak will be investigated when crews visit the pad after launch. The third minor problem occured when Endeavours Fuel Cells showed a degradation in Fuel cell efficency. This was traced to a Helium contamination during EDO pallet fill. A purge of the line fixed the problem. At 1:26am a poll of the launch team identified all teams but one were go for launch. The final problem was an indication that the B-supply secondary heater of the Flash Evaporator System was approaching a redline condition. This system is normally shutoff just before launch. At 1:29am the primary FES was brought online and the clock was picked up with a plan to count down to the T-5 min mark. The FES was verified as good and the count only suffered a 1 min delay with this problem. APU prestart was complete at 1:32am. APU start completed at 1:34am. Launch occured at 1:38am EST. Good SRB Seperations. Negative Return called at 1:42am EST, all 3 SSME's performed well. At T+6min Endeavour was at 367,000ft altitude and 335nm downrange. At T+7min Endeavour was at 359,000ft and 354nm downrange, traveling at 11,200mph. At T+8:30, (1:47am EST) the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) cutoff as planned with Endeavour traveling at 16,700mph, 800nm downrange. External Tank seperation confirmed at 1:48am EST. Earlier during the STS-67 mission flow, on 02/21/95, a failed shuttle Mass Memory Unit #1 was removed from Endeavour and replaced with one from Discovery . On 02/23/95, troubleshooting was done on a minor leak in Endeavours Flash Evaporator System (FES) Freon coolant loop. The system was overpressurized and it was determined the leak posed no impact to launch. Orbit: Altitude: 187 nm Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 262 Duration: 16 days, 15 hours, 08 minutes, 48 seconds. Distance: 6.9 million miles Hardware: SRB: BI-071 SRM: 360W/L043 ET : SN-69 MLP : 1 SSME-1: SN-2012 SSME-2: SN-2033 SSME-3: SN-2031 Landing: Dryden Flight Research Center, EAFB, March 18, 1995 at 4:47 p.m. EST Runway 22. At 1:05pm EST the port Payload Bay Door was closed with the remaining door closed and latched by 1:08pm EST. At 3:35pm EST, Endeavour was given a go for deorbit burn with the start of the 517ft/sec burn occuring at approximately 3:40pm EST. Endeavour went subsonic at 46,000ft. Main gear touchdown at MET (16/15:8:47), nose wheel touchdown at (16/15:9:01) and wheels stop at MET (16/15:9:46sec). On Friday, March 17, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #30 reports: Endeavour had 3 scheduled KSC landing opportunities for Friday 3/17/95 (1:53pm CST on orbit 246, 3:30pm CST on orbit 247 and 5:07pm on orbit 248) but they have been waived off due to bad weather at the Kennedy Space Center. NASA managers elected not to call up landing support at the backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California for Friday and would keep the astronauts aloft for an extra day in the event weather prevents a landing in Florida. For Saturday, backup landing support at Edwards has been activated and there were 6 landing opportunities for March 18, 1995. (KSC landing at 2:18pm CST on orbit 261, Edwards landing at 3:47pm CST on orbit 262 and another KSC opportunity at 3:55pm CST. Two other Edwards landings and one KSC landing opportunities exist later in the day. Mission Highlights: On Thursday, March 2, 1995 at 2:18am CST (MET 1hr 39min), the payload bay doors were opened and the crew was given a go for orbit operations. STS-67 Flight Day 1 Highlights: STS-67 MCC Status Report #01 reports: The crew -- Commander Stephen S. Oswald, Pilot William G. Gregory, Payload Commander Tamara E. Jernigan, Mission Specialists John M. Grunsfeld and Wendy B. Lawrence, and Payload Specialists Samuel T. Durrance and Ronald A. Parise -- readied the shuttle and ASTRO-2 to support 15 and a half days of astronomical observations. The Blue Team of crew members -- Jernigan, Lawrence and Durrance -- were on duty mornings aboard the spacecraft while their fellow crewmembers, called the Red Team, slept. The Red crew members took over duties at about 10:52 a.m. On Thursday, March 2, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #01 states: (0/5:22 MET) Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan completed initial activation of the Spacelab pallet systems just before 4 a.m then began activating the Spacelab Instrument Pointing System. At 5:47 a.m., she raised it upright in the Shuttle cargo bay to face the heavens. Astronomers will use the pointing system to precisely track the stars and galaxies they study during the nearly 16-day mission. Payload controllers and science teams at NASA's Spacelab Mission Operations Control center in Huntsville watched closely as Payload Specialist Samuel T. Durrance supplied power from the Spacelab to the telescopes shortly after 4 a.m., then started step-by-step procedures to activate the individual instruments. Samuel T. Durrance, an astronomer from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., is a veteran of the Astro-1 mission on STS-35 in December 1990, which was the maiden Shuttle flight for all three Astro telescopes. On Thursday, March 2, 1995 at 8:00 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #02 reports: The Blue Team -- Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan, Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence and Payload Specialist Sam Durrance will wrap up its first day on orbit shortly before noon Central time. The Red Team -- Commander Steve Oswald, Pilot Bill Gregory, Mission Specialist John Grunsfield and Payload Specialist Ron Parise will then continue with the science activities. On Thursday, March 2, 1995 at 5:00 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #03 reports: Activation and calibration of the Astro-2 ultraviolet telescopes are continuing slightly behind schedule following a steering jet leak that has twice forced closure of the instruments protective doors. The leak is in a reaction control system thruster designated R4R, a jet in the right aft orbital maneuvering system pod that is aimed to the right of the shuttle. Flight controllers worked with the crew to close the manifold that supplies oxidizer and fuel to that jet, which effectively stopped the leak. The doors on the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment and the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope were first closed to protect the instruments from any remaining oxidizer coming out of that jet after the manifold was closed. Once the thruster's propellant lines had been evacuated, the telescope doors were reopened. The doors were briefly closed again while residual propellant downstream of the closed manifold dissipated, but are now open and all scheduled operations have resumed. The failed jet, which is not being used to position the orbiter for its science operations, is not a safety hazard in any way, and does not affect the mission duration. The flight control team is looking at options in dealing with the jet, but has not yet decided whether any additional actions will be necessary. On Thursday, March 2, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #02 reports: (0/17:22 MET) Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan continued checkout of the Instrument Pointing System, on which the three ultraviolet telescopes are mounted. The crew reported success with their first automatic star identification procedure at about 6:30 a.m. CST, verifying that the pointing system can center accurately on the celestial objects Astro-2 science teams will choose to view. Payload Specialist Sam Durrance finished activating the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, then completed the more complicated procedures to put the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope into operation. Pilot Bill Gregory, Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld and Payload Specialist Ron Parise took over operations from the first crew at 11:30 a.m. The two crew teams are working 12-hour shifts, so astronomical observations can continue around the clock. Activation and verification of the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo- Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) detector was delayed by difficulties keeping it aligned with a test target, but the WUPPE science team and Parise corrected the problem after several attempts. Alternate Payload Specialist John-David Bartoe reported from the ground, "Ron, the WUPPE folks are ecstatic down here, and they like everything they see." Astro telescope verification was interrupted briefly at around 1:15 p.m., when ground controllers closed the telescope doors to prevent contamination by oxidizer leaking from one of Endeavour's reaction control system thrusters. The thruster was closed less than hour later, and Parise reopened the doors. During the telescope shutdown, Grunsfeld continued checking out the Instrument Pointing System and the Image Motion Compensation System, which keeps the WUPPE instrument and the imaging telescope on target despite subtle disturbances. Johnson Space Center controllers declared the Instrument Pointing System operational at 1:53 p.m., and they transferred control of the equipment to the Marshall Center payload team for science activities. Parise and Grunsfeld then began an extended procedure called Joint Focus and Alignment, one that is unique for space telescopes to the Astro-2 payload. Since all three instruments often make simultaneous observations of the same objects, science teams must be certain they are pointing in precisely the same direction and are in near-perfect focus. Final focusing and calibration of the Hopkins and Wisconsin instruments will continue through the first half of the upcoming shift. Astro-2 observations of the ultraviolet sky will then begin. On Thursday, March 2, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #04 reports: The Instrument Pointing System continues to perform well. The preliminary assessments of IPS stability and accuracy show that the system is operating well. Control loop software, gyro and accelerometer response have been good, and Optical Sensor Package performance has been excellent with two of three trackers slightly exceeding performance expectations. IPS controllers in Houston are currently tracking no problems or issues, and team members do not anticipate a change in the IPS's performance. The payload control team at the Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., however, is looking at several reported excursions in ASTRO-2's pointing abilities that have required the crew to repeatedly fine tune the instruments after establishing the platform's reference point for celestial observations. Controllers in Houston and Huntsville are working on procedures that will reduce the number of calibrations needed. On Thursday, March 2, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #03 reports: (1/5:22 MET) Pilot William Gregory maneuvered the orbiter into different attitudes, or positions throughout the night. Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan, Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld and Wendy Lawrence, and Payload Specialists Ronald Parise and Samuel Durrance coordinated with science teams at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, performing procedures to align and focus the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) and Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) last night. Approximately 23 hours after launch, the Astro-2 instruments, nestled in Endeavour's cargo bay, were being calibrated before observations of the invisible universe began. While still in the calibration, or Observatory Commissioning Phase, two of the three Astro-2 instruments, HUT and UIT science teams, were locked onto an ancient supernova remnant. This supernova remnant is the result of a powerful explosion, which ended the life of a massive star many thousands of years ago, and was used as a calibration target for the telescopes. During this mission, HUT's spectrographs will help scientists determine temperatures, densities and chemical compositions of gases in the supernova remnant while the UIT will image the filaments of excited gas in the supernova remnant. HUT Guest Investigator Dr. John Raymond of Cambridge, Mass., will obtain information about the shock waves energizing these nebulae. The first science observation for Astro-2, a supernova remnant known as Cygnus Loop, began just before the Space Shuttle Endeavour crossed the South Atlantic Anomaly early this morning. Since this South Atlantic area is a region of intense particle radiation that can affect detectors in the telescopes, crew members secured the instruments until the orbiter had moved away from the anomaly. The observation of Cygnus Loop then continued until the supernova remnant was out of the telescopes' field of view. The HUT telescope continues in the calibration phase. HUT, developed at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, has a 36-inch mirror to focus ultraviolet light into a spectrograph in the middle of the telescope. This spectrograph "spreads" light into a spectrum, or band of colors, based upon the wavelength of the light. Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen and his colleagues will study these spectra to determine the chemical composition, temperature, densities and motion of the celestial objects being observed during Astro-2. The UIT made its first deep, wide-field photographs in ultraviolet light overnight. After Endeavour lands, Principal Investigator Theodore Stecher and the UIT science team in Greenbelt, Maryland, will study the images made by this telescope during this 16-day mission, looking for answers to astronomical questions such as the shapes of nearby galaxies in the ultraviolet, the properties of massive hot stars in these galaxies, the evolution of low-mass stars in clusters, and the nature of the dust and gas that fill the space between stars. STS-67 Flight Day 2 Highlights: On Friday, March 3, 1995 at 4 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #05 states: Commander Steve Oswald and Pilot Bill Gregory set up the Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE) hardware. MACE is a five-foot long flexible beam with mock satellite instruments mounted at either end. It will float free in the shuttle's lower deck, and the astronauts will measure how disturbances caused by one instrument affect the performance of the instrument at the experiment's opposite end. The information gathered will assist engineers in designing more stable space structures. The crew tested the MACE equipment and its communications with the ground. Some problems were experienced initially in sending information from the ground to the experiment during checkouts, however such an uplink of information is not planned or needed for the MACE operations for several days. Meanwhile, On Friday, March 3, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #04 states: (1/17:22 MET) The three Astro-2 telescopes have begun their methodical exploration of the ultraviolet universe, as scientists aboard the Shuttle Endeavour and at Spacelab Mission Operations Control fine-tune the Astro-2 equipment and procedures to optimize pointing stability. This afternoon, payload controllers eliminated a drift in that had been detected in the Instrument Pointing System by adjusting the target acquisition procedure. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) got its first turn as the primary instrument this morning. Its observations of a calibration star, Beta Cassiopeiae, showed that the instrument optics, spectrometer and motion compensation system are working well. The team also will use the star as an unpolarized standard against which other observations can be measured. The WUPPE team also made the first of several planned observations of the supergiant star P Cygni. These observations will help scientists determine how this type of star ejects material into interstellar space, whether uniformly in the shape of a shell, or in the form of plumes or blobs of material. Team members say this is an interesting time to observe P Cygni, because recent ground-and space-based observations indicate the star, which has been relatively inactive for the past 100 years, has entered a more active phase of its life. Because the star can vary on a day-to-day basis, observations made later in the mission will give astronomers an important set of measurements over a relatively short time. During its time block, the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) observed a celestial "odd couple," two stars with radically different temperatures in orbit around one another, called a symbiotic star system. The system HUT observed today, EG Andromedae, is made up of an orange-colored giant star co-orbiting with a tiny, exceptionally hot blue star. Astronomers had not realized how hot the smaller star is until an instrument aboard one of the Voyager planetary probes picked up its strong ultraviolet emissions. The HUT team also checked out the sensitivity of their spectrometer by viewing a white dwarf star, known as HZ 43, which they had observed during Astro-1. At a very late stage of its evolution, the star has burned up nearly all of its fuel. Astronomers understand physical conditions in the atmospheres of HZ 43 and similar white dwarfs well enough that they can calculate very precisely how much ultraviolet light they emit. This makes such stars useful for confirming the HUT instrument's calibrations. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) observations included images of globular clusters, massive spherical concentrations of stars that are the oldest class of objects in our Milky Way Galaxy. "These clusters appear to be 16 to 19 billion years old, despite recent Hubble indications that the universe is only about 10 billion years old," said UIT astronomer Dr. Steve Maran. "UIT images of globular clusters from Astro-1 revealed a previously unknown class of stars, visible only in the ultraviolet, which may have skipped a stage in stellar evolution as we had understood it. We're hoping follow-up observations of globular clusters during Astro-2 will give us a better understanding of stellar physics." STS-67 Flight Day 3 Highlights: On Saturday, March 4, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #05 reports: (2/5:22 MET) The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) led the observations of several celestial objects, starting with AX Persei, a double star system consisting of a red star paired off with a blue star in what is known as a symbiotic binary. This means that the two stars differ greatly in their temperature ranges. They are believed to be a pair in which gas from a large, cool star falls onto a smaller, but more massive companion. Not much is known about how these stars interact, and data from these observations will help improve current measurements of the hot star component's temperature and gas emissions. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) also obtained "great observations" of the AX Persei star system, according to WUPPE guest investigator Dr. Regina Schulte-Ladbeck. In a live interview with TV station WPXI in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Schulte-Ladbeck described the instrument's view of the stellar pair as "picture perfect from an operational point of view." Dr. Schulte-Ladbeck also used HUT and WUPPE to obtain spectral measurements of a Wolf-Rayet star known as EZ Canis Majoris. Wolf-Rayet stars are thought to represent one of the final phases of evolution in massive stars that are between 100,000 and 1,000,000 times as bright as the Sun. Wolf-Rayet stars have powerful stellar winds, or emissions of ionized gas, that quicken the stars' aging process. The composition of these stellar winds is also important because the elements they contain play a significant role in forming the basic chemistry of life. According to Dr. Schulte-Ladbeck, last night's measurements alone, of the strength and composition of this stellar wind, have already yielded "more information about EZ Canis Majoris than we ever got on Astro-1." The Astro-2 scientists also turned their attention to one of their prime targets of investigation, the brightest known Seyfert galaxy, NGC 4151. Seyfert galaxies are known for their extremely bright and compact centers and radiate energy most strongly in the ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths. Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) observations included images of a globular cluster, NGC6752, and a spiral galaxy, M101. Globular clusters are collections of relatively old stars, and they are particularly suitable for observations by UIT due to the presence of hot stars which emit most of their radiation in the ultraviolet range. This enables UIT astronomers to locate hot white dwarf stars, hot binary systems and objects associated with sources of X-rays. Spiral galaxies, like our Milky Way, are flattened discs with central bulges or nuclei from which the galaxies' arms extend. M101 is a big spiral galaxy with spiral arms that are not tightly wound. UIT's ultraviolet imaging offers a powerful new tool for the study of this spiral structure, since it emphasizes hot stars, hydrogen and dust. Early in the morning, the Astro-2 instruments made observations of the Cygnus Loop, a middle-aged supernova remnant. A supernova is one of the most powerful explosions in the universe, and it occurs at the end of a very massive star's life after the star's fusion reaction stops. The Cygnus Loop is of particular interest because it reveals details about the structure and speed of shock waves from the explosion as they travel through the interstellar medium. Jupiter had became a focus of investigation earlier in the evening, especially for the HUT science team who obtained very good spectral data on the planet's equator. The planet is believed to have a reservoir of heat energy left over from its creation, since Jupiter radiates twice as much energy as it receives from the Sun. HUT scientists are particularly interested in the planet's immense magnetosphere, a region of charged particles controlled by Jupiter's magnetic field. On Saturday, March 4, 1995 at 1 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #06 reports: During the past shift, the crew received word from scientists who designed the Australian ultraviolet experiment that is flying in two Getaway Special canisters in the cargo bay. The experimenters reported they have achieved 100 percent of desired observations and expressed a sincere thanks and appreciation for the support they received during this mission. In addition, Jernigan and Lawrence participated in an interview with National Public Radio as Durrance supported the Astro-2 observations. STS-67 Flight Day 4 Highlights: On Sunday, March 5, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #07 reports: (3/5:22 MET) Commander Steve Oswald maneuvered the Space Shuttle Endeavour to enable the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) to lead an observation of a mysterious star in the constellation Cassiopeia. This star, known to astronomers as KPD0005, belongs to a class of planetary nebulae, or clouds of gas with bright centers, that includes some of the hottest stars known. So hot are these stars' surfaces, in fact, that their elements are completely ionized, making their chemical composition difficult to analyze. Only ultraviolet astronomy, such as the Astro-2 instruments employ, can yield answers to questions about the chemistry and evolution of this type of star. Following this, the HUT science team then turned their attention back to the search for signs of interstellar helium, using light from a distant quasar, known as 1700+64. Since it is believed that helium was formed in the Big Bang at the beginning of the universe, the actual detection of intergalactic helium would probably be the most significant scientific result that the HUT observations might produce. Because of the enormous distances of these objects, the targets are necessarily faint, and such observations are the most difficult that HUT scientists will attempt. They are also the most sensitive measurements ever made for interstellar helium. Another priority for the HUT scientists involves the study of Type II Seyfert galaxies. These galaxies, such as NGC1068 which was observed last night, have bright centers that emit energy over a broad range of frequencies. It is believed that the core of NGC #1068 is ionized by shock waves of gas moving at hundreds of miles per second, and the ultraviolet observations by the Astro-2 instruments are testing this hypothesis. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) team has also taken great interest in NGC 1068 and made some very difficult indirect observations of the galaxy's core using the electron cloud above the galaxy as a polarization mirror. "By observing the diffuse light reflected from the electron cloud, we are able to take measurements of the otherwise obscure nucleus of the galaxy," said WUPPE co-investigator Karen Bjorkman. On Astro-1, observations by WUPPE helped confirm that a thick torus, or doughnut-shaped cloud, exists around the nucleus of NGC #1068, while HUT observations showed unexpectedly high temperatures near the torus. Early in the morning, WUPPE scientists also took the opportunity to view a couple of interactive binary star systems, V356 Sagittarii and Vela X-1. A binary star system consists of a pair of stars that orbit each other. In the case of an interactive binary, the stars stay so close to each other that they actually exchange gases. Astronomers believe that in an X-ray binary such as Vela X-1, a neutron star (or pulsar) gravitationally strips material off of its companion star. A lot of the stripped material settles into orbit to form an oval disc shape. Polarization measurements by WUPPE allow scientists to measure the size and shape of this disc, and it also provides information about the stars involved. As WUPPE Principal Investigator Arthur Code observed, "the unique feature of interactive binary stars' polarization is that we can use that information to calculate the mass exchanged between the stars." Last night's observations were enhanced by the fact that the Astro-2 instruments could view both members of each binary side by side as they interact. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) made observations of an open cluster called NGC #3532. This is a diffuse cluster of stars and is believed to be less than ten million years old. Because UIT's field of view is well matched to the sizes of most clusters in our Milky Way Galaxy, UIT scientists are able to perform ultraviolet observations of many stars at the same time. UIT observers are searching for ultraviolet counterparts to X-ray sources as well as for white dwarfs and other faint, hot stars. These ultraviolet-bright objects are of great interest for several reasons: they can be used as probes of the interstellar medium; they can be used to provide highly accurate distance measurements to the clusters; and they will enhance understanding of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy. UIT also imaged several ancient globular clusters in our Milky Way galaxy as well as other nearby spiral galaxies. The latter observations will be used to further our understanding of star-formation in the spiral arms of these galaxies. On Sunday, March 5, 1995 at 1 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #07 stated that there has been some indications that the crew's stationary bicycle exercise is imparting some vibration to the shuttle that is interfering with the Instrument Pointing System's ability to precisely direct the Astro-2 telescopes at their targets. The crew is being asked to schedule exercise a little earlier so that the vibration has stopped by the time Endeavour moves into darkness and celestial observations must resume. On Sunday, March 5, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #08 reports: (3/17:22 MET) Both the Hopkins telescope and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo- Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) examined two Seyfert galaxies, Markarian 279 and Fairall 9, in a study that could provide insights into some of the most powerful events in the universe. Named for Vanderbilt University astronomer Carl Seyfert, who identified this type of galaxy in 1943, Seyferts have extremely bright, compact cores containing clouds of gas moving at thousands of miles per second. Astronomers theorize that supermassive black holes would be the only source capable of generating the immense power given off by these objects. The HUT team also practiced acquiring quasar Q 1542+54 to refine procedures for locating it efficiently in future observations. Their success gives them an additional illumination source to use in their search for intergalactic helium. Yesterday, they successfully locked onto the quasar 1700+64, which will likely remain their primary target for the study. Several observations today examined the dust and gas from which stars form. HUT selected a reflection nebula and the star which illuminates it. The star, AE-Aurigae, is a very hot, massive blue star with surface temperatures from 50,000 to 70,000 degrees Fahrenheit (28,000 to 40,000 Kelvin). Light from the star illuminates a cloud of dust surrounding it, creating a bright, colorful nebula. Observation by the Astro telescopes may help determine the composition of the dust and the sizes and shapes of the grains. The first observation of the day with WUPPE as the lead instrument was HD 50138, viewed after Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld and Payload Specialist Ron Parise took over science crew duties. This pre-main-sequence star is thought to be a young object, several times more massive than our sun, that has just formed out of the interstellar gas and dust. Polarization measurements should help show the shape of the nebula which surrounds the star and indicate where it is coming from. The study should help astronomers learn more about the ways in which young stars form and how their birth clouds eventually disperse. The WUPPE team also observed the star HD 197770, an interstellar polarization probe. The star serves much like a flashlight, illuminating the vast and normally invisible clouds of dust and gas in the space between stars. The materials in these swirling clouds are, in essence, the stuff of past and future stars. Over eons, as stars grow old, they kick out vast amounts of very hot material -- mostly gas and dust -- into space. These materials form into clouds, and over many thousands of years the clouds collapse and form new stars. By determining how much the ultraviolet light passing through the clouds is polarized, or vibrating in a preferred direction rather than randomly, WUPPE can provide further clues as to the nature of this interstellar dust. Phi Persei, a hot, rapidly spinning star, was another subject of study for WUPPE. The star exhibits an unusual ultraviolet spectrum that may be caused by a shell of gas around the star, possibly the remains of a layer that has been spun off the star by its rapid rotation. This shell is thought to be in the form of a disk around the equator of the star, and the scattering of starlight by the disk polarizes the light. Celestial objects chosen for observation by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) included M31, the famous Andromeda galaxy in our "local group," the cluster of galaxies which includes our own Milky Way. UIT researchers are conducting ultraviolet studies of the structure of local group galaxies. They will also examine the photographs to study the physics of star formation contained in these galaxies. The UIT team also selected various kinds of open and globular star clusters, groups of stars formed from the same basic material at the same time. By comparing clusters of different ages and by looking at different types of stars of the same age, astronomers can learn a great deal about how each type of star changes in its lifetime. STS-67 Flight Day 5 Highlights: On Monday, March 6, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #09 reports: (4/5:22 MET) The Astro-2 instruments spent the fourth night of the mission viewing spiral, radio and other types of galaxies as well as two types of binary star systems and some individual stars. Also, the search for intergalactic helium continued as these telescopes observed some of the most distant objects in the known universe. All the Astro-2 instruments, Spacelab, and the Instrument Pointing System continue to perform well. "I think we've just set a world record for acquisition," commented Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld upon the swift targeting of GD394, a white dwarf star in the Cygnus constellation, for the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT). Earlier in the evening, an edited StarView software package was uplinked to Space Shuttle Endeavour. This upgrade made what Alternate Payload Specialist Scott D. Vangen called, "a world of difference" in improving acquisition times for the Astro-2 instruments. White dwarf stars, such as GD394, have magnetic fields stronger than any that can be formed in laboratories on the earth. They are interesting for astronomers because they provide a laboratory for studying the effects of strong magnetic fields on radiation. One such effect is that the light coming from these objects is highly polarized, or is vibrating in a single direction. HUT scientists made further ultraviolet observations of the bright quasar 1700+64 in the hope of discovering intergalactic helium. Astronomers have been searching for evidence of intergalactic matter left over from the formation of the universe for 30 years, and HUT was originally designed with this goal in mind. If ionized helium is present in the space in front of a quasar, it should block out the helium signature in HUT's far ultraviolet spectrum of the quasar-- thus establishing the existence of the ionized helium in the intergalactic medium. Binary star systems, or pairs of mutually orbiting stars, again became prime objects for observations selected by the HUT science team. Earlier in the evening, the HUTand Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) instruments looked at the symbiotic binary Z Andromedae, located in the constellation Andromeda, as part of the joint HUT/WUPPE investigator program. Symbiotic stars are binary systems in which the component stars have radically different temperature ranges. Guest Investigator Dr. Brian R. Espey used HUT and WUPPE to study the ultraviolet spectrum of Z Andromedae, in order to improve measurements of the hotter star's temperature. The first ever ultraviolet observations of a very spectacular binary star system, Nova Aquilae, were made early in the morning by members of the WUPPE science team. This system, consisting of a white dwarf and a more normal star, became a bright nova, or a new explosive object, just about a week ago. This binary's explosions occurred due to the interactions between the two stars. Specifically, hot gas from the normal star was pulled by gravity toward the white dwarf star's surface. As this material collected on the white dwarf's surface, thermonuclear fusion took place, resulting in sudden and extremely bright explosions. As WUPPE co-investigator Chris Anderson described this process, "a week ago it was a faint, unobtrusive star....then it suddenly became thousands of times brighter." Another target observation for WUPPE scientists over night included one of the most beautiful and colorful types of objects known. Reflection nebula NGC7023 is the brightest of its kind, in which starlight is scattered by dust grains, producing brilliant illumination in its cloud. The WUPPE team is using its observations of this nebula to further study the nature of dust grains in interstellar space. Celestial objects chosen for observation by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) last night included the spiral galaxy NGC1097 and the radio galaxy Centaurus A. Centaurus A is the nearest active galaxy to our own and is one of the most prominent radio sources in the Southern Hemisphere. UIT scientists are examining it to study star formation processes and stellar evolution there. Radio galaxies like Centaurus A emit radiation a million times stronger than galaxies like ours. Many questions surround radio galaxies, including those concerning the possible relationships between these galaxies, quasars and other energetic sources. UIT scientists also selected a cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud, an irregular galaxy, as a target. Eighteen targets within the local group of galaxies are candidates for observation on Astro-2, and UIT is conducting ultraviolet studies on their structures. These scientists are also studying the physics of star formation in supernova remnants contained in these galaxies. While UIT used its large field of view to image regions of the Small Magellanic Cloud, HUT observed the supernova remnants within it. HUT's large spectrograph apertures permit observations of the remnants' temperature, density and chemical composition. On Monday, March 6, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #09 reports: The STS-67 astronauts continue to operate the ASTRO-2 payload and also worked with several microgravity experiments and talked with students on the ground around the world through the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment. The Blue Team -- Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan, Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence and Payload Specialist Sam Durrance -- worked with the Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus Instruments Technology Associates Experiments (CMIX) and checked on the health of the Protein Crystal Growth biotechnology experiments. Lawrence also sent special greetings to the 19 men and women who reported to the Johnson Space Center today representing the Astronaut Class of 1995. The Red Team -- Commander Steve Oswald, Pilot Bill Gregory, Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld and Payload Specialist Ron Parise -- went on duty about noon CST. As Grunsfeld and Parise supported Astro-2 observations, Oswald coordinating a successful data transfer that will help Middeck Active Control Experiment scientists and engineers design large spacecraft. Gregory practiced for the end of the 15 1/2 day mission on the PILOT landing simulator. On Monday, March 6, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #10 reports:(4/17:22 MET) Two cataclysmic variables were on today's menu of HUT targets. These are systems of two stars, orbiting extremely close together, where a white dwarf in the final stage of its life cycle is paired with a more "normal" star somewhat similar to our sun. Occasionally their interactions create an outburst, or sudden increase in energy emissions. This interchange of matter between stars, called accretion, is of great interest to the HUT and Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment teams because it is essential to many astrophysical situations such as the generation of energy by quasars. This morning, the Astro telescopes observed VW Hydri, a cataclysmic variable which undergoes outbursts of energy roughly every 20 days. Though it was in a relatively low state of activity today, VW Hydri will be monitored at intervals throughout the mission in hopes of getting measurements in both an outburst and a non-outburst stage. This afternoon, the teams viewed another variable, YZ Cancri, which is located in the constellation Cancer. The telescopes made two observations of elliptical galaxy M 105 in the constellation of Leo the Lion. HUT studied the nature of stars that put out an unexpected amount of ultraviolet light in this type of galaxy. HUT observations from Astro-1 indicate it comes from older, low mass stars in a previously unknown stage of their evolution. Individual stars chosen for viewing by HUT ranged from massive stars to compact white dwarfs. Observations of the hot, massive O-type star HD 94963, in the Southern Hemisphere constellation Carina, will be added to an "atlas" of hot stars which may assist in stellar population studies in galaxies. The white sub-dwarf star, Schweizer-Middleditch, was too close to the sun to be observed on Astro-1, so Astro-2 astronomers were particularly pleased to observe it today. It lies behind the supernova remnant SN1006, which is the debris of a star that exploded in 1006 A.D. HUT scientists are studying the star's spectrum for signs that its light is being absorbed by iron in the supernova remnant. Theories predict that a large quantity of iron was ejected by the exploding star. Other observations in the HUT time block included observations in two parts of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant, the leftover gas from a stellar explosion some 20,000 year ago. Seyfert galaxy Markarian 3 also was studied. Such active galaxies have unusually bright centers that resemble the more distant and more luminous quasars, and they are believed to harbor massive black holes. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) took images for an ultraviolet census of "Selected Area 57," a portion of the sky that has been intensively mapped at many other wavelengths. "This is one of two parts of the sky that astronomers all over the world have agreed to study as closely as possible with every new technology that comes along," said UIT Team Member Dr. Steve Maran. UIT's wide-field images should provide new information on faint objects that have not yet been catalogued. The UIT team will count galaxies down to faint ultraviolet magnitudes and search for quasars, for galaxies that are receding very quickly as the universe expands, and for distant clusters of star-forming galaxies. "If we see something we don't understand, we can go back and look at images made in other wavelengths to help define it," said UIT Principal Investigator Ted Stecher. "It's something like using the Rosetta stone to decipher something that was previously unknown . UIT made images for two other science programs that could shed light on the life cycles of stars. The instrument photographed a globular cluster known as NGC 6752. Ultraviolet images will pick out hot stars, at an unusual stage of their evolution, from the tightly grouped assembly of old stars in the cluster. UIT also viewed the spiral galaxy NGC 3351. The arms of spiral galaxies, which look something like cosmic pinwheels, are made up of interstellar matter and bright young stars. The images should be useful to ultraviolet astronomers in assessing the amount of star formation in progress within the galaxies. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) team reported that one of last night's observations seems to confirm a surprise finding from Astro-1. According to WUPPE Co-Investigator Dr. Geoff Clayton, the team again saw evidence of two types of polarized "dust" in an interstellar cloud. An Astro-1 observation had indicated that some parts of the dust were like grains of sand, while others were more like soot. Ultraviolet radiation reflected from both types of grains was polarized, or vibrating in a preferred direction, indicating that both were lined up to the magnetic field. But until last night, no other observation had detected polarization in the "soot." "Last night, we saw a 'bump' in our polarization measurements just where it was on Astro 1," said Clayton. "We hope to see more bumps on later observations. If we find out this is real, we'll have to go back to the drawing board and find out why these grains are aligned as they are." STS-67 Flight Day 5 Highlights: On Tuesday, March 7, 1995 at 9 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #10 reports: Earlier this morning, flight controllers did some troubleshooting after a circuit breaker tripped, cutting power to a portion of the Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus Instrumentation Technology Associates Experiment (CMIX). When Lawrence reset the circuit breaker on the middeck experiment and repowered the heater controller, ground controllers noticed a short. Lawrence subsequently was directed to turn off the heater, which maintained a slightly higher temperature (20 degrees Centigrade vs. 4 degrees Centigrade) for a portion of the Commercial Refrigerator Incubator Module (CRIM). three of the four experiment trays already had been chemically fixed, and scientists won't know until after landing what affect the heater loss will have on the samples. The CMIX/CRIM experiments which require no heat, referred to as the "cold" experiments, were unaffected by this event. Other activities performed by the Blue Team include a successful alignment of the inertial measurement units which was performed by Lawrence, and a 12-hour water dump using the flash evaporator system was initiated this morning. On Tuesday, March 7, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #11 reports: (5/5:22 MET) Crew members for the second Astro Observatory (Astro-2) mission spent a busy fifth night in space, working with three unique ultraviolet telescopes to help scientists on Earth learn more about the universe. Pilot William Gregory and Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence maneuvered the Space Shuttle Endeavour into different orbital positions as Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan, Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld, and Payload Specialists Ronald Parise and Sam Durrance aligned the telescopes nestled in Endeavour's payload bay. From the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., the science teams for the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) watched video from the HUT target acquisition camera onboard the Shuttle while they calibrated their instruments. During this calibration period, in which HUT was pointed at a hot dwarf star in the constellation Auriga, scientists were able to check the data from their telescopes against previous observations. Three types of galaxies were observed by the Astro-2 telescopes overnight to help scientists understand more about the formation of stars in a galaxy system. UIT used both of its onboard cameras to make images of these galaxies in both the long and short wavelength ranges. A prime target for UIT was a globular cluster in the constellation Carina. This cluster is a massive spherical concentration of stars containing up to several hundred thousand stars. This group of stars, which is extremely old, provides astronomers with information about the latter part of the evolution of stars. HUT and WUPPE observed a massive blue star called Psi Persei, a luminous star that spins rapidly and has outer layers that show evidence of being peeled off by their stellar winds. Previous observations have suggested that these gas-laden winds are strongest near the equator of these rapidly spinning stars. Psi Persei has an unusual ultraviolet spectrum that may be caused by a shell of gas around the star, possibly the remains of the layer that has been peeled off the star. Scientists hope to accurately determine this type of star's temperature (in order to analyze its atmospheric emission), search for stellar winds and study absorption in the interstellar medium, gas and dust between these stars. HUT and WUPPE also used a bright star much like a flashlight to illuminate the gas and dust between stars. This type of observation will help scientists understand more about the chemical composition and physical nature of the dust and gas between stars in our Milky Way galaxy. During the first Astro mission, astronomers learned that some parts of our galaxy seem to have dust grains that resemble tiny hockey pucks, while other parts seem to have a mixture of several sizes, shapes and kinds of dust grains. During Astro- 2, WUPPE Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code hopes to determine whether different conditions in some parts of the galaxy affect the formation of these dust grains. The science teams for HUT, UIT and WUPPE observed video from the HUT target acquisition camera as their instruments measured a supernova remnant known as Cygnus Loop. This supernova remnant, in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan, is from a star that exploded many years ago. Both cameras of the UIT imaged the supernova remnant in both the short ultraviolet and long ultraviolet ranges. Guest Investigator Dr. John Raymond is using HUT to obtain information about shock waves the physics of collisionless shocks, the destruction of grains in shocked gas, instabilities behind radiative shocks and shock wave parameters. The Astro-2 ultraviolet telescopes also observed a Wolf-Rayet star, thought to represent one of the final phases in the evolution of massive O and B stars, which have between 100,000 and 1,000,000 times the radiance of the sun, with temperatures up to 100 times greater. One of the most unusual features of this type of star is that it has almost no dark, or absorption, lines in its spectrum, only bright, broad emission lines. The three Astro-2 ultraviolet telescopes also gathered information about spiral galaxies during the night. Guest Investigator Dr. Wendy Freedman is using the UIT to image several large, face-on (top or bottom view) galaxies in the far- and near-ultraviolet spectrum. Freedman will combine UIT images gathered on both the Astro-1 and Astro-2 missions to create a digital atlas of spiral galaxies. Data gathered about galaxies will also be used to study the similarities between the types of galaxies viewed by the Hubble Space Telescope in the visible and ultraviolet spectrums. On Tuesday, March 7, 1995 at 4 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Commander Oswald transferred data from the ground to the orbiting Middeck Active Control Experiment via a high-speed air-to-ground link as Gregory took care of orienting the shuttle for its Astro-2 observations and performed housekeeping duties.Grunsfeld and Parise each were scheduled for some off-duty time. On Tuesday, March 7, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #12 reports: (5/17:22 MET) The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) and Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) viewed Wolf-Rayet star HD 191765 twice this morning, completing a set of observations begun last night. "This is a fairly faint star, so we are observing it four times to get all the information we need," explained Guest Investigator Dr. Regina Schulte-Ladbeck of the University of Pittsburgh. "We know this star's polarization varies over time, so we put all the observations within a 12-hour period in order to make them as nearly the same as possible." Schulte-Ladbeck noted that the first observation showed very high ultraviolet polarization, and she feels confident that all four data sets will yield the same result. Wolf-Rayet stars are thought to be a final life stage of very hot, massive and luminous stars. Powerful stellar winds cause matter to be lost from them, making them less and less massive over time. Schulte-Ladbeck is studying the mechanism of mass loss from the stars, as mass is returned to the interstellar medium and new stars are formed. "Wolf-Rayets are depositing chemically processed matter containing elements like carbon, nitrogen and oxygen for the next generation of stars, so the new stars will be different," she explained. This afternoon, WUPPE and HUT viewed EZ Canis Majoris, a much brighter Wolf-Rayet which was observed for a briefer time during Astro-1. Ultraviolet polarization studies can help astronomers determine the shape of the material being thrown out from the star, so they can formulate a three- dimensional "map" of its structure. The WUPPE instrument also focused on the bright ultraviolet star HD 25090 to illuminate the interstellar medium for their polarization study of the dust between stars. Determining characteristics of interstellar dust will help astronomers make allowances for the existence of this obstructing matter when studying other objects and to study its function as the source of new stars. All three telescope teams joined today's observations of two active galaxies, thought to have supermassive black holes at their centers. NGC 4151 is a Seyfert-1 type galaxy, which emits very bright ultraviolet radiation. NGC 1068 is a Seyfert-2, with ultraviolet emissions that are not as strong. "Astro-1 and Hubble Space Telescope observations suggest there are opaque disks of cold gas around the cores of these galaxies," said HUT team member Dr. Gerard Kriss. "It could be that there is no difference in the two Seyfert types, except that we're viewing Seyfert-2's from the side with the gas disk obscuring the hot core, and we see Seyfert-1's from the top with our view of the hot gas unobstructed. It's something like not being able to see the hole in a donut when you look at the donut from the side." Actually, Kriss said, NGC 4151 is in the "twilight zone" of Seyferts, exhibiting unusual characteristics that suggest it might be tilted at an intermediate angle to Earth. "NGC 4151 was five times as bright today as it was during Astro-1 observations in 1990, and there was a 10 percent increase in brightness today over what we saw when we first observed it two days ago," said Kriss. The galaxy is known to be extremely variable, so Astro-2 scientists hope to view it several more times to capture it at various levels. The multiple pointings should help Hopkins astronomers learn more about the location, composition, density and temperature of the gas. Astro-1 observations of NGC 1068 revealed unanticipated evidence that gas clouds were heated by shock waves speeding from the galaxy's core. Speaking on air-to-ground communication loops from Spacelab Control, Kriss guided Payload Specialist Sam Durrance in placing the telescope's view just outside the core of NGC 1068, to look for the location of the shock-heated gas. Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) team members will search today's photographs of irregular galaxy NGC 4449 for young stars. Active star formation is on-going in these arms, but not in the symmetrical distribution more common in spiral galaxies. The Hopkins telescope focused on a supernova remnant near the galaxy's nucleus, which has a rich store of atomic oxygen buried in a region of ionized hydrogen. While the images should reveal details of star formation regions, spectral measurements of the supernova remnant should show the composition and temperature of the ionized gas. UIT also photographed an open cluster of hot stars, called N4. These diffuse clusters of stars are thought to be young systems, less than 10 million years old. UIT's wide field of view allows the camera to make ultraviolet images of many stars at a time, so the images will be used to identify hot binary stars pulling matter from one another, planetary nebulae, X-ray sources, white dwarfs and other faint, hot stars. Other observations today included two white dwarf stars, RE 0512 and GD153; the rapid-star formation galaxy NGC 2903; and another portion of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant . STS-67 Flight Day 6 Highlights: On Wednesday, March 8, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #12 reports: Astro-2 observations continue, including ultraviolet views of spiral galaxies, the interstellar medium and a very luminous and hot Wolf Rayet star. A successful alignment of the inertial measurement units was performed earlier this morning. Excess water will be dumped through the flash evaporator system today. All consumables are at the appropriate levels at this time in the record-setting mission. On Wednesday, March 8, 1995 at 4 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #13 reports: Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence beamed down a video postcard, narrating a tour of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and showing what life aboard is like. The tour included views of the aft flight deck, where astronomical observations are being conducted; the forward flight deck, where shuttle maneuvers are orchestrated; and the middeck, where experiments are studying biotechnology and flexible space structures and the day-to-day activities such as food preparation and personal hygiene are taken care of. Oswald worked again with the Middeck Active Control Experiment as Gregory took care of orienting the shuttle for its Astro-2 observations and performed housekeeping duties. Grunsfeld and Parise directed the trio of Astro-2 telescopes toward its targets. Gregory and Grunsfeld also conducted an interview with KFWB Radio in Los Angeles. On Wednesday, March 8, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #13 reports: (6/5:22 MET) Although payload controllers at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., were briefly evacuated to a safe area during severe weather conditions last night, voice communications with the Shuttle continued from Marshall, allowing Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld to coordinate his activities with science teams on the ground . Grunsfeld pointed the Astro-2 telescopes at a quasi-stellar object, a prime target for the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), known as HS1700+64. Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen and the HUT science team are searching for the helium left over from the primordial fireball that many scientists believe marked the birth of the universe some 10 to 20 billion years ago. To find the ash remnants of the explosive genesis of the universe, astronomers must use the faint glow of extremely distant objects, such as this quasar, located behind the intergalactic gas similar to using a distant flashlight shining through a hazy mist. HUT was aimed at this Astro-2 target, located many billions of light years away, to help scientists search the gas for evidence that helium is absorbing the quasar's ultraviolet light. Jernigan and Durrance aligned the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo- Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) telescope to look at two other stars serving as background lights in the study of interstellar polarization the orientation of ultraviolet light waves that travel through the gas and dust between stars. Interstellar polarization studies enable scientists to make allowances for obscuring matter when they study other objects in the universe as well as learn about the obscuring matter itself. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), WUPPE and HUT observed the dying remains of a star a white dwarf. This small object, which has burned all its nuclear fuel, allowed WUPPE Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code to observe the orientation of the ultraviolet light traveling from the white dwarf to determine its geometry and density. UIT imaged the white dwarf and the surrounding night sky to help scientists search for more of these faint, hot stars. Gregory maneuvered Endeavour into position during two separate orbits to allow all three Astro-2 ultraviolet telescopes to observe spiral galaxies. One of these spiral galaxies, known as NGC 2841, contains remnants from Supernovae 1912 and 1957A. The second spiral galaxy, called NGC 2403, is a galaxy containing an old yellow star population in its center region that merges into a disc with widely scattered blue star-formation knots in its spiraling "arms." Guest Investigator Dr. Wendy Freedman will use UIT images of these two galaxies in a digital atlas of spiral galaxies. Two other galaxies were observed by the ultraviolet telescopes nestled in Endeavour's payload bay last night. Guest Investigator Dr. Claus Leitherer used HUT to observe a starburst galaxy and UIT Principal Investigator Theodore Stecher conducted ultraviolet studies of the structure of galaxies during an observation of elliptical galaxy NGC 205. During four separate orbits, Jernigan and Durrance pointed the three ultraviolet telescopes toward a rare type of star known as a Wolf-Rayet star. This type of star is thought to represent one of the last phases in the life cycle of a massive star. Wolf-Rayet stars have powerful, eroding stellar winds. These strong stellar winds have hastened the evolution of the Wolf-Rayet stars, causing what may once have been massive, luminous stars to become less and less massive throughout their life. "We are looking at the way energy coming out of the star interacts with the atmosphere surrounding the star," explained WUPPE Co-Investigator Dr. Chris Anderson. Jernigan and Durrance also brought the Astro-2 telescopes into alignment with two very hot, massive blue stars that emit large amounts of ultraviolet radiation. There is evidence that the outer layers of these two rapidly spinning stars have been peeled off by their stellar winds. From the data gathered during Astro-2, HUT scientists will strive to determine accurate temperatures of these stars to learn more about their surrounding atmosphere, search for stellar winds, and study absorption in the gas and dust between the stars. On Wednesday, March 8, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #14 reports:(6/17:22 MET) The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) team led the observation of U Geminorum and SS Cygni, two dwarf novas which were also observed during Astro-1. A a dwarf nova, a particular type of cataclysmic variable star, is actually made up of two stars -- a "normal" star like our sun in extremely close orbit with a dense white dwarf. Interaction of the two creates periodic outbursts. This morning, U Geminorum was at a different phase than it was during Astro-1, when it had just gone through an outburst. "After the outburst, the white dwarf was very hot. Today, the white dwarf was much cooler, since it has been a long time since U Geminorum's last outburst," said HUT Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen. Though SS Cygni was also at quiet stage today, it looked totally different from more typical dwarf novas like U Geminorum. "We could tell SS Cygni is unusual based on our limited Astro-1 observation, but today's much better data reinforces that," said Davidsen. "Normally, the white dwarf is obvious at the center of a cataclysmic variable, but the spectrum from SS Cygni doesn't look like a white dwarf. Instead of seeing light distributed across the spectrum the way we would with a dense star, we see pronounced emission lines that suggest something like a thin, transparent gas disk may surround the dwarf." Davidsen said a disk of gas is created during a hot outburst, but it generally dissipates when a variable is quiet. HUT team members will analyze today's data to help determine what makes SS Cygni apparently unique. Members of the American Association of Variable Star Observers and amateur astronomers all over the world are monitoring variable stars in both hemispheres 24 hours a day. They furnish regular reports via electronic mail to the Astro-2 experiment teams, so exploding stars can be added to the mission's observation schedule. HUT also observed V 1329 Cygni, a closely orbiting set of stars with widely different temperatures called a symbiotic star system. Dr. Brian Espey will use far-ultraviolet spectra obtained by the Hopkins instrument to help determine the temperature of the hot star component. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) team chose two galaxies for wide-field ultraviolet photography. The first was M 49, the largest elliptical galaxy in the Virgo cluster of galaxies. At twice the size of our Milky Way and ten times more mass, M 49 is one of the biggest galaxies in the nearby universe. "We are interested in trying to trace the source in these galaxies of strong ultraviolet emissions, which were first detected by Dr. Art Code [WUPPE principal investigator] about 20 years ago," said UIT Co-Investigator Dr. Robert O'Connell. "We still don't understand where they are coming from." Astro-1 observations of elliptical galaxies called into question some previously popular theories about the source of the ultraviolet radiation. UIT also obtained images of M 104, a spiral galaxy viewed edge-on from Earth. M 104 is sometimes called the Sombrero Galaxy because it resembles the shape of a wide-brimmed hat. "The regions where star formation occurs are in the 'brim' of the hat, while the large bulge -- the hat's 'crown' -- is made up of old stars, maybe even a black hole," said UIT Guest Investigator Dr. Barry Madore, who operates what may be the world's largest computerized electronic database of galaxies for NASA at Caltech. "Very old blue stars put out radiation in a glowing halo that surrounds the hat shape," Madore added. These halos had not been imaged in the ultraviolet before Astro-1. Studies of 47 Tucanae, a globular cluster chosen by UIT for study, could shed new light on stellar aging, since some stars within such closely grouped associations seem to age differently than those found elsewhere in our galaxy. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) team concentrated on very hot individual stars for their observation choices today. The instrument made spectral and polarimetric measurements of Zeta Tauri and 28 Tauri, two Oe/Be stars in the constellation Taurus which show bright hydrogen emission lines. The WUPPE team also selected supergiant stars P Cygni and AG Carinae. Massive stars like these process helium and hydrogen into heavier elements, and recycle material into the interstellar medium through supernova explosions and stellar winds. Light from both types of stars is scattered by various processes in their atmospheres, creating pronounced polarization. However, WUPPE observations of both star types during Astro-1 showed ultraviolet polarization that was different from theoretical predictions. Astro 2 observations will provide data against which to test refined theories. The WUPPE team also completed a series of observations of Wolf-Rayet star HD 96548, in another study of how stars deposit matter containing processed elements like oxygen, nitrogen and carbon into the interstellar medium. STS-67 Flight Day 7 Highlights: On Thursday, March 9, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #15 reports: (7/5:22 MET) Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence maneuvered the Space Shuttle Endeavour into a position where Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan could align the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) with M33, a nearby spiral galaxy in the constellation Triangulum. This galaxy, also called the Pinwheel galaxy, is approximately 2.4 million light years away, but is bright enough to be seen with binoculars at night. "We are looking at this neighboring spiral galaxy during Astro-2 to learn more about what goes on in that galaxy and compare this information to what we already know about the Milky Way," said Mission Scientist Dr. John Horack. Payload Specialist Ron Parise aligned the three onboard telescopes, allowing UIT to make deep, wide-field images of a globular cluster of stars known as NGC 362. Globular clusters, massive spherical concentrations of extremely old stars, are generally located outside the plane of the galaxy and form a halo around the center. These old stars (possibly 10 billion years old) provide astronomers with knowledge about the latter part of stellar evolution. Another type of star cluster, an open cluster, was imaged by UIT last night. An open star cluster is moderate in size, containing from only a few dozen to a few hundred stars. The age of the stars in an open cluster can range from very young stars to older stars. UIT scientists are particularly interested in searching the heavens for white dwarfs and other faint, hot stars to be used as backlighting to study interstellar medium Ð the gas and dust between stars. These data will also provide highly accurate distance measurements and add to astronomers' understanding of the chemical evolution of galaxies. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) telescope examined a supergiant, one of the largest, most radiant stars in the sky. The largest of these massive stars may measure 1,000 times the radius of the sun, but their enormous size is coupled with their voracious consumption of nuclear fuel, leading supergiant stars through speedy evolutions and spectacular deaths in the form of stellar explosions called supernovae. The three Astro-2 ultraviolet telescopes were pointed at Jupiter's moon Io, the most volcanically active body in our solar system. A recent volcanic eruption on that moon, just before the Astro-2 mission began, ejected material onto Io's surface and into Io's atmosphere. Dr. Paul Feldman, co-investigator for the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) observed Io last night to detect possible changes in the number of sulfur and oxygen ions in Io's atmosphere. As Io orbits Jupiter once every 42 hours, some of this material is left behind, forming a donut-shaped torus of sulfur and oxygen plasma around Io's orbit. This plasma torus will be observed in a separate Jupiter pointing during Astro-2. Parise next pointed HUT at a starburst galaxy. While most galaxies appear to have developed their stars billions of years ago, some are forming new stars at an enormous rate in a process known as a starburst. The massive, hot young stars emit strong ultraviolet light, detectable by the telescopes onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Parise also aligned HUT to observe WX Hydri, a dwarf nova in a binary star system. The dwarf nova for this observation, WX Hydri, undergoes irregularly spaced outbursts, approximately once every 10 days. Scientists for HUT and WUPPE are interested in a process associated with binary stars called accretion, where matter is transferred from the smaller star to the larger star, causing the interstellar gas to heat up and create bright ultraviolet emissions. HUT observed a very hot, massive blue star for Guest Investigator Dr. Nolan Walborn. The star known as NGC 346 #3 is located in a cluster of stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud. This star is being studied because of its strong stellar winds. Data from this Astro-2 observation will be combined with observations made by the Hubble Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory's CASPEC satellite, giving scientists a better understanding of this star, which has a relatively brief life from 3 to 6 million years. Several other stars in the NG 346 cluster will also be observed during Astro-2. On Thursday, March 9, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #14 reports: Looking out of the Shuttle's window, Wendy Lawrence recorded volcanic activity on an island south of Burma and replayed the brief video at about 5:45 a.m. CST. An alignment of the inertial measurement units and a water dump through the flash evaporator system were successfully performed this morning. Earlier this morning Commander Stephen Oswald downlinked video of the Middeck Active Control Experiment showing the effects of vibrations on spacecraft. Through this experiment, researchers want to learn how to actively control flexible structures in space. Lawrence continued maneuvering the orbiter while Jernigan and Sam Durrance continued the Astro-2 observations of the ultraviolet universe. On Thursday, March 9, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #15 reports: Oswald worked with the Middeck Active Control Experiment as Gregory pointed the shuttle so that the payload bay telescopes could acquire their targets. Gregory also flew another simulation on the PILOT landing trainer. Grunsfeld and Parise directed the trio of Astro-2 telescopes toward its targets. Oswald, Grunsfeld and Gregory were interviewed by Glen Farley of KING-TV in Seattle at 4:30 p.m. On Thursday, March 9, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #16 reports: (7/17:22 MET) The Astro-2 observatory teamed up with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope today for a close examination of the planet Jupiter's "northern lights." Though Jupiter is always in daylight from Earth's perspective, ultraviolet photographs reveal a glowing circle of charged particles in its upper atmosphere, comparable to the beautiful aurora borealis visible in our far northern latitudes. Payload Specialist Sam Durrance, whose astronomical specialty is Jupiter, carefully centered the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope's (HUT) view on the northern region of the planet. The Astro telescopes made high-quality spectral and polarimetric measurements, as well as wide-field, far- ultraviolet images. At the same time, Hubble's Wide Field/Planetary Camera 2 obtained high resolution, far-ultraviolet images of the auroral region. Dr. Paul Feldman, professor of physics at The Johns Hopkins University, is the lead scientist for both the HUT and Hubble observations. "We're very interested in whether the recent volcanic eruption on Jupiter's moon Io produced more ions in the planet's magnetosphere and led to a brighter aurora. There is some debate as to whether atmospheric ionization in the Jovian system is created primarily by sunlight, as it is in Earth's atmosphere, or by volcanic activity on Io," said Feldman. "We obtained a very nice spectrum of molecular hydrogen, the dominant component of Jupiter's upper atmosphere, which we will analyze in correlation with the Hubble images. By combining the two, we will get a scientific product that is greater than the sum of the two individual observations." Several of today's observations were for scientific programs designed by Astro-2 guest investigators. As mission planning began, NASA invited astronomers to suggest experiments and observations that could be conducted using one or more of the ultraviolet telescopes. A committee of astronomers reviewed the proposals and selected ten to be included in the observation schedule. Dr. John Raymond, of the Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory, used the Hopkins telescope to view two supernova remnants, the Cygnus Loop and Vela F. Both are relatively nearby, with little foreground matter to block a clear view. Raymond is studying the products of supernova explosions -- outwardly moving shock waves containing more energy than most galaxies radiate in a year. As the shock wave and debris from the explosion moves outward, it heats the interstellar medium in its path and may trigger the formation of new stars rich with the elements ejected in the explosion. Scattered long ago by these immense blasts, some of the iron and other heavy elements helped form the world in which we live. Dr. Claus Leitherer, from the Space Telescope Science Institute, took spectral measurements of the starburst galaxy 1050+40, one where rapid star formation is taking place. Leitherer's colleague, Dr. Nolan Walborn, viewed O-type star SK-61837 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the nearest galaxy to our own Milky Way. Walborn is studying O stars, the hottest and most massive of the "normal" stars, in a far-ultraviolet portion of the spectrum where they had not been studies previously. Both Leitherer and Walborn used the Hopkins telescope for their investigations. Guest Investigator Dr. Gregory Bothun, of the University of Oregon, used the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) to observe galaxy VCC 530, one of a recently recognized class of astronomical objects. "They are called "low- surface-brightness" galaxies because they are fainter than the dark night sky. It has only been in recent years, with improvements in telescopes, that we have been able to detect them," said Dr. Barry Madore, another UIT guest investigator. "The most fascinating thing about this class of galaxies is that ground-based observations show some of them are blue. This could be due to an absence of dust, or because they are made up of very metal-poor stars, or maybe they are a new type we're not been aware of before. By viewing them in ultraviolet light, we can get a better understanding of where they came from and what their properties are." UIT Principal Investigator Ted Stecher, of the Goddard Space Flight Center, chose a cluster of galaxies known as Abell 1367 for observation. The galaxies in this cluster are primarily spirals, like our own Milky Way. Examining photographs of spiral-rich clusters gives astronomers a better understanding of the spatial structure and development of spiral galaxies. UIT made images of Abell 1367 during Astro 1 as well. Stecher also selected NGC 6946, a rapid- star-formation galaxy. Ultraviolet radiation emphasizes the hot stars and dust features associated with spiral arms and suppresses the cool star background of the galactic bulge and underlying disc. Other observations today spanned the life cycle of stars, from studies of the elderly Schweizer-Middleditch white dwarf star to another search for intergalactic helium left over from the birth of the universe. The Astro telescopes are currently in the midst of a nearly four-hour-long observation series to study the magnetic cataclysmic variable binary star, AM Herculis. STS-67 Flight Day 8 Highlights: On Friday, March 10, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #17 reports: (8/5:22 MET) Payload Specialist Ronald Parise pointed the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) at a binary star system called AM Herculis. This star system has a white dwarf and a normal low-mass companion star, locked in a tight orbit around each other. As these two stars move around each other, material from the low-mass star is transferred to the white dwarf. During this transfer, matter from the companion star is heated as it spirals down onto the white dwarf, generating a great deal of ultraviolet emission. Because of these outbursts (which may occur every couple of weeks to months or years), binary star systems such as these are called cataclysmic variables. Several Astro-2 observations have been made of the AM Herculis binary star system because of its unique characteristics. In this star system, the white dwarf star has a strong magnetic field. As material from the companion star is being transferred, the magnetic field of the white dwarf causes the matter to assemble around its magnetic poles. HUT astronomers are using observations of cataclysmic variables during this mission to learn more about how the magnetic transfer of matter differs from the normal transfer of matter between binary stars. In another study of cataclysmic variables, HUT observed EM Cygni, a dwarf nova which has no magnetic field. During the night portion of two separate orbits, Pilot William Gregory maneuvered Endeavour into the proper orbital position for Parise to align HUT for observations of quasar 1700+64. HUT scientists are using this quasar, located in the constellation Draco, to search the vast region of space between distant galaxies for evidence of helium left over from the primordial fireball that many scientists believe marked the birth of the universe. HUT Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen is using the light from this extremely distant quasar as back lighting to shine through the intergalactic medium. Astronomers will use data from these Astro-2 observations to verify recent findings from the Hubble Space Telescope as well as measure the density and ionization state of the intergalactic helium. Parise also aligned HUT with two white dwarf stars for a study by HUT Guest Investigator Dr. David Finley. White dwarfs are one of the extremely dense remnants of normal stars like the sun. Those being studied with HUT are young and extremely hot stars. Finley is using these HUT observations to get very accurate measurements of the temperatures and surface gravity of white dwarf stars and determine the properties of hydrogen under conditions of extreme temperature and pressure. Another HUT investigation looked at a portion of a supernova remnant called the Cygnus Loop. Guest Investigator Dr. John Raymond observed this "middle-aged" supernova remnant to study the physics of collisionless shocks, the destruction of grains in shocked gas, instabilities behind radiative shocks, and shock wave parameters. Parise aimed HUT at Jupiter's moon Io again last night. A recent volcanic eruption on Io ejected material into Io's atmosphere and onto its surface. HUT scientists are observing Io to detect changes in the number of sulfur and oxygen ions in its atmosphere as a result of the volcanic eruption. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) imaged two globular clusters last night a metal-poor cluster and a metal-rich cluster. The metal-poor globular cluster, known as NGC 2808, is made up of relatively old stars. The low metal content of these stars indicates they were formed early in the life of the Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers theorize that the metal-rich globular cluster, called 47 Tucanae, once belonged to a small metal-rich galaxy that was swallowed up by the Milky Way in the remote past. The UIT science team will use images from these two types of globular clusters to search for hot binaries that are transferring matter from the massive star to its low-mass companion (accretion), hot white dwarfs, planetary nebulae, and objects associated with X-ray sources in globular clusters. Payload Specialist Sam Durrance pointed the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) telescope at a young stellar object, still forming out of interstellar dust. WUPPE astronomers will analyze data about the polarization of the ultraviolet light in this object to learn more about the star- formation processes taking place there. WUPPE scientists also gathered data about hot stars with bright emission lines last night. Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code will use information about the orientation of light waves traveling through the circumstellar disk of this star, called 48 Persei, to understand more about the material around it. Although this type of star was first noted because of bright emission lines, over 100 years of study have shown stars like these to be unusual in many other respects. Each spectral region studied provides astronomers with information about a different part of the material around the star. On Friday, March 10, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #17 reports: Commander Steve Oswald conducted more work with the Middeck Active Control Experiment, the MACE device, which is collecting engineering data about the effect of vibrations on free-floating structures. Pilot Bill Gregory spent some time answering questions sent by computer users on the Internet regarding Endeavour's astronomy mission. Hundreds of thousands of questions have been placed on the Internet since the start of the mission, prompting the astronauts to respond when time permits. On Friday, March 10, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #18 reports: (8/17:22 MET) The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) team selected the spiral galaxy M 31, better known as the Andromeda galaxy, for observation. The team is mapping groups of hot, bright young stars, called OB associations, to learn more about star formation within the galaxy. Today's observation concentrated on the northern portion of Andromeda, where its brightest OB associations are located. "We mapped the OB associations in the southern portion of M 31 during Astro 1, and our goal on Astro 2 is to complete the picture," said UIT observing team member Barbara Pfarr. At twice the apparent size of our full moon, Andromeda is too big to be photographed in one frame even with UIT's wide field of view. M 31 is roughly the same size as the Milky Way, and it is the nearest galaxy of comparable size to our own. Astro scientists also observed NGC 4631, a large spiral galaxy viewed edge-on. The galaxy is forming stars out of material it is pulling from the disk of a nearby, less massive elliptical galaxy, NGC 4656. The bridge of material it is pulling from its smaller neighbor forms a "tail" on NGC 4631. NGC 4631 is of special interest to UIT and Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope team members because huge loops and filaments of gas have been thrown above and below the galaxy's central region. Astronomers believe this may be a bubble of gas produced by supernova explosions, with very strong stellar winds blowing material out of the galaxy. HUT will use its far-ultraviolet spectrometer to see if there is hotter gas present -- about 200,000 degrees Fahrenheit (100,000 degrees Celsius) or more -- than has been detected in observations by other telescopes. UIT's ultraviolet images of NGC 4631 will be used to determine how stellar populations are distributed in the galaxy. In addition, they will compare photographs made in different wavelengths with various camera filters to help determine the location of the hot gas, its temperature profile, and its distance from the galactic disk. "We will try to deduce processes by which the gas is heated and cooled, then drops back into the disk," said UIT team member Dr. Andrew M. Smith, "It is theorized that there is a circulation pattern in the gas which is quite large and quite turbulent." The Hercules Cluster of galaxies, also viewed by the Astro telescopes today, furnishes another laboratory for the study of star formation. Galaxy clusters are the largest gravitationally bound groupings in the universe. Such clusters generally contain both elliptical galaxies, which contain few new stars, and spiral galaxies, which contain many young, ultraviolet-bright stars. The Hercules cluster has a greater than average number of spirals, which makes it a good "hunting ground" for new star formation. UIT also led observations of two objects near the end of the stellar life cycle, globular clusters NGC 6752 and M 13. Stars within these tightly bound clusters appear to be about five billion years older than recent evidence suggests the universe itself may be -- something like the children being older than the parents. Ultraviolet studies of old stars within the clusters, near the very end of their lives, could provide better tests for the ages and life cycles of stars. This morning's study of dwarf nova WX Hydri is the second observation of this system, whose decline from outburst is being studied. Though these periodic increases in brightness in WX Hydri are not as bright as they are in some cataclysmic variable systems, they occur fairly frequently -- about once every ten days. WX Hydri sometimes becomes over eight times brighter during an outburst, increasing from a magnitude of about 14.8 during quiet periods to around 11 at its brightest. Information about this dwarf nova and about 10 others is being provided to Astro scientists by amateur astronomers around the world. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) team finished up one period as prime instrument early this morning, then began another after this afternoon's orbiter water dump. This morning, WUPPE looked at reflection nebula NGC 7023. The first prime observation for WUPPE this afternoon was HD 207198, an interstellar polarization probe. Both were studies clouds of gas and material from which astronomers can learn about the interstellar medium -- the material from which stars and other objects are created. Other celestial objects viewed by the Astro telescopes today included the brightest known Seyfert galaxy, NGC 4151; the Carina dwarf galaxy; spiral galaxy NGC 4258; and NGC 752, an open star cluster in the constellation Andromeda. STS-67 Flight Day 9 Highlights: On Saturday, March 11, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #19 reports: (9/5:22 MET) Pilot William Gregory maneuvered the Endeavour into a position where Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld and Payload Specialist Ronald Parise could align the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) with Nova Centauri 1995. "The WUPPE instrument has given us some spectacular spectral 'signatures' of the elements (such as carbon, nitrogen or oxygen) that may be present in the atmosphere following this very recent explosion," said Guest Investigator Dr. Joni Johnson of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. "We'll be analyzing these data for quite some time, looking for clues about the atmospheric composition, as well as the structure, of this new nova." Nova Centauri 1995, which occurred just two weeks before the launch of Astro-2, is the result of a Red Giant, transferring material to a compact white dwarf companion star. After a period of time (perhaps 1,000 years or more) the material which accreted onto this white dwarf reached extremely high temperatures and pressure, causing a thermonuclear explosion. WUPPE scientists were excited to be able to observe this rare new nova so soon after its beginning. Parise also pointed the WUPPE telescope to a massive star that is known to have bright emission lines. Scientists are studying this type of star to learn more about the composition of material surrounding the star and how it is effected by stellar winds. WUPPE scientists also got another look at a rare Wolf-Rayet star overnight. Wolf-Rayet stars are thought to represent one of the final phases in the evolution of massive stars. This type of massive star has powerful, eroding stellar winds carrying material outward. The interaction between the star's light and this material causes the radiation to be polarized (oriented in one particular direction) rather than in all different directions. The polarization of light coming from this Wolf-Rayet star can tell astronomers something about the properties of the stellar winds around it. Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence maneuvered the orbiter to different positions last night, allowing the WUPPE science team to observe two galaxies in the Local Group. Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan operated the Instrument Pointing System, while Payload Specialist Sam Durrance aimed the Astro-2 telescopes at the galaxies. These two galaxies served as background lights for the study of interstellar polarization, the direction that light travels between stars. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) imaged Holmberg 2 (a dwarf galaxy) and a portion of the Andromeda spiral galaxy, M31, to help UIT astronomers learn more about young stellar formations in galaxies. One of the major science goals of the UIT is to map out our "twin sister" galaxy, Andromeda (M31). UIT also imaged a galaxy known as NGC 3310, allowing investigators to study the design of spiral galaxies and related structures, the nature of stellar populations, and learn more about the material between stars associated with bars, irregular, and anemic (poor in structure) galaxies. The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) observed two Seyfert 1 galaxies, Markarian 279 and NGC 3516. These targets are active galaxies with bright, compact nuclei, radiating in wavelength ranges from infrared to X- ray. HUT Project Scientist Dr. Gerard Kriss arranged simultaneous X-ray observations of NGC 3516 using the Japanese X-ray satellite ASCA (the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics). Astro-2 and ASCA will revisit NGC 3516 for another observation in two days. UIT scientists observed these galaxies to better understand how energy is transferred between the nuclei and surrounding regions. Parise pointed HUT at a dwarf nova called Z Camelopardalis (Z CAM). This stellar system has two stars locked in a tight orbit around each other, with an orbital period of seven hours. The companion star to Z CAM is a low mass star which transfers matter onto Z CAM, causing outbursts of ultraviolet emissions. Parise aligned HUT with a portion of the supernova remnant Cygnus Loop D. HUT scientists are studying a very bright, radiative filament on the western edge of the Cygnus Loop, to learn more about the shock waves generated during the death of a star. Astronomers will analyze these HUT data to determine temperatures, densities, and chemical compositions of the gaseous filaments in the interstellar medium. On Saturday, March 11, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #20 reports: ( 9/17:22 MET) On the tenth day of the STS-67 mission, Astro-2 scientists took their first look in the extreme ultraviolet at what may be the most massive star in the known universe. They also focused their observations on spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies, and star clusters. HD 269810, a faint O-class star located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, is about 190 times as massive as Earth's sun and qualifies as a candidate for the most massive star ever observed. Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope Guest Investigator Dr. Nolan R. Walborn, of the Space Telescope Science Institute, used the HUT instrument to study the star's unusually powerful stellar wind, or expanding outer layer, like it has never been seen before. Although this star probably possesses the most mass a star can have, its stellar wind is depleting this mass at an accelerated rate. These observations provide crucial information regarding the ultimate fate of the most massive stars. Dr. Walborn uses the HUT to study a sample of very hot O class stars that are currently being observed in ultraviolet wavelengths of 1200 angstroms and above by the Hubble Space Telescope. However, only HUT is able to take its unprecedented measurements of these stars in the 900-1200 angstrom wavelength range. Commenting on what he called the "beautiful" real-time data acquired from this observation, Dr. Walborn said, "Now we have new information about a current candidate for the most massive star known. This was the star I wanted to see, and now we have it." Earlier this morning, Payload Specialist Sam Durrance successfully pointed the Astro telescopes at a somewhat challenging target, the elliptical galaxy M60, to enable the science teams to obtain an overall average spectrum of stars in its core. A roughly sphere-shaped galaxy with no clearly discernible internal structure, M60 contains older, evolved stars and therefore represents a stable stage of development. Due to the faintness of this galaxy and the absence of suitable guide stars for automatic targeting, manual acquisition of this target was necessary. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) also observed the center of the M60 giant elliptical for polarized radiation, or radiation preferentially oriented in one direction. M60 is part of rich cluster of galaxies in the Virgo constellation, containing about 2500 galaxies, and has a notable ultraviolet excess. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) viewed NGC 6791, an unusual open cluster located 14,000 light years away in the Lyra constellation. Open clusters are diffuse collections of 100 to 1,000 stars and are usually thought to be young systems, less than 10 million years old. As one of the oldest known open clusters, NGC 6791 is three billion years older than our solar system. Because UIT's field of view is well matched to the sizes of these clusters, UIT scientists are able to perform ultraviolet observations of many stars at the same time. Another target for UIT, M101 in the Ursa Major constellation, was a big spiral galaxy with arms that are wide and not very tightly wound. A perfect example, or prototype, of spiral structure, it is the highest priority spiral galaxy for UIT. This galaxy contains bright regions, such as Searle 2 (named for Dr. Leonard Searle, the astronomer who first discovered that region), of glowing hydrogen ionized by hot blue stars. UIT's ultraviolet imaging offers a powerful new tool for the study of these regions, especially since it emphasizes these hot stars. Ultraviolet imaging also suppresses the cool star background of the galaxy, allowing the young hot stars to become more evident to astronomers studying the evolution of stars. On Saturday, March 11 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #19 reports: Gregory continued work with the Portable In-Flight Landing Operations Trainer, PILOT, a laptop computer and hand controller designed to simulate Shuttle landings. The device helps Shuttle Commanders and Pilots to stay sharp during long duration flights. STS-67 Flight Day 10 Highlights: On Sunday, March 12, 1995 at 9:30 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #20 reports: Tammy Jernigan, Sam Durrance and Wendy Lawrence assisted ground controllers in Alabama with fine-pointing of the three telescopes. For the first time, an observation was made of the Moon as the Shuttle passed south of Hawaii on the 161st orbit of the mission in an effort to gather ultraviolet data to help determine the Moon's origin. Several additional observations of moons and asteroids will be made throughout the mission. On Sunday, March 12, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #21 reports: (10/5:22 MET) Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence maneuvered the orbiter into the required position, while Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan aligned the Instrument Pointing System (IPS) at the most difficult-to-acquire Astro-2 target, our moon. Payload Specialist Sam Durrance coordinated with science teams at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., to accurately point the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) at the moon. "The entire moon has never been imaged in the ultraviolet wavelengths, and we're looking forward to seeing these data," said UIT Guest Investigator Dr. Chan Na of Southwest Research Institute. No similar data have been obtained from either previous Shuttle missions, the Apollo program or Clementine, and there are no operating or planned spacecraft capable of imaging the whole moon at far ultraviolet wavelengths. UIT Guest Investigator Dr. Randy Gladstone, also of Southwest Research Institute, is using UIT to make far ultraviolet maps in order to learn more about the surface properties of the moon. "This lunar observation yielded 12 good, wide-field exposures of the moon," said Gladstone. The 70mm UIT film will developed and analyzed when Endeavour returns to Earth. UIT data gathered during Astro-2 will be used to test the hypothesis that the far ultraviolet surface brightness of an object without an atmosphere is a good indicator of the length of time that the surface has been exposed to space. These data will also help scientists understand future ultraviolet images of asteroids and other planetary satellites. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) telescope observed the moon along with UIT last night to determine how well the WUPPE instrument could detect such features as dark seas or bright craters on the moon. Video from the WUPPE guide camera showed the instrument could clearly distinguish these lunar surface features. WUPPE scientists will now decide what observational goals they will set for the next lunar observation, later in the mission. Durrance also pointed the WUPPE telescope to a cool, giant star known as Alpha Orionis. This star, which pulsates about every five years, is approximately 14,000 times as radiant as our sun. WUPPE Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code will analyze the data from this Astro-2 observation to learn more about what effect these pulsations have on the envelope of gas and dust surrounding Alpha Orionis. Pilot William Gregory moved Endeavour into position, Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld aligned the IPS and Payload Specialist Ronald Parise again pointed the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) at the quasar known as 1700+64. This quasar is the most distant object the HUT team is observing during Astro-2. HUT Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen, of Johns Hopkins University, is using the quasar to provide background lighting in a search for helium in the intergalactic medium (the gas between galaxies). Helium is thought to be left over from the "Big Bang," a primordial fireball that many astronomers believe marked the birth of the universe about 10 to 20 billion years ago. The HUT telescope also observed a portion of the Cygnus Loop, a "middle-aged" supernova remnant, over night. Supernova remnants are visible evidence of the final cycle of stellar evolution and important sources of information for astronomers. The Cygnus Loop is of particular interest because it reveals details about the structure and velocity of shock waves from the explosion of a dying star) as they travel through the interstellar medium. HUT's spectrographic data will help scientists determine temperatures, densities and chemical compositions of the gases located in the Cygnus Loop. HUT team members say their recent observations of the Vela supernova remnant will allow scientists, for the first time, to measure the same supernova remnant shockwave from two angles. The Vela observations seem to show the same filament of expanding gas from the stellar explosion both edge on and face on. "If we can compare this filament in two positions, and verify that the models work for this object, we can generalize that and compare it to other data we've taken on the Cygnus Loop, the Vela supernova remnant and with other telescopes," said HUT Co-investigator Dr. Bill Blair. If successful, the comparison should give researchers a much better understanding of supernova remnants. Parise pointed WUPPE and HUT at a hot, massive star called 48 Librae, located in the constellation Libra. This star spins rapidly and has an outer layer that shows evidence of being peeled off by stellar winds. Previous observations of this star have suggested that its stellar winds are strongest near the star's equator because of its rapid rotation. WUPPE scientists are examining the polarization of this star's light to learn more about the scattering by electrons in the disk surrounding it. HUT scientists are trying to determine an accurate temperature for this star, search for stellar winds, and study absorption in the gas and dust between this star and nearby stellar objects. Jernigan and Durrance aligned WUPPE and HUT to look at a supergiant star, P Cygni. This star, which increases in brightness like a nova, has remained just visible to the naked eye for more than 100 years. Scientists believe it is not a true nova, rather a variable star surrounded by an expanding gaseous shell. WUPPE scientists are interested in P Cygni because it is ejecting mass at a colossal rate. As P Cygni scatters light, it produces a pronounced polarization which differs from theoretical models. Data from these Astro-2 observations will test refined theories and offer greater insight into the mysterious variability of P Cygni. Throughout the next 12 hours, HUT, WUPPE and UIT will be used to observe the planet Mars, look at young stellar populations in galaxies, examine supernova remnants and study a reflection nebula in a dark cloud. On Sunday, March 12, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #21 reports: Both Grunsfeld and Parise enjoyed a few hours off to relax before heading into the final days of the mission, trading places on the aft flight deck to operate the Instrument Pointing System and the telescopes while the other took a break from research duties. Gregory used Endeavour's ham radio gear to talk to students at the J.J. Fray Elementary School in Rustburg, Virginia and the crew continued to respond to questions about their mission and spaceflight in general placed on the Internet and faxed up to the Shuttle by flight controllers. On Sunday, March 12, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #22 reports: (10/17:22 MET) The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) team selected Nova Circinus 1995 for observation this morning. This is the third "new" nova -- a binary star system whose first outburst was observed very recently -- to be studied by the Astro-2 telescopes. "Though all three novae went into outburst since the first of the year, each is at a different stage in its history," said WUPPE Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code. "By comparing their polarization, we hope to determine whether gas from novae outbursts is expelled in a spherical shape and then becomes more asymmetrical, and if so, how quickly the asymmetry develops." Light is polarized when it encounters an asymmetrically shaped object, such as a flattened gas disk, which causes the light to vibrate in preferred directions. "Every day brings new surprises," said HUT Co-investigator Dr. Bill Blair, describing the success today of two supernova remnant observations he admits were long-shots. HUT led a study of the supernova remnant Puppis A, the third supernova remnant Astro-2 has observed in our Milky Way galaxy. HUT and WUPPE examined a filament of gas in the remnant's eastern region, apparently an interaction between an interstellar cloud and the blast wave speeding from the supernova explosion. "The International Ultraviolet Explorer barely detected this remnant, so we didn't know what to expect," said Blair. "We thought dust in the interstellar medium might block its ultraviolet radiation, but we got a very nice spectrum which showed strong nitrogen emissions." Blair said it is possible the nitrogen could have been thrown out by the massive star thousands of years before it exploded as a supernova, and now the shock wave from the blast is catching up with nitrogen expelled from the star. Supernova 1006, whose explosion in A.D. 1006 makes it a relatively recent supernova, provided another first. "The shock wave from this supernova is moving very fast, plowing through interstellar space at about 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) per second, as opposed to 150 to 200 kilometers per second in remnants like Puppis A," said Blair. "We thought its emissions might be too faint for us to observe, but we felt it was important enough to attempt. This gives us a new range of velocity that has never been observed before in the ultraviolet." Blair said the HUT spectrum may show the primary passage of the supernova blast wave as it first encounters interstellar gas. Comparison with optical observations could help astronomers understand the basic physics of supernova shock fronts. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope team led eight highly successful observations in a row. UIT captured the mission's first images of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M 51) for Dr. Wendy Freedman's atlas of spiral galaxies. The Whirlpool Galaxy is the larger of two interacting galaxies close enough together to disturb each other through gravitational force. M 51 is a large spiral galaxy with a mass 100 billion times that of our sun. It is interacting with NGC 5195, a much less massive galaxy. Astronomers will study UIT photographs to learn more about the formation of stars in that system, especially in the bridge of matter that joins the two interacting galaxies. UIT also imaged CB_4, a cold cloud of interstellar gas and dust which is sufficiently dense to obscure starlight from objects behind it, while it reflects light from objects in front of it. Though this so-called dark cloud is relatively faint, Astro scientists were able to obtain measurements to test models of dust in the interstellar medium during a daylight observation. The imaging telescope also photographed a cluster of galaxies known as the Coma Cluster. UIT is examining the dense cluster, made up primarily of elliptical galaxies, to obtain simultaneous information on large samples of galaxies. Astronomers will study the integrated ultraviolet properties of these large samples to determine constraints on the physics of cooling flows, as hot gas may condense into stars as it rains down on a galaxy from the intra-cluster medium. Scientists also will look for the presence of dark matter, which does not emit appreciable radiation. HUT and WUPPE observed NGC 4874, the central elliptical galaxy in the Coma Cluster, to determine the ages of its stars. Though elliptical galaxies have comparatively few young stars, they emit more ultraviolet radiation than would be expected from a population of old stars. Astro-1 observations of ellipticals suggest this radiation may come from aging stars in a previously unknown stage of evolution. Astro-2 is following up on the mystery. UIT photographed the open star cluster NGC 7789, and investigations into new star formation included observations of elliptical galaxy NGC 185, irregular galaxy NGC 1313 and rapid star formation galaxy NGC 4631. WUPPE led the mission's first observation of the Planet Mars, and it observed interstellar polarization probe HD 217490 to add to its ongoing study of the dust scattered throughout our Milky Way. Dr. Brian Espey got excellent HUT and WUPPE data on the symbiotic star system RR Telescopii for his study of closely orbiting stars with radically different temperatures. STS-67 Flight Day 11 Highlights: On Monday, March 13, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #22 reports: Jernigan and Durrance were interviewed by C-SPAN earlier this morning and discussed various aspects of the mission and space flight in general with viewers. On Monday, March 13, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #23 reports: ( 11/5:22 MET) Scientists with the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) received surprising data from their telescope last night as the second Astro Observatory (Astro-2) mission continued aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Astronomers for WUPPE were surprised to learn that the orientation (polarization) of ultraviolet radiation coming from Mars is due to the planet's soil composition, rather than elements in the Martian atmosphere. "As we looked at the data we received from our equipment onboard the Shuttle, we saw similarities between the polarization of ultraviolet light emitted by Mars and the polarization of ultraviolet light recorded during an earlier lunar observation," explained WUPPE scientist Dr. Geoff Fox. "We'll continue to examine our data to learn more about the composition of Martian soil." The WUPPE telescope also made observations to study the polarization of ultraviolet light between stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud for Guest Investigator Dr. Geoffrey Clayton. Supergiant stars were used as background lighting, allowing WUPPE and the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) to observe dust particles between stars in this galaxy. WUPPE and HUT science teams expect to see differences in interstellar polarization between the Large Magellanic Cloud and our own Milky Way galaxy because the chemical elements found in the interstellar dust of these galaxies are so different. UIT will collect images of large fields in the Magellanic Clouds during this mission to study stellar mass and age distributions in the galaxy. HUT observed two Seyfert 1 galaxies in the constellation Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, last night NGC 3516 and NGC 4151. These galaxies, named for astrophysicist Carl Seyfert, are believed to be powered by supermassive black holes at their cores. Spectra of these galaxies show broad emission lines, indicating clouds of gas moving at thousands of miles per second, with the energy emitted covering a broad range of frequencies. HUT scientists are studying variations in the amount of ultraviolet light in these galaxies to learn more about the processes that affect their spectra. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) also observed these galaxies to help astronomers understand more about the transfer of energy between the nuclei and surrounding regions. Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld pointed HUT at Venus, the planet that most resembles Earth in size, density and composition. Planetary probes have shown Venus to have an atmosphere largely composed of carbon dioxide, extremely high surface temperatures, constant high surface winds, and atmospheric pressure 90 times that of the Earth's. HUT scientists are searching the atmosphere of Venus for traces of argon, neon and helium. The presence of these gases in Venus' atmosphere are important indicators concerning the formation of the solar system. WUPPE observed Venus to learn more about the polarization properties of the atmosphere surrounding the planet and will use these data to understand more about the polarization of light from Jupiter during an upcoming Astro-2 observation. Grunsfeld also aligned HUT to observe two pulsating white dwarf stars last night. These two stars, one located in the constellation Hercules and another in Ursa Minor, are believed to be in a transitory stage in the evolution of extremely hot white dwarfs. Astronomers will use information from Astro-2 observations such as this one to learn more about the evolution of stars. Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan moved the Instrument Pointing System into position for Payload Specialist Sam Durrance to point UIT at celestial objects. The first object, galaxy NGC 4214, was imaged by UIT to be included in an atlas of spiral galaxies being created by Guest Investigator Dr. Wendy Freedman. When completed, this atlas will be available at no cost to the astronomy community through the on-line electronic facilities of the NASA/Infrared Processing and Analysis Center Extragalactic Database. A deep survey field, known as UGC 5675, was also imaged by UIT last night. UIT Principal Investigator Theodore Stecher will also use these images to learn more about the population of distant non-thermal sources, search for high redshift blue galaxies, determine galactic luminosities for faint magnitudes, identify distant clusters of star-forming galaxies, and obtain counts of galaxies down to faint ultraviolet magnitudes to complement similar data in visual and other spectral regions. UIT Guest Investigator Dr. Gregory Bothun will use images of this dark area of the sky to determine if UIT can detect very faint galaxies against a dark background and search for a bright near-ultraviolet component that may be responsible for extremely blue optical colors that have been observed in other galaxies with very low star-formation rates. On Monday, March 13, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #23 reports: Commander Steve Oswald spent most of the day working in the middeck with the MACE experiment, the Middeck Active Control Experiment, a device rigged with sensors to measure the degree of vibration on free-floating structures. Engineering data from the experiment will be used by technicians in the design of spacecraft of the future. Oswald and Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence, both graduates of the Naval Academy, joined Payload Specialist Ron Parise to discuss various aspects of the flight with Midshipmen gathered at Annapolis. Lawrence is the first female graduate of the Naval Academy. The in-flight interview also featured greetings to the crew from former astronaut Charles Bolden, who currently serves as the Deputy Commandant at Annapolis. On Monday, March 13, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #24 reports: (11/17:22 MET) Astro-2 observations today ranged from exotic star formations with odd- sounding names to our familiar celestial neighbor, the Planet Venus. Astronomers collected additional information for a variety of investigations which have been in progress throughout the mission. The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) team began their block of observations with HH 2H, an object that could be a young star just emerging from the "cocoon" of dust around it. Called Herbig-Haro objects, after the astronomers who discovered them in 1946, these small bright concentrations of dust and gas are believed to be gas jets thrown off during the final evolutionary stages of a protostar, an object that has not collapsed sufficiently to begin the nuclear reactions of a mature star. The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) led an observation of another infant star, AB Aurigae. Called a pre-main sequence star, AB Aurigae is part of a class of young stars that are still surrounded by the dust and gas clouds from which they are formed. These envelopes of matter around the objects are highly active, as evidenced by variations of polarization seen in the optical and infrared wavelengths. WUPPE's ultraviolet observations should help astronomers understand how dust is processed during star formation and how material around young stars is distributed. All three telescopes viewed HUT's choice of Markarian 421, a quasar- like active galaxy nucleus known as a BL Lacertae object. When the first object of this type was identified, in the constellation Lacerta, it was erroneously thought to be a variable star. In the 1960s, astronomers discovered that BL Lac objects are not stars in our Milky Way, but the incredibly more powerful active cores of distant galaxies. Massive black holes are expected to be the power sources for objects in this class. While BL Lac objects produce strong radiation in all observation wavelengths, their radiation is primarily non-thermal -- created not by heat but by the glow of electrons moving at almost the speed of light as they pass through a magnetic field. NASA's Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite discovered strong ultraviolet emission lines in Markarian 421, suggesting it is an excellent subject for HUT's far-ultraviolet studies. Ground-based observations show a high level of polarization in visible light, so WUPPE ultraviolet polarization measurements should provide revealing insights into phenomena in the centers of such galaxies. The observation of Venus this morning followed up on last night's look at Earth's "twin" planet. HUT studied the planet's forbidding atmosphere -- 100 times denser than Earth's and as hot as 900 degrees Fahrenheit (480 degrees Celsius) -- looking at upper atmosphere gases that are excited by ultraviolet solar radiation. Scientists will compare Astro-2 observations of Venus and Mars to see how the two planetary atmospheres, both primarily carbon dioxide but with radically different densities, respond to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Two HUT observations today, NGC 6090 and 0833+652, were for Guest Investigator Dr. Claus Leitherer's study of starburst galaxies. Leitherer hopes to determine whether ionized hydrogen is being released from the galaxies, which put out a great deal of ultraviolet energy due to the rapid star formation taking place within them. "This is another attempt to view the interstellar medium," explained HUT Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen. "We feel certain there must be material left over from the formation of the universe, just like there would be flour left on a cutting board after a loaf of bread is kneaded. But we have never been very successful in observing this material." Davidsen said the material might be highly ionized, possibly by quasars or by starburst galaxies, making it difficult to observe. "If we can find out how much ionized hydrogen starburst galaxies are putting out, we can get a good idea how much they emit into interstellar space," Davidsen said. "We may find that these galaxies are an important source of ionized interstellar hydrogen, or it may not be there at all. Either way, we've helped answer an intriguing question." HUT also led the Astro telescopes in an examination of the planetary nebula nucleus K1-16. Astronomers hope to better understand the chemistry of the nebula and the evolutionary state of its central star. The nebula is unstable, going through periodic pulsations in magnitude and color. While the star's evolutionary status is not clear, astronomers believe it could be on its way to becoming a white dwarf. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) team made more images of star groupings to study the life cycles of stars. They photographed Abell 1795 and the Hercules Cluster, both clusters of galaxies where star formation is taking place. The Hercules Cluster is made up primarily of spiral galaxies, whose pinwheel arms are stellar nurseries. Abell 1795 is a galaxy cluster which emits large quantities of X-rays. Gas in the cluster is cooling rapidly and could be producing stars at the rate of 300 solar masses per year. UIT's observation of globular star cluster NGC 6752 focused on the opposite end of stellar evolution. The cluster is tight grouping of relatively old stars whose low metal content indicates formation early in the life of the Milky Way galaxy. UIT also imaged elliptical galaxy M32. Late this afternoon, the WUPPE team devoted two observations to planned calibrations of their instrument's sensitivity, with HD 161056 serving as a polarized standard and Beta Ursa Majoris as an unpolarized standard. STS-67 Flight Day 12 Highlights: On Tuesday, March 14, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #25 reports: (12/5:22 MET) The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) imaged NGC 2300, a cluster of galaxies that emits large quantities of X-rays. The study of clusters can provide a wealth of information to astronomers. Astro-2 data may provide UIT scientists with a better understanding of the relationship between galaxies in a cluster, the relationships between different levels of clusters and star formation in clusters of galaxies. UIT also imaged a globular cluster, NGC 5272, that contains relatively old stars. The low metal content in this cluster of stars indicates they were formed early in the life of the Milky Way galaxy. The telescope, image intensifiers and cameras of the UIT instrument are helping astronomers search for hot accreting binaries, hot white dwarfs, planetary nebulae and objects associated with X-ray sources in globular clusters. The study of young stellar populations in galaxies continued when UIT was pointed at a galaxy field in the spiral galaxy Andromeda. Approximately half of UIT's Astro-2 science program is devoted to the study of star-forming galaxies such as this one. A unique feature of UIT is the identification of thousands of individual hot stars in other galaxies that shine brightly in the ultraviolet. These hot stars may be observed later by the Hubble Space Telescope. UIT imaged another spiral galaxy, NGC 925, to provide images for Guest Investigator Dr. Wendy Freedman's atlas of spiral galaxies. UIT and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) were pointed at the moon again last night. UIT imaged the moon to help astronomers, such as Guest Investigator Dr. Randy Gladstone, learn more about the surface properties of the moon. Scientists will develop and analyze the UIT film after Endeavour returns to Earth to understand future ultraviolet images of asteroids and other planetary satellites. WUPPE scientists observed the moon, looking at the reflection of ultraviolet light for distinctive differences in the maria (dark areas of the lunar surface) and highlands (brighter surface features of the moon). The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) was used to observe a radio- loud quasar in the far- and extreme-ultraviolet wavelengths. HUT Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen will analyze the Astro-2 data of this quasi- stellar object (located in the constellation Eridanus) to understand more about the shape of its ultraviolet spectrum. Davidsen is looking for the region of the ultraviolet spectrum where the hydrogen becomes opaque to radiation. He will then compare what he learns from these observations with what astronomers already know about the disk-shaped structure of stellar matter surrounding a black hole, testing the theory that quasars are powered by supermassive black holes. Hopkins scientists also observed the Seyfert galaxy NGC 5548 with HUT last night. The ultraviolet absorption lines in the HUT spectrum will be used in conjunction with earlier X-ray observations to determine the physical conditions in the hot absorbing gas. The absorbing gas in this Seyfert 1 galaxy may be the "reflecting medium" that produces the polarized reflection spectrum seen in Seyfert 2 galaxies such as NGC 1068. Two elliptical galaxies were also observed by HUT last night. Elliptical galaxies, which are spherical with no clearly defined internal structure, contain older, more evolved stars. Galaxy M87, the central galaxy in the Virgo cluster, shows signs that star formation may be occurring even though elliptical galaxies do not have enough stellar matter for new star formation. Another galaxy, known as M60, is being observed during this mission because it has a very high "ultraviolet upturn" an excess of ultraviolet output for an old star population. The UIT team is also very interested in these targets UIT collected ultraviolet images of both galaxies in support of several science programs. The WUPPE telescope was calibrated during an observation of Beta- Ursa Majoris, a star that remains relatively constant in luminosity. The surrounding area of this star is virtually dust free, giving WUPPE scientists a good, clear target to determine if there have been any changes in the performance of their telescope during this mission. HUT and WUPPE scientists used their ultraviolet telescopes to study a binary star system known as a magnetic cataclysmic variable. This two-star system, called AM Herculis, has a white dwarf star that pulls material away from its companion red star. A strong magnetic field on the white dwarf causes stellar material from the red star to accumulate on the white star's poles. Information about the dynamics of mass transfer in a binary star system is important because accretion, or the accumulation of gas, is essential to many astrophysical situations, such as star and planetary formation. On Tuesday, March 14, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #24 reports: Endeavour's crew was notified of the Mir-18 launch shortly after the Soyuz capsule reached orbit. STS-67 Commander Steve Oswald responded, "Okay, great news, thank you very much....Bet you Normie's glad to be there." Oswald and Thagard flew together on Discovery's STS-42 mission in January 1992. On Tuesday, March 14, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #25 reports: Before turning in for an eight-hour sleep period, the Blue team astronauts, Wendy Lawrence, Tammy Jernigan and Sam Durrance, joined their colleagues in the traditional in-flight Crew News Conference, answering questions from correspondents on everything from astronomical research to the symbolism of the launching of U.S. astronaut Norm Thagard on a Russian rocket this morning to begin an historic three-month stay on the Mir Space Station. Earlier today, NASA's Mission Management Team decided NOT to extend Endeavour's flight beyond Friday's planned landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Citing the wealth of scientific data already acquired by the Shuttle's telescopes and the conservative approach being taken in slowly building up the length of time for orbiting crews, Mission Operations Representative Jeff Bantle said the decision to end Endeavour's journey on time was made after weighing numerous factors regarding a mission extension, both pro and con. On Tuesday, March 14, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #26 reports: CST (12/17:22 MET) The majority of today's Astro-2 observations were of objects in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. These irregular galaxies, in the southern hemisphere sky, are satellites of our Milky Way galaxy. They are gravitationally bound with some 20 others that make up our "local group" of galaxies. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope made the mission's first photographs of Supernova 1987A. The February 1987 stellar explosion, in the Large Magellanic Cloud, was the first supernova explosion visible to the naked eye since 1604 A.D., six years before the first telescope was used to view the heavens. The supernova reached its brightest visible radiation level in May 1987, but scientists believe an intense flash of ultraviolet light occurred almost at the moment of the explosion, when the outer layers of the supernova lifted away. UIT is attempting to photograph the light "echo," or reflection of this maximum ultraviolet output, as it bounces off sheets of dust in space. UIT's Astro 1 photographs of Supernova 1987A indicate the echo is extremely faint, so UIT is making a number of long exposures to capture it. "If we see the same phenomenon in several exposures, we can not only add them together to improve the quality of our observations; the repeated evidence assures us that what we are seeing is real," said UIT team member Dr. Steve Maran. An observation of N 79 looked at young star formation in a Large Magellanic Cloud star grouping called an "OB Association." Unlike other types of star clusters, there is insufficient gravitational attraction to hold these groups of very young, hot O and B stars together. Though formed at the same time, the stars are rapidly drifting apart. Other targets in UIT's eight-observation time block included two Large Magellanic Cloud open star clusters which are surrounded by emission rings. N 51, in the southern constellation Dorado, is an unusual nebula which appears to be a bubble blown in the interstellar gas by wind from a very massive hot star. The imaging telescope made limited observations of the area during Astro-1, and the science team hopes to collect more extensive data on this flight. N 70, in the southern constellation Hydra, is a region of space where the gas has been ionized. The UIT team will compare images made at two different wavelengths to help determine what caused the ionization. UIT also photographed the bar structure of the Large Magellanic Cloud, an elongated linear accumulation of stars in the galaxy, as part of its study of young star populations. Dr. John Raymond, of the Smithsonian Institution's Astrophysical Observatory, added to his study of interstellar shock waves with an observation of LMC 519, an old supernova remnant also in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Dr. Nolan R. Walborn got another observation of a hot O star in the open star cluster NGC 346, for his study of the strong stellar winds produced by these stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. This evening, Dr. Geoffrey Clayton began another block of observations for his study of interstellar dust in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code is researching the sizes and chemical compositions of dust grains in the Milky Way's interstellar medium. Clayton is extending the sample to the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, where interstellar chemical abundances are known to be quite different from those in our own galaxy. All three telescopes participated in the third Astro-2 observation of 47 Tucanae, a metal-rich globular cluster in the southern Milky Way. The Astro telescopes also viewed Centaurus A, the nearest active galaxy to our own and one of the most prominent radio sources in the southern hemisphere. Earlier today, the WUPPE science team selected NGC 3132, a young planetary nebula in the constellation Vela, for observation. A planetary nebula is a bright cloud ejected by the star at its center, believed to be a phase in the life of certain lower mass stars when they expel large amounts of material in to space. Sometimes called the "Eight-Burst" Nebula because its elliptical disk looks like several oval rings superimposed and tilted at different angles, NGC 3132 is one the few planetary nebulae known to have a binary star system at its center. WUPPE scientists will examine the light scattered by dust in the cloud to study the nature of the dust, which will eventually return to the interstellar medium. Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope images will test ionization and temperature levels within the nebula. The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) took spectra of the cloud itself and of its binary star. The WUPPE team led the Astro telescopes back to the Nova Aquilae 1995. This was the mission's third look at the nova whose outburst, or sudden increase in brightness, was first observed some three weeks before the STS-67 launch. Successive polarization measurements during Astro-2 will allow WUPPE scientists to look for changes in the shape of the gas disk and for possible clumps ejected during the outburst. The HUT team chose the quasar 1211+143 as one of their targets today. Team members will study the shape of the quasar's ultraviolet spectrum to learn more about the intrinsic qualities of the quasar itself. First discovered in the 1960s, quasars are the most luminous and energetic, as well as the most distant, objects in the universe. They are believed to be powered by supermassive black holes at their centers. HUT observations will test the current understanding of accretion disks, or disks of matter being whirlpooled and sucked into the black hole. WUPPE's Large Magellanic Cloud dust study will continue into this evening. UIT has chosen two galaxies and an open star cluster for imaging tonight. The HUT team will lead observations of two quasars, several individual stars, a planetary nebula, an elliptical galaxy, and another supernova remnant. STS-67 Flight Day 13 Highlights: On Wednesday, March 15, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #27 reports: (13/5:22 MET) STS-67 Pilot William Gregory placed the orbiter in the proper attitudes for Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld to align the Instrument Pointing System (IPS) to selected areas in the sky. Payload Specialist Ronald Parise then aligned the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter (WUPPE), the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) and the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), allowing them to lock on to four targets in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Guest Investigator Dr. Geoffrey Clayton of the University of Colorado in Boulder will use WUPPE and HUT information about ultraviolet polarization in the LMC, comparing these data to what scientists already know about the nature of dust particles in the interstellar medium of our own galaxy. Using selected stars of the LMC to back light the dust and gas, Clayton can examine the behavior of the many dust grains found there. In contrast, a bright, blue-hot supergiant star, Sanduleak 67-90, was the target of one of last night's four LMC observations to let astronomers study the dynamics of ultraviolet emissions in an area where there was not a substantial amount of stellar dust. UIT takes images of all fields in the Magellanic Clouds, and obtained excellent data in parallel with the observations being made by HUT and WUPPE. In other observations over night, HUT scientists got another chance to learn more about a halo of ultra-hot gases they believe surrounds our Milky Way galaxy. HUT was pointed at the brightest quasar in the sky, 3C273, which is approximately two billion light years away. As ultraviolet light from the quasar shines through interstellar space, it is absorbed by the halo that surrounds our galaxy. Scientists at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., will analyze these data in the months following Astro-2, testing theories about whether the halo actually exists, and if so, how hot the gas is and how far it extends. Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence maneuvered the orbiter into position, Payload Commander Tammy Jernigan aligned the IPS and Payload Specialist Sam Durrance pointed HUT to again record ultraviolet spectrographic data of the "young" supernova remnant, SN 1006. This supernova remnant, first documented by Chinese astronomers in the year 1006, is giving HUT Guest Investigator Dr. John Raymond an opportunity to study the physics of shock waves before they hit a substantial amount of interstellar material (where the gas begins to cool off and slow down). Traveling at approximately 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) per second, the shock waves from this young supernova remnant are providing new insights into the characteristics of interstellar medium surrounding the site of a supernova explosion. Parise also pointed HUT at elliptical galaxies called M60 and M89 last night. These galaxies are part of the Virgo cluster, a huge cluster of galaxies centered some 50 million light years from Earth. Astronomers have long been interested in these galaxies because of their very high ultraviolet upturn an excessive output of ultraviolet light for an old star population. HUT and UIT scientists are interested in these targets to learn more about what is causing the excessive amount of ultraviolet light. The theory was that younger star- formation galaxies produce more ultraviolet emissions than older star populations. However, observations of galaxies such as M60 and M89 are leading scientists to believe that some of these old low mass star populations may be in a more advanced stage of evolution. UIT is making a two- dimensional map of the ultraviolet upturn across the face of the M60 galaxy. Near the end of the M89 observation, WUPPE's dedicated experiment computer experienced a brief software problem. Durrance recycled power to the computer, which reset the software. The WUPPE science team has reactivated their telescope from the ground and resumed operations. Durrance and Parise pointed HUT at several other celestial objects during the night. HUT observed planetary nebula NGC 1360, a cloud of gas and matter surrounding a star. The nebula glows because the ultraviolet radiation from the star ionizes the material in the surrounding cloud, which, in turn, emits energy at a variety of wavelengths. HUT scientists will study the ultraviolet light from the nebula and the star to learn more about the material making up the nebula and the star at its core. UIT imaged NGC 752, an open star cluster, searching for hot accreting binaries, planetary nebulae and X-ray sources. UIT scientists are particularly interested in probing star clusters such as this for white dwarfs and other faint, hot stars. On Wednesday, March 15, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #26 reports: Mission Specialist Tammy Jernigan, a native of Chattanooga, talked with a Tennessee radio station along with crew mate Wendy Lawrence. The discussion centered around the astronomical observations being conducted throughout the mission as well as homeowner- type questions posed to Jernigan, making her third flight aboard the Shuttle. Along with Sam Durrance, the three astronauts have been choreographing orbiter maneuvers with instrument pointing to precisely aim the ASTRO observator at the desired celestial targets throughout the universe. Before Lawrence turns in, she will join Oswald and Gregory in the routine, pre-entry checkout of Endeavour's flight control system, which includes verifying the health of the moveable surfaces on the wings and tail used during the atmospheric reentry portion of landing. One of the Endeavour's three hydraulic systems is required during portions of the checkout scheduled to begin about 12:30 this afternoon. On Wednesday, March 15, 1995 at 4:30 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #27 reports: Endeavour's astronauts successfully tested their ship's flight control systems today in preparation for Friday's scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Commander Steve Oswald, Pilot Bill Gregory and Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence fired up one of Endeavour's auxiliary power units to test the Shuttle's aerosurfaces as part of the routine prelanding tests to insure that Endeavour is ship-shape for its high-speed return to Earth. After a short break in data-gathering to accommodate the flight control system test, Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld and Payload Specialist Ron Parise resumed ultraviolet studies of distant celestial objects with the trio of ASTRO-2 telescopes housed in the Shuttle's cargo bay. Oswald, Gregory, Grunsfeld and Parise also answered questions from the Cable News Network as their marathon mission nears its end. The astronauts will begin to deactivate and stow equipment Thursday in preparation for their planned homecoming Friday. On Wednesday, March 15, 1995 at 6 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #28 reports:(13/17:22 MET) Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Davidsen said, "For all of us, the on has been like a dream come true. We've observed more than 100 different HUT targets and had more than 300 pointings with two days to go, and we're absolutely thrilled." "We're really pleased down here," Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) Principal Investigator Ted Stecher told the crew, quipping, "We never thought we'd run out of film, but now we're a little worried about it." He said all the team's top priorities have been achieved, with just a few secondary programs left to complete, and they have photographed essentially all the objects they had originally planned to view. Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code agreed. "We're delighted with mission results, too. Reality has exceeded our fondest dreams, and we've obtained about three times as much data as we did on Astro-1 -- a whole treasure chest of goodies." Observations continued to stack up at a steady pace throughout the day, interrupted only by a planned hour of orbiter flight control system tests in preparation for Friday's landing. All three telescopes took ultraviolet data during a UIT-led observation of M 87, a spectacular elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. "We can get information for several of our favorite scientific programs by viewing M 87," said UIT team member Dr. Susan Neff. The galaxy is thought to have grown to its large size by swallowing up smaller neighbors in the Virgo galaxy cluster. A 1994 Hubble Space Telescope observation of M 87 revealed a spiral-shaped disk of gas swirling at an immense speed in the galaxy's center, providing the first almost irrefutable evidence that supermassive black holes do exist in the universe. A fantastic jet of material, moving at a large fraction of the speed of light, emanates from the area of the black hole. UIT's wide field of view allows it to photograph some 12 to 14 Virgo cluster galaxies in the same frame. UIT team members are studying the stellar populations in M 87 and also the jet. HUT concentrated on the gas around the black hole to find out how it is stimulated by radiation from heated matter falling toward hole. WUPPE made ultraviolet polarization measurements to determine the structure of the swirling gas. The Astro-2 telescopes made the mission's first observation of Omega Centauri , a giant globular star cluster which is easily visible in the southern hemisphere to the naked eye. Its brightness is due both to its relative closeness to Earth (17,000 light years) and its immense size (150 light years across and containing more than one million stars). UIT's single five-minute exposure of this star cluster during Astro-1 was the first ever made in ultraviolet wavelengths. Even that brief snapshot showed an unusual number of stars that did not conform to the theoretical pattern of stellar evolution. Also, since all stars in a globular cluster are formed at the same time, it should follow that they would have the same chemical composition, but this is not the case in Omega Centauri. The longer Astro-2 observation of this globular cluster, along with those of other clusters throughout the mission, should give scientists more clues for solving this stellar mystery. The telescopes also observed M 92, a much smaller globular cluster, and UIT made photographs of the galaxies NGC 1512 and NGC 1365 for Dr. Wendy Freedman's spiral galaxy atlas. The majority of WUPPE-led observations today centered on the team's study of interstellar dust in our Milky Way and in its neighboring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. A lower abundance of heavy elements in the Large Magellanic Cloud causes both the stars and dust to be different from those in our galaxy, and that dissimilarity is most apparent in the ultraviolet. Comparison of the two galaxies could help astronomers define the extent of differences and perhaps determine the reasons for them. The WUPPE team also viewed the star 51 Ophiuchi, for their study of luminous spinning "Be" stars, whose outer layers show evidence of being pulled off by their stellar winds. Dr. Regina Schulte-Ladbeck used WUPPE to observe HD 51285, a star between the Earth and one of the Wolf-Rayet stars she has been studying. She will use results to subtract polarization in the interstellar medium from her Wolf-Rayet measurements. The HUT team revisited their prime calibration target, the white dwarf star HZ 43, for end-of-mission instrument verification. They also viewed another portion of the Vela supernova remnant and made the mission's first observation of LSV 46-21, a white dwarf at the center of a planetary nebula. The active galaxy NGC 4151 was observed for the sixth time during this flight. Another study of Jupiter, along with its moons Io and Callisto, begins this evening's observations. Tonight's viewing choices are fairly evenly divided among the three ultraviolet telescope teams, with targets again ranging from tiny white dwarf stars to surveys of large sky areas. STS-67 Flight Day 14 Highlights: On Thursday, March 16, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #29 reports: (14/5:22 MET) All three ultraviolet telescopes were pointed at Jupiter and one of its 16 moons, Io, as the second Astro Observatory (Astro-2) mission continued aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour last night. The science team for the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) recorded spectrographic data about ultraviolet emissions around Io. HUT scientists are especially interested in how Jupiter's magnetosphere and torus, a donut-shaped field of ionized particles that follows Io's path around Jupiter, are affected by the reddish particles erupting from Io's volcanoes. Astronomers with the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) team observed Jupiter to learn more about the polarization properties of its atmosphere. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) scientists used one of their two wide-field cameras to produce ultraviolet images of Jupiter to determine the planet's reflectiveness and cloud structure and provide ultraviolet images of the entire Jovian system. HUT continued the search for helium in the intergalactic regions of space last night, using a quasar (Q 1542+54) as background lighting. HUT scientists are looking for evidence of helium left over from the primordial fireball that many believe marked the birth of the universe. Helium reveals itself as a telltale absorption line at a certain extreme ultraviolet wavelength. Principal Investigator Arthur Davidsen will use HUT's spectrograph to search for the characteristic signature created when helium atoms absorb light from this quasar. HUT was also used to observe Markarian 66, a starburst galaxy, for Guest Investigator Dr. Claus Leitherer of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. Leitherer is using HUT's capacity to detect short ultraviolet wavelengths to study the ionized radiation that escapes from bright, relatively nearby starburst galaxies. HUT observations of the far ultraviolet radiation from these galaxies will be used to determine whether they could play an important role in ionizing the intergalactic medium. UIT imaged NGC 6318, a relatively old cluster of stars. This cluster of stars has a low metal content, indicating it was formed early in the life of the Milky Way galaxy. Since most hot stars emit radiation in the ultraviolet and cooler stars emit in the lower ultraviolet range, the UIT instrument is especially suited for making images of these types of stars. Astronomers will analyze these Astro-2 images, looking for hot accreting binaries, hot white dwarfs, planetary nebula, and objects associated with X-ray sources. As UIT made images of a faint dwarf galaxy known as IC 2574, HUT made spectrographic recordings and WUPPE observed the orientation of the ultraviolet energy being emitted from the galaxy. Because this type of galaxy emits such a faint trace of ultraviolet radiation, very little is known about the formation of young stars there. Astro-2 scientists are using their sensitive telescopes to explore this little-known region of the universe. UIT was also pointed at the Baades Window, an unusually clear line of sight towards the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Because of the relative lack of obscuring dust in this field of view, the UIT can image stars and star clusters in the central bulge of the galaxy, where stars are thought to be both ancient and rich in metals. WUPPE and HUT observed a reflection nebula near the star Eta Carinae. Reflection nebulae are colorful objects. Starlight is scattered by dust grains, producing brilliant illumination in the cloud. WUPPE scientists will analyze their data to learn more about the chemical composition, size, distribution and shape of the dust grains. HUT astronomers observed the nucleus and surrounding region of this nebula, searching for effects of the shock wave that was created when the nova exploded. WUPPE and HUT also jointly observed AO Cassiopeia, a close binary star system (two stars so close that they not only orbit each other but actually influence each other's evolution). Astronomers have observed that the more evolved a star is (in a close binary system), the less massive the star becomes because it donates material to the younger star. WUPPE scientists are studying the effects of the dust-scattering processes in the distorted atmospheres of close binaries. These data will provide new information about the evolution of these stars and help astronomers learn more about the mass transfer of material between close binaries. The WUPPE telescope also gathered data about the orientation of dust grains between the stars last night. To help scientists study this polarization of interstellar medium, WUPPE was pointed at three stars, which served as background lights to illuminate the interstellar dust. As astronomers learn more about the polarization of interstellar medium, they can make allowances for this intervening matter when studying other celestial objects. During the next 12 hours, the Astro-2 ultraviolet telescopes will be pointed at the moon, two Seyfert galaxies, and single and multiple star systems to study electron scattering. These astronomical instruments will also observe interstellar medium and young star populations in a galaxy. On Thursday, March 16, 1995 at 8 a.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #28 reports: Astronomical observations using the ASTRO-2 payload will continue throughout Friday morning aboard Endeavour prior to the transition from payload operations to the landing timeline, four hours before the deorbit ignition of the Shuttle's orbital maneuvering system engines. On Thursday, March 16, 1995 at 5 p.m. CST, STS-67 MCC Status Report #29 reports: Commander Steve Oswald spoke with U.S. Astronaut Norm Thagard aboard the Mir Space Station in a radio hookup between the two spacecraft. Former shuttle crewmates, Oswald and Thagard exchanged congratulations on their respective flights and discussed the symbolic importance of Thagard's venture as the first American to visit the Russian space outpost. Thagard and his Russian crewmates arrived at Mir early this morning to begin three months of scientific and medical research. The Red team astronauts -- Oswald, Pilot Bill Gregory, Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld and Payload Specialist Ron Parise -- conducted final data takes with the ASTRO telescopes and reviewed entry messages prepared by the flight controllers who will guide Endeavour to its scheduled landing tomorrow afternoon at the Kennedy Space Center. Tonight, at 6:33 PM CST, Endeavour will eclipse the existing endurance record for a Shuttle, breaking the mark of 14 days, 17 hours and 55 minutes in orbit. That record was set by Columbia last year, on the STS-65 mission. On Thursday, March 16, 1995 at 6 a.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #30 reports: (14/17:22 MET) The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) team wrapped up two studies about how stars put material back into the interstellar medium, which in turn can build new stars. They viewed the star Xi Persei to complete their study of Oe/Be stars. These rapidly spinning, hot massive stars are found primarily in the arms of spiral galaxies. The WUPPE observations should help determine the shapes of the gas shells spun off or otherwise ejected by the stars. WUPPE also observed Vela X-1, in the instrument's final polarization measurement of an X-ray binary star. It is believed that such systems are made up of a neutron star, which may be a pulsar, in an eccentric orbit around a more normal primary star. At the closest approach, the neutron star gravitationally strips material off the primary star. The material then flows along the neutron star's magnetic field and crashes onto the surface to produce a sudden burst of X-rays. However, much of the stripped material forms a disk around the neutron star instead of settling onto star's surface. The WUPPE measurements will help define the geometry and the extent of this circumstellar disk, as well as details about the densities and temperatures within the shells. Observations of the stars HD 147888 and Omicron Scorpii were for WUPPE's study of the dust between stars in our galaxy. The WUPPE team will use their findings about variations in the distribution, shapes and composition of this dust to understand more about this raw material for star formation. A better knowledge of how the dust polarizes light also will allow astronomers to subtract the interference of intervening dust from star observations. The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) team selected two white dwarf stars for today's observation block. Today's study of the white dwarf RE 1738 completed Guest Investigator Dr. David Finley's data set for his calibration of temperature scales for these small but massive remains of dying stars. The mission's fourth observation of 1424+535 added more information about a transitory evolutionary stage of white dwarf stars with powerful magnetic fields. These pulsating white dwarfs undergo periodic changes in brightness, but the causes of the pulsations and the chemical composition of the stars' visible surfaces is not well understood. Guest Investigator Dr. Brian Espey got one last look at a symbiotic star system with a joint HUT and WUPPE observation of AG Draconis. The study essentially aims to "take the temperature" of the hot, sub-dwarf component of this two-star group, whose co-orbiting members vary widely in temperature. Espey also hopes to determine the size and density of the cool material that lies in the atmosphere of the red giant component. The HUT team made their last quasar observation when they viewed PG 1351, one that is relatively closer than those HUT is using in its search for intergalactic helium. HUT is examining "nearby" quasars to understand better the processes taking place within these extremely energetic objects. Team members will also search their data to test the widely accepted theory that quasars are powered by supermassive black holes. The majority of targets chosen by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) team today were galaxies. They selected two active galaxies thought to have black holes at their centers. NGC 1566 is a faint, nearby Seyfert I type galaxy, the type which radiates most strongly in ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths and has high gas velocities and spectra resembling a quasar. NGC 3226-7 is a Seyfert II galaxy, with a lower gas velocity than the Type 1 Seyferts. UIT astronomers are studying both types to learn more about how energy is transferred between the galaxies' centers and surrounding regions. UIT photographed two final spiral galaxies, NGC 5236 and M 63, for the atlas of these stunning celestial objects being assembled during this mission -- most of which had never before been photographed in the ultraviolet. Astronomers can use the shapes of nearby spiral galaxies revealed in ultraviolet light to classify more distant galaxies photographed in visible light by the Hubble Space Telescope. The radiation from those far-away galaxies was actually emitted in ultraviolet wavelengths, then stretched by the expansion of the universe into the visible band by the time it reached Earth's vicinity. UIT concluded its Astro-2 album of galaxies by imaging a section of one of our nearest neighboring galaxies, the Small Magellanic Cloud. The UIT team led the Astro observatory in viewing NGC 362, the last globular cluster observation of the flight. The camera's ultraviolet images pick out hot stars from the clutter of cooler objects. UIT also imaged the Thumbprint Nebula in the mission's only look at that particular dark cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space. This morning's planned observation of Earth's moon was unsuccessful, due to problems with the tricky maneuver of tracking such a nearby object with a system designed for stellar pointing. However, the Astro-2 instruments successfully viewed the moon twice before in the mission. On Thursday, March 16, 1995 at 11 p.m. CST, STS-67 Payload Status Report #31 reports: (14/22:22 MET) Science activities for the second Astro observatory (Astro-2) ended shortly after 11 p.m. CST, with all three telescopes taking ultraviolet observations of the full moon. More than 200 separate successful observations were made of over 100 celestial objects selected by HUT investigators. All of these observations made up 21 separate investigations, 14 carried out by permanent members of the HUT team and 7 by guest investigators who joined the HUT team for Astro-2. One of Davidsen's primary objectives for HUT during Astro-2 was to use two high redshift quasars as background lighting to search for helium in the space between galaxies. Detecting helium in intergalactic space and determining how much of it is there could provide answers to the questions about the "Big Bang" that is believed to have marked the beginning of our universe. "I can tell you that we succeeded in getting data needed to answer these questions. It's too early to say what the answer might be, but it will be very exciting to see these data," explained Davidsen. In other Astro-2 observations, HUT made simultaneous ultraviolet measurements with the Hubble Space Telescope of Jupiter's aurora, or northern lights, and its effect on the planet. HUT scientists also studied the atmosphere of Jupiter's moon Io and the torus (donut-shaped cloud) of ionized gas it produces around Jupiter. HUT astronomers say observations such as this will lead to a greater understanding of the processes taking place on that planet. Ultraviolet emissions from the atmospheres of Venus and Mars were also targets of observations for HUT during this mission. Detailed analysis may reveal the presence of several interesting elements, including argon, neon and helium. HUT also observed less distant quasars and Seyfert galaxies to study details of their ultraviolet radiation. The studies could help confirm the theory that these objects contain supermassive black holes, which swallow matter from their surroundings. The observations could shed light on the dynamics of the gas clouds in the nuclei, or cores, of such active galaxies. HUT observed other celestial objects during the course of this mission. The telescope was used to study extragalactic objects, numerous cataclysmic variable stars, symbiotic star systems, hot white dwarf stars and several starburst galaxies to help astronomers learn more about the life of stars, from "birth" to the violent explosion marking the "death" of a star. Another of Astro-2's instruments, the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), which was developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., took wide-field, electronically intensified images of objects in ultraviolet light on film. UIT astronomer Dr. Steve Maran explained, "Our data say we got good exposures on all the science programs and high-priority targets. Now, we'll just have to wait until we get our film developed." Maran was referring to the many images UIT made, including about 2 dozen large spiral galaxies to be used in an ultraviolet atlas of such objects. The atlas will be a fundamental resource for astronomers for many years to come. UIT made for the first time ultraviolet images of the entire moon. These images will be studied to investigate the ultraviolet reflectivity of the moon, and to correlate changes in reflectivity with known changes in lunar surface features. This information can then be used to compare with the reflectivity of other planetary satellites in our solar system to understand more about their surfaces and the physical processes that have been responsible for their evolution. Scientists for UIT will spend the next several years analyzing their data from Astro-2. Some of these data include a census of rare, hot stars (with temperatures over 15,000 degrees Kelvin) in about a dozen star clusters. These hot stars, very much more evolved than the sun, have shed their outer layers so that scientists can see almost down to their nuclear-burning cores. UIT imaged more than 20 elliptical galaxies during this mission. The photographs will allow astronomers to map the still-mysterious "ultraviolet excess" - an excessive amount of ultraviolet radiation coming from galaxies containing large quantities of old stars, which normally have low ultraviolet emissions. This astronomical oddity was first noticed by WUPPE Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Code over 25 years ago. In order to better understand this excess emission, UIT scientists will combine their images of clusters and galaxies with spectra from HUT and data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Observations of some of the faintest galaxies in the universe were photographed by UIT during Astro-2. Astronomers took advantage of the very dark sky background, using UIT to photograph very low surface brightness galaxies. "This could be the UIT observation with most potential for surprises," said UIT team member Dr. Steve Maran. "Ground-based observations show an unexpected blue glow. Our ultraviolet images may tell us where it's coming from." UIT also made images during over 140 co-observations of objects selected by HUT and WUPPE. In one series of co-observations, UIT got about 13,000 seconds of ultraviolet imaging of the quasar field 1700+64. UIT scientists will examine these images, searching for unusual ultraviolet-emitting objects over a vast range of distances in the universe. "We obtained a treasure chest of data for all our major programs, "said Dr. Arthur Code, principal investigator for WUPPE. Polarization measurements reveal the orientation of light as it is influenced by astronomical media. "Until this mission, the only set of ultraviolet spectropolarimetry in existence was that obtained during Astro-1 and a few objects obtained by the Hubble Space Telescope. Astro-2 observations greatly expand the data base and present a number of tantalizing results," Code said. He summarized the theme of WUPPE observations as "making stars" - how material is put back into the interstellar medium and builds new stars. WUPPE sampled some 20 different views for its study of the interstellar medium, using hot stars located behind interstellar dust clouds to measure the properties of the grains. In addition to examining the dust clouds in the Milky Way, WUPPE studied the interstellar medium in a nearby galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. The instrument also got excellent observations of four Wolf- Rayet stars, an evolutionary stage of massive stars in which strong stellar winds eject shells of material into the interstellar medium. WUPPE's study of rapidly rotating "Be" stars, which yield matter back into space in the form of an equatorial disk and polar wind, covered a large range of spectral temperatures and rotation rates within the Be class. Results will be used to test the validity of new theories about the nature of these stars, developed after surprising results from Astro-1. The Wisconsin instrument gathered more information on interstellar dust with their observation of a reflection nebula, binaries, massive supergiant stars, and active galaxies. The WUPPE team benefited from "unexpected serendipity," Code said, when observations of three recently exploding novae gave the team a unique opportunity to follow the early history of these stellar explosions. "The results imply that the shell of gas ejected from the nova is asymmetrical from very near the beginning of the outburst," Code reported. A major factor in the mission's success was the smooth operation of the Instrument Pointing System (IPS), which pointed the three telescopes at their targets, and the Image Motion Compensation System (IMCS), which sensed small disturbances and compensated for them in two of the telescopes. "The IPS and IMCS for the first time achieved operational capacity," Astro-2 Mission Manager Robert Jayroe said. "In my estimation, the IMCS and IPS teams have done everything but make the hardware stand up and do a tap dance." Mission Name: STS-71 (69) Atlantis (14) Pad 39-A (54) 69th Shuttle Mission 100th US Manned launch 14th Flight OV-104 1st MIR Docking Click Here for Countdown Homepage Crew: Robert L. Gibson (5), Commander Charles J. Precourt (2), Pilot Ellen S. Baker (3), Mission Specialist Bonnie J. Dunbar (4), Mission Specialist Gregory J. Harbaugh (3), Mission Specialist Anatoly Solovyev (4), MIR-19 crew upload Nikolai Budarin (1), MIR-19 crew upload Norman E. Thagard (5), MIR-18 crew download Vladimir Dezhurov (1), MIR-18 crew download Gennadiy Strekalov (6), MIR-18 crew download Milestones: OPF -- 11/22/94 VAB -- 04/20/95 PAD -- 04/26/95 Payload: SPACELAB/MIR, IMAX-10, SAREX-II Mission Objectives: The primary objectives of this flight are to rendezvous and perform the 1st Shuttle docking between the Space Shuttle and the Russian Space Station MIR. Other prime objectives are on-orbit joint United States-Russian life sciences investigations abord SPACELAB/MIR, logistical resupply of the MIR, recovery of US astronaut - Norman E. Thagard and the delivery of two cosmonauts Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin to MIR. Secondary objectives include filming with the IMAX camera and the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) experiment. Launch: Launch June 27, 3:32:19.044pm EDT. Launch window was 10 min 19 sec. On 6/27/95 as of 9:30am EDT, launch commentator Bruce Buckingham reported that the countdown is in progress for a launch during a 10 min window that opens at 3:32pm EDT. The weather forcast is a 60% chance of favorable weather. A launch at the opening of the window would lead to a MIR docking on Thursday, June 29th while a launch in the last 3 minutes of the window will lead to a MIR docking on Friday, June 30th. At 11:21am the crew departed the Operations and Checkout building and arrived at the launch complex LC-39A at 11:34am EDT. On 6/24/95, at 4:00pm EDT, Shuttle Launch director Jim Harrington announced the launch team scrubbed the launch of Atlantis due to weather. Unfavorable weather conditions -- including heavy cloud cover and thunderstorms -- forced the decision of the shuttle Mission Management Team after the launch team had fully prepared Atlantis and counted down to the T-minus 9 minute mark. Because weather conditions are not expected to improve over the weekend, the next available opportunity for launch will be on Tuesday, June 27, with a 10min window opening at 3:32.10pm EDT. On 6/23/95, the launch of Atlantis was postponed due to the inability for tanking operations to commence. Tanking Atlantis involves loading about 500,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the external tank. Operations to tank were put off from the original start time of 7:45 a.m. due to severe weather and lightning within five miles of the launch pad. Managers delayed tanking as long as possible to still make a launch attempt on 6/23/95 but they were forced to postpone the launch when it became apparent that the weather would not clear in time to tank and launch Atlantis during the short seven-minute window that opened at 5:08p.m. The STS-71 launch was previously targeted for 5:08:37 p.m. EDT at the opening of a seven minute window. A launch on June 23 would have allowed docking with Mir to take place on flight day four of the mission at about 10:30 a.m. EDT. Atlantis will remained docked to Mir for almost five days during which the crews aboard both vehicles will conduct joint life sciences research experiments. On 6/21/95, managers decided to further inspect a leaking reaction control system (RCS) helium tank in the right-hand orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod on Atlantis. Technicians were able to repair the leak. The pressure in the tank was reduced to ambient, a fitting on the tank replaced and a leak check performed. The launch of STS-71 was originally slipped behind the launch of STS-70 because of a delay in the launch of the Russian Spektr laboratory module to the Russian space station MIR. The launch of Spektr in Russia was moved from May 10 1995 to May 21, 1995. Russian space officials wanted the extra capabilites offered by the Spektr module before a docking by Atlantis. On 6/2/95, NASA managers decided to delay the launch of Discovery on Mission STS-70 in order to make repairs to foam insulation on the vehicle's external fuel tank. Earlier, technicans at Launch Pad 39-B discovered that woodpeckers had inflicted about six dozen small holes in the insulation material. STS-71 will now launch before STS-70. On Thursday, May 18, 1995, engineers determined the need to remove and replace the High-Pressure Fuel Turbopump (HPFT) on space shuttle main engine (SSME) No. 3. This work was completed and leak checks performed on 5/25/95. Orbit: Altitude: 170 nm Inclination: 51.6 degrees Orbits: 153 Duration: 9 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes, 17 seconds Distance: 4.1 million miles Hardware: SRB: BI-072 SRM: 360L044A/360L044B ET : SN-70 MLP : MLP-3 SSME-1: SN-2028 SSME-2: SN-2034 SSME-3: SN-2032 Landing: KSC July 7, 1995 at 10:54:34 am on Runway 15. Nose wheel touchdown at 10:54:44 sec. Wheels stop at 10:55:25 am EDT. There were two opportunities for a Florida landing-- the first beginning with an engine firing at 9:45 a.m. EDT, leading to the 10:55 a.m EDT. touchdown. The second landing opportunity (starting with a 11:22 a.m. EDT engine firing, leading to a 12:31 a.m. EDT touchdown) was not necessary. If landing had been rescheduled 24 hours, the times would have been 11:35 a.m and 1:12pm. Mission Highlights: Atlantis lifted off on-time from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A (LC-39A) June 27, 1995 at 3:32:19.044pm EDT on the historic 100th US Manned launch to dock with the Russian Space Station MIR. STS-71 Flight Day 1 Highlights: On Tuesday, June 27, 1995, 7 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #01 reports: Atlantis first achieved an orbit with a high point of 158 nautical miles by 85 nautical miles, the lowest orbital altitude ever flown by a Space Shuttle, allowing the spacecraft to close the more than 7,000 nautical miles to Mir rapidly at first, at a rate of about 880 nautical miles per orbit. Three hours and thirty-nine minutes after launch, Atlantis fired both Orbital Maneuvering System engines for a little over two minutes to raise its orbit to an altitude of 210 nautical miles by 158 nautical miles, an engine firing called the NC-1 burn that has now slowed Atlantis' closing rate on the Mir. The shuttle is now about 5,400 nautical miles from Mir, closing on the station by about 280 nautical miles with each one and a half-hour orbit of Earth. The next engine firing by Atlantis was not scheduled until early Wednesday morning, and all activities remain on target for a docking with Mir at about 8 a.m. Thursday. Atlantis' crew -- Commander Hoot Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt, Mission Specialists Ellen Baker, Greg Harbaugh and Bonnie Dunbar, and Cosmonauts Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin -- winded down their first day in orbit. STS-71 Flight Day 2 Highlights: On Wednesday, June 27, 1995, 5 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #02 reports: The seven astronauts on board Atlantis awoke to the sounds of Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe," as they began their first full day on orbit preparing for Thursday's planned docking with the Mir Space Station. At 5:48 a.m. CDT, Commander Hoot Gibson will fire Atlantis' Orbital Maneuvering Systems engines for 14 seconds, slowing Atlantis' closing rate on the Mir and precisely aligning the orbiter's ground track with that of the Mir. That burn will place Atlantis in a 211 x 162 nautical mile orbit, closing on Mir at a rate of 250 nautical miles each orbit. At 5 a.m., Atlantis was trailing the Russian Space Station by about 3200 nautical miles, closing the distance between the two spacecraft at a rate of 275 nautical miles with each orbit of the Earth. Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt, and Mission Specialist Bonnie Dunbar also began activating the Spacelab module located in the aft section of Atlantis' payload bay. During the five days of docked Shuttle/Mir operations, that module will be used to support the joint scientific and medical investigations designed to increase our knowledge of the human body and the microgravity environment of space. On Wednesday, June 28, 1995, 7:30 p.m. EDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #02 reports: During a day in which Atlantis drew 2,000 nautical miles closer to the Russian Mir Space Station, the shuttle's seven-member crew prepared for Thursday's docking and the ensuing medical investigations by checking their equipment. Docking with the Mir station remains scheduled for about 8 a.m. CDT Thursday. The crew fully activated the Spacelab module mounted in the cargo bay of Atlantis, checking out the various equipment in the laboratory that will be used for the scientific investigations to be performed following the docking with Mir. Also, the shuttle equipment that will be used for the rendezvous and docking was checked and found in good order, although batteries were missing for a handheld laser ranging device. The handheld device is not needed for rendezvous and serves only as a supplement and backup for range information, however, the crew may plug the unit directly into the shuttle's power supply to circumvent the missing batteries. The Russian-designed docking ring that will first contact the Mir was extended to its proper position for docking and the mechanism was found to be in excellent condition. As the crew began a seven-hour sleep period at 6:32 p.m. CDT, Atlantis trailed Mir by about 1,330 nautical miles. The crew will awaken Thursday at 1:32 a.m. STS-71 Flight Day 3 Highlights: On Thursday, June 29, 1995, 4 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #04 reports: Atlantis' seven astronauts awoke at 1:32 a.m. CDT to "From a Distance," as sung by Nanci Griffith. The wake-up music was preceded by special birthday greetings to Pilot Charlie Precourt from his wife and daughters. Precourt is celebrating his 40th birthday today soaring 216 nautical miles above the surface of the Earth. The STS-71 crew members almost immediately set to work preparing for this morning's planned docking with the Mir Space Station. Shortly before 3 a.m., Atlantis' orbital maneuvering system engines were fired for 45 seconds. That NC4 burn raised the low end of Atlantis' orbit and positioned the shuttle roughly eight nautical miles behind Mir. One orbit later, at about 4:30 a.m., Commander Hoot Gibson was scheduled to again fire the jets for the terminal initiation burn which begins the final phase of the rendezvous. That burn will put Atlantis in position to intercept the Mir Space Station from a point directly below Mir, on an imaginary line called the R-Bar or Earth radius vector. On Thursday, June 29, 1995, 5:30 p.m CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #05 reports: Atlantis station kept in that position at a distance of about 250 feet from the Mir awaiting the approval of NASA Flight Director Bob Castle and Russian Flight Director Viktor Blagov to proceed with the docking. Atlantis then closed to a point 30 feet from Mir at about 7:40 a.m. before beginning its final approach toward the docking port located on the Kristall module. Atlantis and MIR were successfully docked at 8 a.m.. Commander Hoot Gibson of Atlantis flew the shuttle to a flawless docking with the Mir station exactly on schedule while the two spacecraft were 216 nautical miles above the Lake Baykal region of the Russian Federation. Mission Specialist Greg Harbaugh then engaged the docking mechanism to firmly latch the spacecraft together. Once docking was confirmed, the astronauts on board Atlantis and the cosmonauts on board Mir performed leak checks of the tunnel connecting the two spacecraft. With that complete, the hatches opened and Gibson and Mir 18 Commander Vladimir Dezhurov shook hands as Americans and Russians met in space for the first time in 20 years. Atlantis' crew then completed a transfer of responsibilities for the station from the three Mir-18 crew members to the two Mir-19 crewmen. Following a transfer of personal gear and a changeout of the individual, custom-made foam seat liners in the Soyuz capsule also docked to Mir, Mir-19 Commander Anatoly Solovyev and Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin officially assumed duties on the station. Later, the Spacelab module in Atlantis cargo bay was reactivated by Mission Specialist Bonnie Dunbar in preparation for a variety of medical experiments that will be performed during the next four days. Solovyev and Budarin will sleep aboard the Mir tonight while astronaut Norm Thagard and cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Gennady Strekalov, aboard Mir for the past 105 days, will sleep aboard Atlantis. Atlantis and Mir, now the single largest spacecraft ever in orbit with a total mass of almost one-half million pounds, have performed as expected in the nine and a half hours they have so far been attached. No significant problems or surprises have been observed by Mission Control. The crew will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 5:32 p.m. today and awaken at 1:32 a.m. Friday. STS-71 Flight Day 4 Highlights: On Friday, June 30, 1995, 6:30 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #06 reports: The eight astronauts on board Atlantis received a wakeup call from Mission Control at 1:32 a.m. CDT today, ready to begin the first full day of joint operations on board the linked shuttle and Russian Mir Space Station. The musical wake-up call was "Wildest Dreams" by the Moody Blues. About one hour before receiving that formal wakeup call, Commander Hoot Gibson awoke when General Purpose Computer 4 experienced a brief "hiccup"causing a warning alarm to sound on board. Spacecraft Communicator Dan Bursch then called up to Atlantis advising Gibson to turn off GPC 4 and load the system manager software on GPC 3. There are five general purpose computers on board Atlantis, with one designated as the system manager to monitor various orbiter systems. GPC 3 is now designated as the system manager. Flight controllers will look at the possible causes of the GPC 4 alarm once the crew officially begins its fourth flight day on orbit. Atlantis is now home to the five STS-71 crew members -- Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt, Payload Commander Ellen Baker, and Mission Specialists Greg Harbaugh and Bonnie Dunbar -- and the Mir 18 crew members -- Commander Vladimir Dezhurov, Engineer Gennady Strekalov, and Cosmonaut Researcher Norm Thagard. For the next four days, in cooperation with their counterparts on board Mir -- Commander Anatoly Solovyev and Engineer Nikolai Budarin -- the astronauts will support 15 separate biomedical investigations into how the human body functions in a microgravity environment. Those investigations will be conducted in the Spacelab module tucked in the aft section of Atlantis' payload bay. Seven different disciplines are represented including cardiovascular and pulmonary functions in weightlessnessness, human metabolism, neuroscience, hygiene, sanitation and radiation, and behavioral performance and biology. The studies begun during the Mir 18/STS-71 mission will continue for several years as part of the continuing Shuttle-Mir Science Program. In addition to supporting the medical and scientific investigations, crew members will transfer equipment, hardware and experiment specimens from the Mir module to Atlantis for return to Earth. Earlier in the morning, the two crews met in the Spacelab for a ceremonial gift exchange commemorating this flight. During the ceremony the crew members joined a halved pewter medallion bearing the impression of a docked shuttle and Mir, and a scale model of Atlantis and Mir. On Friday, June 30, 1995, 6 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #07 reports: Having dropped off two crew members and picked up three new crew members yesterday, the crew spent the day loading and unloading gear aboard Atlantis and the Mir Space Station. Medical samples and other materials associated with the Mir-18 crew members -- U.S. Astronaut Norm Thagard and Cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Gennady Strekalov - - were loaded into Atlantis for the trip home. Equipment for the Mir 19 and future missions was transferred from the shuttle to the station. Thagard and crew were officially relieved Thursday from their responsibilities for the station by Mir 19's Anatoly Solovyev and Nikolai Budarin. Along with the Mir 19 equipment, Atlantis' crew also filled four Russian space agency tanks with excess water from the shuttle and transported it to Mir. More such water transfers are planned during upcoming days of the flight. The crew completed all their work on schedule with no problems. Flight controllers did ask Commander Hoot Gibson to reset one of Atlantis' flight control computers, general purpose computer number 4, which had experienced a problem early this morning, to evaluate the computer problem. Gibson successfully reloaded computer, and it was run for about an hour in an idle mode to evaluate its performance. Later, flight control software was loaded into the computer while it was not attached functionally to the shuttle and it was put in a standby mode for the night. Further evaluations of its performance are planned tomorrow. In any event, Atlantis' four other identical flight control computers are operating well and can perform all needed functions for the spacecraft. In addition, a spare computer is onboard that could be used to replace the GPC-4 machine if that is deemed necessary. The crew began an eight-hour sleep period at 5:32 p.m. and will awaken at 1:32 a.m. central to begin their fifth day in orbit. Atlantis has been docked with the Mir station for more than 34 hours and the spacecraft are in an orbit with a high point of 219 nautical miles and low point of 208 nautical miles, circling Earth every 92 minutes, 34 seconds. STS-71 Flight Day 5 Highlights: On Saturday, July 1, 1995, 6 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #08 reports: The sounds of a Russian pop song, Kuca Kuca Kuca, (pronounced Keesa Keesa Keesa) greeted the Atlantis/Mir crew members as they awoke to begin their fifth flight day on orbit. Commander Hoot Gibson's sleep was briefly interrupted twice overnight. An alarm sounded when the H2 manifold valve for hydrogen tank 1 gave a "closed" indication. Flight controllers asked Gibson to verify the valve's position, and then reset it to "open." The panel continued to show a "closed" configuration, but all tank pressures indicated the valve was open and functioning normally. Flight controllers looked at the data and concluded that a microswitch in the valve was reading its position incorrectly and that the valve is functioning normally. Gibson then returned to sleep. About 40 minutes before crew wake up, the temperature on one of the forward right reaction control system jets, F5R, fell below limits signalling an alarm on board and waking the crew. The temperature drop was not unexpected due to the inertial attitude the Atlantis/Mir spacecraft has been flying. An orbital maneuver, already scheduled in to the crew's activity timeline, will put Atlantis into an attitude that will warm the jet. Today, the STS-71 and Mir 18 crew members will continue transferring medical samples, equipment and hardware from Mir to Atlantis for the return trip to Earth. In addition, crew members also will fill four canisters of water, generated on board Atlantis as a byproduct of its fuel cells, and transfer it to Mir. Four similar canisters were filled on Friday. Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt, and Mission Specialists Ellen Baker and Bonnie Dunbar, along with Mir 18 Commander Vladimir Dezhurov and Cosmonaut Researcher Norm Thagard will be interviewed by CNN and Conus Communications beginning at 9:47 a.m. On Saturday, July 1, 1995, 3 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #09 reports: The astronauts and cosmonauts aboard Atlantis and the Mir Space Station maintained a rhythm of packing and unpacking today, as well as entering into a steady pace of medical investigations in the Shuttle's cargo bay laboratory module. On his 109th day in orbit, Astronaut Norm Thagard went through a series of medical tests ranging from analysis of his lung function to electrocardiographs and studies of his cardiovascular system, along with his Mir 18 mission crew mates. Mission Specialists Ellen Baker and Bonnie Dunbar oversaw the medical testing aboard Atlantis. Simultaneously, the transfer of equipment to and from Mir continued, including providing specially designed spacewalking tools to the Mir from Atlantis that will be used by the Mir 19 cosmonauts in mid-July to free a jammed solar array on the station. Other transfers included loading a broken Salyut-5 computer onto Atlantis for the trip home and providing excess water from the Shuttle to Mir. So far, about 580 pounds of excess Shuttle water has been provided to Mir. Also during the day Commander Hoot Gibson and Pilot Charlie Precourt fired Atlantis' large steering jets in a planned test to check the integrity of the Atlantis-Mir attachment points, finding the docking mechanism to be very secure. A flight control computer aboard Atlantis that experienced a problem early yesterday has been operating throughout the day today without trouble, and flight controllers believe the computer is healthy and that the earlier problem was an isolated incident. Flight controllers changed the orientation of Atlantis and Mir slightly for the sleep period today so the Shuttle's autopilot will have to fire steering jets a bit more often, thus keeping the jets warmer during the crew's night. STS-71 Flight Day 6 Highlights: On Sunday, July 2, 1995, 6 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #10 reports: Flight Day 6 on board Atlantis/Mir began with a Caribbean flair as the astronauts and cosmonauts awoke to Jimmy Buffet's "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes." Crew members are already hard at work as another busy day of scientific and medical investigations in the Spacelab module gets under way. Today’s investigations focus primarily on understanding how the cardiovascular system responds to microgravity. The Mir 18 crew members -- Commander Vladimir Dezhurov, Engineer Gennady Strekalov and Cosmonaut Researcher Norm Thagard -- are using a neck collar of sorts to mimic increasing and decreasing arterial pressure on the baroceptor sensors located in the arteries of the neck. These sensors constantly monitor blood pressure and send messages to the brain to increase or decrease heart rate to compensate for rising or dropping blood pressure. This investigation may help researchers understand and reduce the phenomenom of orthostatic intolerance, or lightheadedness, sometimes experienced by astronauts upon return to Earth. The cosmonauts also are continuing their scheduled exercise sessions designed to help minimize their readapation to Earth’s one-gravity environment. Dezhurov, Strekalov and Thagard will walk or run on the treadmill, ride the bicycle ergometer, or perform resistive exercise for 1-2 hours every day as part of this countermeasures program. In parallel with the joint medical investigations, remaining crew members continue the transfer, package and storing of equipment to be returned to Earth on board Atlantis. Transfer of excess water from Atlantis to the Mir space station will continue throughout the day. Mir 18 Commander Vladimir Dezhurov spent several minutes discussing his flight plan with flight controllers at the Russian Mission Control Center in Kaliningrad. Dezhurov raised questions earlier today about the volume of work he was being asked to accomplish and was reassured that, as a member of the Atlantis crew, his flight plan was being coordinated properly between flight controllers in Houston and flight controllers in Russia. Atlantis' Pilot Charlie Precourt tested a pair of VHF radio systems which enable Shuttle crewmembers to converse with the Mir Space Station or the Soyuz capsule. One of the systems has apparently experienced a malfunction but the backup system is functioning properly and will be used on Tuesday when Atlantis undocks from the Mir. Mir 19 Commander Anatoly Solovyev and Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin conducted leak checks to the launch and entry suits they will wear Tuesday for Atlantis' departure from the Mir. Current plans call for Solovyev and Budarin to undock the Soyuz 15 minutes before Atlantis' undocking to capture still photos and video images of the event from a stationkeeping position several hundred feet away from Mir. Shuttle crewmembers also plan to photograph and record the redocking of the Soyuz to the Mir after an hour and a half of proximity operations by Atlantis, the Soyuz and the Mir. Several crew members took a break from morning activities to speak with National Public Radio at 6 a.m. central time today. Commander Hoot Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt, Thagard, Dezhurov and Strekalov shared their feelings about their historic flight and docking, and discussed the many scientific and medical investigations ongoing aboard Atlantis. On Sunday, July 2, 1995, 2 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Atlantis and Mir crews spent a third day together working steadily at medical experiments, cargo transfers, and some preparations for Tuesday's departure, uninterrupted by any problems with the respective spacecraft. During the last half of the day aboard the orbiting complex, medical investigations using the lower body negative pressure device, called LBNP, were performed in the Shuttle's laboratory module. Mir 18 astronaut Norm Thagard and Flight Engineer cosmonaut Gennady Strekalov, now on their 110th day in orbit, both underwent sessions in the device, which decreases air pressure around the lower portion of the body to imitate the effect of gravity in pulling fluids to the legs. Body fluids pool in the upper half of the body in weightlessness. Simultaneously, Atlantis' Commander Hoot Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt, and Flight Engineer Greg Harbaugh continued stowing gear retrieved from Mir aboard the Shuttle for the trip home. Also, the offloading of supplies for the Mir continued. Those supplies include about 860 pounds of water, almost 108 gallons, loaded into 14 Russian portable water tanks and two Shuttle portable water bags. By the time Atlantis departs Mir early Tuesday, consumable supplies transferred to Mir are planned to include almost a half ton of water, 53 pounds of oxygen, and 80 pounds of nitrogen. The oxygen and nitrogen are being transferred to Mir by using the Shuttle's atmospheric system to raise the air pressure in the station. Gibson, Precourt and the Mir-19 cosmonauts also checked out various communications systems today that may be used on Mir, the Soyuz capsule and Atlantis during the undocking and flyaround Tuesday. Precourt also gave Strekalov a televised tour of Atlantis and the laboratory module. STS-71 Flight Day 7 Highlights: On Monday, July 3, 1995, 6 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #12 reports: The Florida State University Fight Song woke up the Atlantis/Mir crew members today in honor of former Seminole Norm Thagard, the Mir 18 cosmonaut-researchers who is in his 111th day on orbit and celebrating his 52nd birthday today. Well under way on board the spacecraft are the joint U.S. and Russian biomedical investigations being conducted in the Spacelab module. Both the astronauts and cosmonauts will spend time on the treadmill or cycle ergometer today, and the Mir 18 crew members will continue to act as test subjects to see how extended exposure to a microgravity environment affects the body's ability to absorb medication and respond to viral infections. All three crews will gather in Atlantis' Spacelab module for the traditional press conference. Media from JSC, KSC and Russia will have the opportunity to talk with the crew members in that event, scheduled to begin at 9:07 a.m. central time. The final official meeting of the three Atlantis/Mir crews takes place at a farewell ceremony scheduled to begin at 12:32 p.m. on board Mir. Following the official farewell, crew members will complete the final minutes of equipment transfer, bid a personal adieu to their friends and colleagues, then close the hatches of each spacecraft to prepare for Tuesday's undocking. In the meantime, transfer of equipment and water to the Mir continues. In addition to the continuing transfer of excess shuttle water, the SVET root module, which provides a growth medium for plants as part of the Mir Greenhouse experiment also will be transferred and stowed on board Mir. By the time of Tuesday's undocking, more than one-half ton of water, along with 53 pounds of oxygen, and 80 pounds of nitrogen will have been transferred to the space station. The oxygen and nitrogen are being transferred to Mir by using the Shuttle's atmospheric system to raise the air pressure in the station. On Monday, July 3, 1995, 5:30 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #13 reports: With a final hug to departing cosmonaut Gennady Strekalov, Mir 19 Commander Anatoly Solovyev bolted the door of the Mir space station this afternoon. Atlantis' Flight Engineer Greg Harbaugh followed suit shortly afterward, performing a final check on a docking target the next visiting Shuttle will use and then closing the Shuttle's hatch. Mir's hatch was closed at 2:32 p.m. Central today, and Atlantis' hatch was closed at 2:48 p.m. Central. Following the hatch closing, Harbaugh began depressurizing the tunnel that had connected Mir and Atlantis, venting the air overboard to equalize the tunnel with the vacuum of space in preparation for tomorrow's undocking. The air vented overboard slower than expected, but steadily; and a leak check showed both spacecraft hatches were securely closed. Flight controllers believe the slow depressurization was due to thermal blankets that partially obstructed the vent. Prior to closing the hatches on the station and Shuttle, the ten cosmonauts and astronauts held a formal farewell ceremony. Atlantis' crew presented flight pins, watches, fresh fruit, and tortillas to the Mir 19 crew to wish them well as they start a two-month stay on Mir. Also today, medical examinations continued on the Mir 18 crew members, now Atlantis' passengers, in the Shuttle's laboratory module. The Mir 18 cosmonauts and astronaut Norm Thagard have been in orbit for 111 days. STS-71 Flight Day 8 Highlights: On Tuesday, July 4, 1995, 5 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #14 reports: As the Atlantis crew was awakened to a celebration of America's 219th birthday and the sounds of "America the Beautiful," their colleagues on board the Mir space station were well into procedures to deactivate some of the station's systems. Mir will be temporarily uninhabited following the undocking of the Soyuz capsule from the station. With Mir 19 Commander Anatoly Solovyev at the controls, the Soyuz was to undock from Mir at 5:55 AM, and move to a stationkeeping position to photograph the linked Atlantis/Mir space complex. Mir 19 Commander Anatoly Solovyev redocked his Soyuz capsule to the Mir space station about 6:43 a.m. to begin a two-month stay. With the five-days of docked operations behind them, the STS-71 and Mir 18 crew members will settle into a routine of continuing medical and scientific investigations on board Atlantis. The joint U.S./Russian investigations are studying how the human body responds to an extended stay in microgravity. The Mir 18 crew members -- Commander Vladimir Dezhurov, Flight Engineer Gennady Strekalov and Cosmonaut Researcher Norm Thagard -- began their 112th day in orbit. On Tuesday, July 4, 1995, 2 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #15 reports: With a graceful orbital bow, Atlantis departed the Mir space station on time this morning and is now flying solo once again while medical examinations of the Shuttle's new, homeward-bound passengers continue. Atlantis Commander Hoot Gibson undocked from Mir at 6:10 a.m. Central today, releasing hooks that held the docked spacecraft together and allowing springs built into the docking system to gently push the Shuttle away. Atlantis was preceded in undocking by a Soyuz spacecraft flown by Mir 19 Commander Anatoly Solovyev and Engineer Gennady Strekalov that unlatched from the station at 5:55 a.m. Central. As Atlantis slowly circled the station, the Soyuz redocked, each spacecraft capturing final photographs and film of the other. Aboard Atlantis, Gibson likened the session to a "cosmic ballet." Atlantis and her crew of eight are enroute to a Friday landing. The Mir 19 cosmonauts are embarking on a months-long stay aboard Mir. After firing Atlantis' jets for a final separation from the vicinity of Mir, medical investigations resumed in the Shuttle's laboratory module, with each of the three Mir 18 crew members taking turns exercising on a treadmill. The returning Mir 18 crewmen are on their 112th day of weightlessness, and such medical work will continue for the next two days aboard the Shuttle. STS-71 Flight Day 9 Highlights: On Wednesday, July 5, 1995, 6 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #16 reports: Flying solo and ahead of the Mir space station by about 120 nautical miles, the crew on board Atlantis awoke to a children's song, "I Love My Moon," a special dedication to Commander Hoot Gibson from his 26-day old daughter Emilee Louise. Atlantis carried seven crew members into orbit, and following the conclusion of its joint operations with the Mir space station, is scheduled to return to Earth on Friday morning with eight passengers on board, equalling the largest crew (STS-61A, Oct. `85) in Shuttle history. The Mir 19 cosmonauts-- Commander Anatoly Solovyev and Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin -- who reached orbit on board Atlantis, now begin a two-month stay on board the space station while the Mir 18 crew -- Vladimir Dezhurov, Gennady Strekalov and Norm Thagard -- are returning to Earth on board Atlantis. Solovyev and Budarin are scheduled to take the first of three planned spacewalks during their flight on July 14th to inspect a side docking port on the Mir and to free a balky solar panel on the Kvant-2 science module. The primary activities today aboard Atlantis focus on the continuing medical and scientific investigations being conducted in the Spacelab science workshop in the Shuttle's cargo bay. The Mir 18 crew members, beginning their 113th day on orbit, are the primary test subjects for the ongoing studies into how the human body responds to extended spaceflight. The investigations are designed to increase understanding of, and countermeasures for, a phenomenon referred to as orthostatic intolerance. This is a feeling of lightheadedness that astronauts may experience when attempting to stand upright after returning to Earth. Mir 18 crew members will use either the Lower Body Negative Pressure unit -- a bag-like device that pulls fluids from the upper portion of the body to the lower extremities -- or a baroreflex neck cuff that mimics arterial pressure on sensors located in the arteries of the neck, to see how autonomic control of cardiovascular orthostatic function responds to microgravity. Earlier this morning, Commander Hoot Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt, Dezhurov and Thagard took time from their schedules to discuss their docking mission to the Mir Station with NBC's "Today" show. On Wednesday, July 5, 1995, 5 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #17 reports: With the Mir space station growing ever more dim behind them, Atlantis' crew members concentrated today on biomedical research in the Shuttle's Spacelab module. The Mir space station is now about 200 nautical miles behind Atlantis and continuing to fall behind by about 9 nautical miles per orbit. Nevertheless, Commander Hoot Gibson reported he can still clearly see the station as a distant star with each sunrise. The Mir's former inhabitants--Mir 18 crewmen Vladimir Dezhurov, Gennady Strekalov and astronaut Norm Thagard--now in orbit for 113 days, were the subjects of the scientific investigations aboard Atlantis. Strekalov and Thagard each spent a session in the Lower Body Negative Pressure device--a device that simulates the effects of gravity by using lower air pressure to pull body fluids to the legs. Also, a series of experiments was performed dealing with the reflex responses of the cardiovascular system. Each crewman also exercised on the treadmill. To fix a minor problem onboard, Gibson and Pilot Charlie Precourt rigged an alternate method of supplying power to equipment that allows the crew to send electronic still photographs to the ground. The fix is working well, and several new images were received by controllers this afternoon. The crew began an 8-hour sleep period at 5:32 p.m. and will awaken Thursday at 1:32 a.m. Central for another day of medical work and several standard checks of equipment Atlantis will need for its landing on Friday. STS-71 Flight Day 10 Highlights: On Thursday, July 6, 1995, 6:30 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #18 reports: The Atlantis crew received a lighthearted wake-up as a parody of the Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye" and Paul Anka's "Lay Your Head on My Shoulder" greeted the eight crew members at 1:30 a.m. today. Thursday marked the final full day on orbit for the astronauts and cosmonauts on board Atlantis and preparations for Friday's planned landing occupied much of their time. Commander Hoot Gibson, Pilot Charlie Precourt and Mission Specialist Greg Harbaugh powered on one of Atlantis' hydraulic systems and cycled the flight control surfaces that will be used during reentry. They also fired the orbiter's reaction control system jets in the traditional preflight checkout of the Shuttle's systems prior to Friday's scheduled homecoming. Even as crew members prepared to return home, the pace of biomedical investigations in the Spacelab module continued with the Mir 18 crew members --Vladimir Dezhurov, Gennady Strekalov and Norm Thagard. Thagard and Strekalov once again climbed into the bag-like Lower Body Negative Pressure device which pulls fluids from the upper body to the lower extremities. Sessions in the LBNP are part of the countermeasures program to prepare the Mir 18 crew to return to Earth following more than 100 days in orbit. Also in the Spacelab, Harbaugh will join Mission Specialist Ellen Baker in setting up the special recumbent seats the Mir 18 crew members will occupy during reentry. Baker and Bonnie Dunbar also will begin deactivating some of the Spacelab's systems in anticipation of Friday's landing. Some systems will remain powered on so that exercise equipment in the Spacelab module is available to crew members in the event weather precludes a landing Friday morning. Early, at 2:15 a.m., a voice check from the new flight control room in Mission Control to the orbiting shuttle was successfully completed. STS-71 is scheduled to be the last shuttle mission to use the current mission control center for on-orbit operations. Beginning with STS-70, set for launch on July 13, on-orbit flight control will take place in the new flight control room. Wednesday night at 8:16, flight controllers in Houston passed a milestone as communications commands issued from the new flight control room in Mission Control were successfully uplinked to Atlantis. The commands were sent as Atlantis flew 218 nautical miles above the Indian Ocean. On Thursday, July 6, 1995, 5 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #19 reports: The crew of Atlantis packed up today and double-checked equipment in preparation for tomorrow's return home. Earlier in the day, Commander Hoot Gibson and Pilot Charlie Precourt checked the equipment and instruments Atlantis will use for landing, finding all systems working properly. Following that checkout, they test-fired Atlantis' 38 primary steering thrusters, finding one rear, upward-firing jet failed and all others working well. The failed jet has several other jets that are backups and can perform the same function for the Shuttle and is not an issue for the landing. After final exercise sessions by members of the Mir 18 crew, the Spacelab module was packed up by Payload Commander Ellen Baker and Mission Specialist Bonnie Dunbar in preparation for entry. Also, reclining seats were installed in the lower deck of Atlantis for the Mir 18 crewmen, Commander Vladimir Dezhurov, Flight Engineer Gennady Strekalov and astronaut Norm Thagard. The three, on their 115th day in orbit tomorrow, will ride in the seats for the landing, allowing them to take the forces of reentry in a reclined position. STS-71 Flight Day 11 Highlights: On Friday, July 7, 1995, 6:30 a.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #20 reports: The crew on board Atlantis is preparing to end its historic mission with a 9:55 a.m. central time landing today at the Kennedy Space Center. With weather conditions in Florida expected to be acceptable at landing time, Commander Hoot Gibson transitioned to the deorbit activities timeline shortly before 5 a.m. central with work to configure the crew cabin for reentry well under way. On board, the crew members have closed and secured the airlock connecting the crew compartment to the orbiter docking mechanism and Spacelab module housed in Atlantis' payload bay. Deactivation of the Spacelab module is complete, as is installation of seats on the flight deck that will be occupied by Mission Specialists Ellen Baker and Greg Harbaugh on reentry. There are two opportunities for a landing at KSC this morning. The first opportunity begins with a deorbit burn at 8:45 a.m., with Atlantis touching down at 9:55 a.m. The second opportunity comes one orbit later with a 10:22 a.m. engine firing resulting in an 11:31 a.m. landing. The eight astronauts and cosmonauts began what should be their final day on orbit at 1:32 a.m. with a wake-up call from Mission Control. In recognition of their journey -- which began March 14 in Kazakhastan, the crew awakened this morning to Supertramp's "Take the Long Way Home." On Friday, July 7, 1995, 3:30 p.m. CDT, STS-71 MCC Status Report #21 reports: Commander "Hoot" Gibson and Pilot Charlie Precourt guided Atlantis to a smooth touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center at 9:55 AM Central time this morning to wrap up the first mission to linkup a Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After firing Atlantis' braking rockets at 8:45 AM, Gibson and Precourt brought Atlantis home to runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to complete the 4.1 million mile mission, the first of seven planned docking flights to the Mir as part of the Phase One program leading to the development and construction of the International Space Station. About an hour after landing, Mir 18 cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov, Gennady Strekalov and U.S. astronaut Norm Thagard were brought out of the Shuttle into the Crew Transport Vehicle alongside Atlantis for their ride to the Operations and Checkout Building at KSC for initial postflight medical testing. The Mir 18 crewmembers spent 115 days in space following their launch on a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 14th. Dezhurov, Strekalov and Thagard will be flown back to Ellington Field in Houston in an Air Force C-9 Medevac plane for several weeks of medical tests and reorientation to a gravity environment after almost four months of weightlessness. They are expected to arrive in Houston about 9 1/2 hours after landing. The rest of the STS-71 crew is scheduled to Houston around 9 PM. Atlantis was towed this afternoon to the Orbiter Processing Facility at KSC to begin a maintenance period leading to its next launch in late October on STS-74, the second Shuttle-Mir docking mission, in which a Russian-built Docking Module will be permanently mated to the Kristall science module's docking mechanism on the Mir. That will enable Atlantis to linkup to Mir on future flights with enough clearance to avoid interference with the Russian Space Station's solar arrays. Disassembly of the RSRM factory joint after landing (and after the launch of STS-70) identified that the solid rocket boster (SRB) motor factory joint experienced a minor o-ring problem causing some discoloration of the o-rings due to hot gasses. The problem warrents further investigation. Mission Name: STS-70 (70) Discovery (21) Pad 39-B (33) 70th Shuttle Mission 21st Flight OV-103 1st Flight Block 1 mission 24th KSC landing 9th Rollback Click Here for Countdown Homepage Crew: Terence T. Henricks (3), Commander Kevin R. Kregel (1), Pilot Nancy Jane Currie (2), Mission Specialist Donald A. Thomas (2), Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber (1), Mission Specialist Milestones: (Flow 1) OPF -- 02/11/95 VAB -- 05/03/95 PAD -- 05/11/95 (Flow 2- Rollback) VAB -- 06/08/95 PAD -- 06/15/95 (Reference KSC Payload Status Jun 1995) (Reference KSC Shuttle Status Jun 1995) (Reference KSC Shuttle Status Jul 1995) Payload: TDRS-G/IUS-26, MSX-01, PARE/NIH-R-02,BDS-02, CPCG-07, STL-05(B)/NIH-C, BRIC-04, BRIC-05, SAREX-II, VFT-4-02, HERCULES-03, AMOS-25, MIS-B-01, WINDEX-02, RME-III-19, MAST Mission Objectives: The primary mission is the launch and deployment of the 7th Tracking Data and Relay Satellite (TDRS) and will be the 6th placed in operational use. The first TDRS was launched aboard STS-6 on 4/5/83 with a scheduled lifetime of 7 years. The second TDRS (TDRS-2) was lost aboard Challenger on mission 51-L . Other TDRS satellites have flown on STS-26 (TDRS-3), STS-29 (TDRS-4), STS-43 (TDRS-5) and STS-54 (TDRS-6). The on-orbit TDRS network is currently being rearranged and will include two fully operational spacecraft occupying the TDRS East and West slots, one on-orbit fully functional spare, a nearly depleted TDRS which has exceeded its planned lifetime, and a partially operational TDRS devoted to supporting the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO). It is also used to cover an area that can't be seen by the other satellites known as the Zone of Exclusion. The TDRS system is a space-based network that provides communications, tracking, telemetry, data acquisition and command services essential to the Space Shuttle and other low-Earth orbital spacecraft such as the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE), Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE), TOPEX-Poseidon, Landsat and many more. TDRS-G will reside in geosynchronous orbit at 22,300 miles (35,888 kilometers) at 178 degrees West longitude. It was built by TRW and weighs about 4,900 pounds. The deploy operations utilize 3 separate control centers to manage orbit operations. The White Sands ground station will control the TDRS, the JSC Mission Control Center (MCC) will control the shuttle, and the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) control center at Onizuka Air Force Base in Sunnyvale California will control the boster stage. Deploy operations will begin six hours into the mission. Once deployed, the TDRS satellite has a wingspan of 57 ft. TDRSS-G will add to the complement of satellites already in orbit. Secondary objectives of the mission are to fulfill the requirements of the Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment / National Institutes of Health-Rodents (PARE/NIH-R); Bioreactor Demonstration System (BDS), Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG); Space Tissue Loss/National Institutes of Health-Cells (STL/NIH-C); Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC); Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II), Visual Function Tester-4 (VFT-4); Hand-Held, Earth Oriented, Real-Time, Cooperative, User-Friendly, Location-Targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES); Microcapsules in Space-B (MIS-B); Windows Experiment (WINDEX); Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III); and the Military Applications of Ship Tracks (MAST). STS-70 will mark the maiden flight of the new Block 1 orbiter main engine. Engine number 2036 features the new high-pressure liquid oxygen turbopump, a two-duct powerhead, baffleless main injector, single-coil heat exchanger and start sequence modifications. The modifications are designed to improve both engine performance and safety. The Block I engine will fly in the number one position on Discovery. The other two engines are of the existing Phase II design. Launch: Launch July 13, 1995 at 9:41:55.078 a.m. EDT. The launch window was 2 hours 30 min. The hatch was closed at 8:13am EDT and the count proceeded smoothly until T-31 sec. The count was held for 55 seconds at T-31 sec by the Booster Range Safety Engineer (CBRS) Tod Gracom at the LCC C-5 Console due to fluxuations seen on the external tank automatic gain control (AGC) ET range safety system receiver . Launch Commit Criteria contigency procedures were worked and the count then proceeded on schedule. STS-70 had originally moved ahead of the launch of STS-71 because of a delay in the launch of the Russian Spektr laboratory module to the Russian space station Mir. However, on 5/31/95 NASA shuttle managers assessed damage to the external tank of STS-70 caused by nesting Flicker Woodpeckers. The damage consisted of about 71 holes (ranging in size from 4 inches in diameter to 1/2 inch in diameter) in the ETs thermal protection foam insulation. Technicians installed safeguards against additional damage. On 6/2/95, NASA managers decided to delay the launch of Discovery on Mission STS-70 in order to make repairs to foam insulation on the vehicle's external fuel tank. STS-71 was moved ahead of STS-70 and Discovery was rolled back to the VAB. (Reference KSC Payload Status 6/05/1995, KSC Shuttle Status 6/16/1995) Orbit: Altitude: 160 nm (184 statute miles) Inclination: 28.45 degrees Orbits: 143 Duration: 8 days, 22 hours, 20 minutes, 5 seconds. Distance: 3.7 million miles Hardware: SRB: SRM: ET : SN-71 MLP : SSME-1: SN-2036 SSME-2: SN-2019 SSME-3: SN-2017 Landing: KSC July 22,1995 at 8:02 a.m. EDT on Runway 33. Nose gear touchdown at 8:02:11am EDT (Mission Elapsed Time of 8days 22hr 20min and 16sec) with wheels stop at 8:02:57am (MET of 8 days 22hr 21min and 2 sec.) The KSC landing opportunity on 7/22/95 at 6:26 a.m. EDT was waived off due to marginable yet improving weather conditions at KSC. The KSC landing opportunities at 7:54am EDT and 9:31 a.m on 7/21/95 were waived off due to a buildup of ground fog over the Shuttle Landing Facility. Two landing opportunities were available at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday. The first called for a deorbit burn at 4:26 a.m. CDT with a landing at 5:26 a.m. CDT. the second opportunity calls for a deorbit burn at 6 a.m. CDT with a landing at 7:02 a.m. If the weather didn't cooperate at KSC, Discovery would have been directed to land at California's Edwards Air Force Base. The one Edwards opportunity would have started with a deorbit burn at 7:28 a.m. CDT with a landing at 8:29 a.m. CDT. Flight Director Rich Jackson directed the five STS-70 astronauts to remain aloft for another day after poor visibility prevented Discovery's homecoming on two consecutive landing opportunities. Landing support was not called up at the backup landing site at California's Edwards Air Force Base for today. Discovery's astronauts were informed that their landing had been waved off for the day at 7:10 AM CDT after astronaut Steve Oswald, flying weather reconnaissance in a Shuttle Training Aircraft over the landing strip, reported that he could not see the 3- mile long runway from his vantage point. The STS-70 crew had two opportunities to land at the Kennedy Space Center on Friday 7/21/95. For the first opportunity, Discovery's orbital maneuvering system engines would have fired for the deorbit burn at 6:53 a.m. EDT, resulting in a touchdown in Florida at 7:54 a.m. EDT. The deorbit burn for the second opportunity would have occured at 8:28 a.m. EDT, with landing at 9:31 a.m. EDT. Weather forecasters watched the formation of scattered cloud layers and ground fog that prohibited a KSC landing There are two KSC landing opportunities on Saturday (6:26 am and 8:01 am EDT) and one Edwards Air Force Base opportunity (9:28am EDT). (Reference KSC Press Release 71-95) Mission Highlights: STS-70 Flight Day 1 Highlights: On Thursday, July 13, 1995, 5 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #01 reports: After a flawless launch this morning, the crew of Discovery accomplished the main objective of their flight this afternoon with the trouble-free deploy of a NASA communications satellite. Following an 8:42 a.m. launch, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-G, the sixth and last such satellite to be deployed from a space shuttle, was ejected from Discovery's cargo bay exactly on time at 2:55 p.m. Central. The release of the satellite was overseen by Mission Specialists Don Thomas and Mary Ellen Weber. About 15 minutes later, Discovery's Commander Tom Henricks fired the shuttle's engines to raise the orbit and move away from the vicinity of the satellite and its Inertial Upper Stage booster. At about 3:55 p.m., the satellite's IUS booster fired the first of two burns that will put TDRS-G into its proper, 22,000-mile-high geostationary orbit above the central Pacific Ocean. In Mission Control, operations are in the process of being moved to a new facility. Following the satellite deploy, flight controllers are planning to vacate the current room which has been used for three decades, since Gemini 4 in 1965, to control human space flights. Beginning at about 6:30 p.m. Central, the overnight shift of flight controllers will be the first to operate from the New Mission Control Center, and all further orbit operations for STS-70 and future flights will be performed from the new control center. STS-70 Flight Day 2 Highlights: On Friday, July 14, 1995, 6 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #02 reports: For the first time since June 1965, a human spaceflight mission is being controlled from a different flight control room in the Mission Control Center. Before going to sleep late yesterday, Discovery's crew was notified that operations had been transferred down the hall to the new control room known as the "White FCR" (pronounced ficker), or Flight Control Room. The remainder of the on-orbit phase of the flight will be controlled from the new room, except the entry and landing which will be controlled from the old Mission Control. The crew of STS-70 was awakened shortly after three this morning Central time to the theme from "Woody Woodpecker," a cartoon character adopted as the mascot for the mission when real woodpeckers plucked holes in protective insulation on Discovery's external fuel tank last month causing a delay in the mission. Overnight, controllers in Sunnyvale, California, monitored the progress of the deployment of the communications tracking satellite called TDRS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite), which was the prime objective of Discovery's mission. Riding atop a solid rocket motor called an Inertial Upper Stage, the satellite was placed in an orbit high above the equator over the Pacific. All of its appendages have been deployed and command and checkout of the spacecraft has begun. The satellite deployment followed launch of Discovery from the Kennedy Space Center at 8:42 a.m. CDT 7/13/95. Commander Tom Henricks, Pilot Kevin Kregel and Mission Specialists Don Thomas, Nancy Currie, and Mary Ellen Weber came on duty about 6 a.m. for their work day in space. On Friday, July 14, 1995, 5 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #03 reports: Discovery's crew began a steady pace of working with a variety of secondary experiments aboard the shuttle today, their first full day in orbit. The primary objective for Discovery -- releasing a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite -- was accomplished on Thursday. On Friday, July 14, the crew worked with experiments ranging from the HERCULES camera, a camera that can imprint the latitude and longitude of areas photographed on Earth, to the Windex, a study of the glow created as the shuttle surfaces interact with atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit. Commander Tom Henricks also fired Discovery's engines to lower the shuttle's orbit, a firing that enhanced the landing opportunities that will be available at the end of the flight and provided a viewing opportunity for the Windex experiment. Mission Specialist Nancy Currie set up Windex to observe the effect of the engine firing on the glowing phenomenon. Investigators with the experiment hope to better characterize the glow, which occurs on all spacecraft in low orbit, and thus better design future Earth orbiting, sensitive astronomy satellites with which such a glow could interfere. Also, Henricks, Pilot Kevin Kregel and Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber answered questions from the general public via the New York Times On-Line Services. The crew will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 6:12 p.m. They will awaken at 2:12 a.m. Saturday. STS-70 Flight Day 3 Highlights: On Saturday, July 15, 1995, 9 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #04 reports: Halfway through its third day in space, Discovery's crew has settled into a routine of conducting and monitoring nearly 20 different science experiments on the orbiter's middeck and flight deck. Pilot Kevin Kregel and Mission Specialist Don Thomas began the day working with the HERCULES camera which will record pinpoint data on the surface location of Earth observations images. A first attempt to align the camera's Inertial Measurement Unit was unsuccessful, but the crew attributed this to a need for some practice with the procedure, which involves locating two stars with the camera in different orientations. Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber checked the Bioreactor Demonstration System and found the cells there to be developing well. She also participated in visual function data gathering. Weber's test followed a report that Kregel had successfully extricated a mote from her eye. The workday began shortly after two o'clock this morning with a wakeup call from Kate Smith singing "Beautiful Ohio" in honor of four of the five crewmembers being from that state. Kregel claims New York as his home state. On Saturday, July 15, 1995, 3 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #05 With Discovery performing as flawlessly as has any spacecraft in history, crew members completed a steady pace of experiment work during their third day in orbit, taking a few breaks to speak with media and other guests. The day's work centered on the HERCULES video camera, a camera experiment sponsored by the Department of Defense Space Test Program that allows the video to be automatically marked with the latitude and longitude of its subject areas. Pilot Kevin Kregel and Mission Specialist Nancy Currie worked with the camera, attempting to finely align its internal navigation equipment by using star sightings. Payload controllers are currently evaluating various methods that may make it easier for the crew to take sights on stars and align the camera as the flight progresses. Other work included operations with an experiment that gauges astronauts' reflexes and hand-eye coordination by having a subject respond to quick questioning from a laptop computer using a touch screen. Another observation was made with the Windex experiment as well, a study that observes the glowing effect created by the shuttle's surfaces as they encounter atomic oxygen in low orbit. Windex observed the effect of an engine firing on the glow yesterday and today observed the effect of a waste water dump from the shuttle. The crew also is maintaining a variety of biological experiments ranging from tissue loss in space to the growth of cell cultures in weightlessness to the effect of space flight on the early development of animals. During the day, the crew spoke with World War II veteran Harland Claussen at the Clement Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI, celebrating the installation of the first phone in that VA facility for the free use of patients. Later in the day, ABC's Mike and Maty show interviewed crew members as did the Toledo Blade newspaper of Toledo, Ohio. STS-70 Flight Day 4 Highlights: On Sunday, July 16, 1995, 7 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #06 reports: As Discovery's crew began its fourth day in orbit, all of the space shuttle' systems continued to perform exactly as designed, providing a "no hassles" workplace for the astronauts' scientific investigations. The crew was awakened at 1:11 a.m. CDT to the sounds of Mission Specialist Nancy Currie's 8-year-old daughter, Stephanie, and her Ferguson Elementary School second- grade classmates singing "God Bless the USA" Pilot Kevin Kregel is still having difficulty aligning the internal navigation equipment on the HERCULES video camera, a payload sponsored by the Department of Defense Space Test Program that allows the video to be automatically marked with the latitude and longitude of its subject areas. Payload controllers continued to investigate methods that may make it easier for the crew to take sightings on stars and align the camera as the flight progresses. Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber also reported that the colon cancer tissue samples growing in the Bioreactor Development System so far look better than those cultured on the ground. The BDS is designed to use ground-based and space-bioreactor systems to grow individual cells into organized tissue that is morphologically and functionally similar to the original tissue or organ. The BDS is composed of a rotating cylinder that suspends cells and tissues in a growth medium, simulating some aspects of microgravity. The system has been in use for several years for ground-based research. Other work today will include operations with a microbial contamination monitor that will be used to check the purity of drinking water samples, additional measurements of the astronauts’ visual acuity with the Visual Function Tester, and continued study of the glowing effect created by spacecraft surfaces as they encounter atomic oxygen in low orbit. On Sunday, July 16, 1995, 2 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #07 reports: With its spacecraft continuing to perform flawlessly, Discovery's crew sailed through a third day of work with the various experiments, ranging from biological studies to Earth-observing cameras. Although the crew has experienced some difficulty with aligning the HERCULES camera using star sightings, investigators with the Department of Defense study said they are delighted with the views they have seen from the device so far. The crew sent Mission Control views of Florida and the Bahamas today taken by the camera, which automatically prints the latitude and longitude of the subject matter on the video. The crew members also sent video of star alignments they have performed, and investigators say the video provides excellent insights into possible improvements to the device. Other experiments included observations of a series of small steering jet firings by Discovery using the Windex experiment, an optical device that studies the glowing phenomena created as the shuttle encounters atomic oxygen in orbit. The crew also reported at least 60 contacts with amateur radio operators around the world using the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment. During the mission, the astronauts will speak with students at 10 schools worldwide using the ham radio. In another study, the Visual Function Tester, crew members reported their eyesight is affected slightly by weightlessness, taking somewhat longer to adjust and focus on near objects. The experiment studies this reaction to weightlessness, which has been noted since the early flights of the Gemini Program. The crew also took time out to hold a press conference this morning, answering questions from reporters in Florida and Ohio, the home state of four out of the five astronauts aboard Discovery. The crew is wrapping up their day now and preparing to begin an eight-hour sleep period at 4:12 p.m. They will awaken for Day 5 of STS-70 at 12:12 a.m. CDT Monday. STS-70 Flight Day 5 Highlights: On Monday, July 17, 1995, 7:30 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #08 reports: The Space Shuttle Discovery continues to travel smoothly around the globe as the five men and women on board began a fourth full day of work with biological and materials processing experiments. The four Ohio natives and one New Yorker were awakened shortly after midnight CDT to the fight song for the Cleveland Indians, "Talkin' Tribe." Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber responded with "Good mornin' Houston, how `bout them Indians?" Mission Specialist Nancy Currie sent down video images of developing Medaka fish eggs as part of the Space Tissue Loss experiment and filled out responses to a human factors research project looking at ways to optimize astronaut performance on orbit. Weber checked on the progress of the Bioreactor Development System, which is growing human tissue samples better than Earth-bound methods. Commander Tom Henricks and Pilot Kevin Kregel continued to work with alignment of the HERCULES camera using star sightings. So far, they have not succeeded in accomplishing alignment, which is required to calibrate the HERCULES geolocation equipment. The crew also took time to answer questions from CNN reporter John Holliman, and to voice down answers to queries posed by Internet surfers visiting NASA's Shuttle Web. On Monday, July 17, 1995, 4 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #09 reports: Discovery's crew passed the halfway point of their mission today, continuing to encounter minimal problems as they worked on a variety of experiments. The crew again today worked with the HERCULES video camera and the WINDEX observations of Shuttle glow. With HERCULES, the crew continued to have difficulty performing star alignments but have obtained very good Earth views, gathering 95 percent of the data planned for the investigation thus far, according to the experiment's sponsors. For WINDEX, Commander Tom Henricks fired Discovery's thrusters to allow the instrument to record the effects of such firings on the glow seen around Shuttle surfaces. The only problem reported by the crew today was a faulty vacuum cleaner cord that caused a circuit breaker to trip aboard the spacecraft. While performing some routine cleaning onboard, the breaker tripped and the crew found several cuts in the cleaner's electric cord. The crew plans to splice the cord together, removing the nicked portions, and test it out after checking with flight controllers tomorrow. STS-70 Flight Day 6 Highlights: On Tuesday, July 18, 1995, 7 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #10 reports: Discovery's crew downlinked video images of bioreactor tissue cultures that were described as better than any seen before by investigators who are working to qualify the machinery for use on orbit. The video showed orange colon cancer cells coalescing into globules, some of which were described by Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber as being as large as a pea. Bioreactors are extensively used by researchers on Earth to grow three-dimensional cell cultures that cannot be produced by traditional culture methods. The Bioreactor Development System is being used to determine how effective the equipment is for supporting tissue growth with minimal cell damage. Pilot Kevin Kregel and Mission Specialist Don Thomas spoke with the "Good Day, America" radio show out of Boston today, and answered several questions posed by visitors to NASA's Shuttle Web site on the Internet. The crew also made HERCULES and WINDEX observations. Although several attempts to align the HERCULES Inertial Measurement Unit were unsuccessful, a previous alignment continued to allow geolocation of targets below with sufficient accuracy. Commander Tom Henricks twice fired Discovery's thrusters to allow the instrument to record the effects on the glow seen around shuttle surfaces in an effort to identify methods for protecting sensitive instruments from the phenomenon. The crew repaired a faulty vacuum cleaner cord that had tripped a circuit breaker, although it will not be necessary to use the vacuum again during the flight. For most flights, the vacuum is used only three times -- early in the flight, at the midway point and just before landing -- to clean dust and debris from air circulation filters. The crew will use the sticky side of multipurpose gray tape available on board to clean the filters if necessary. On Tuesday, July 18, 1995, 5 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #11 reports: Discovery completed another trouble-free day on orbit as the crew continued to tend a host of experiments ranging from optical studies to biological investigations. Today the crew activated one study for the first time thus far, the Microencapsulation in Space experiment, a device that will attempt to produce a timed-release antibiotic medication in weightlessness. The lack of gravity allows the encapsulation process to be performed with much greater purity than can be achieved on the ground, according to experimenters. The automated investigation will operate while the crew sleeps. Earlier, the crew downlinked video images of bioreactor tissue cultures that were described as better than any seen before by investigators who are working to qualify the machinery for use on orbit. The video showed orange colon cancer cells coalescing into globules, some of which were described by Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber as being as large as a pea. The bioreactor is a rotating cylinder in which cells can be grown suspended in weightlessness aboard the shuttle thus making them more perfect than ground-grown cultures. The bioreactor experiment has now moved to its second phase, an observation of the currents created in the fluid inside the device that uses colored plastic beads to record the movements. Also in the morning, the crew noted a small nick on the outside of one of the shuttle's exterior window panes apparently caused by the impact of a micrometeorite sometime during the sleep period. The tiny crater is estimated to be only a sixteenth of an inch in diameter and one thirty-second of an inch deep, posing no problems for the spacecraft. The exterior window pane alone is more than half an inch thick, and several more window panes -- together almost two inches thick -- are located between the exterior and the interior of the cabin. In other work, the astronauts continued observations of Earth using the HERCULES video camera and of the shuttle itself using the Windex experiment. Windex observed the environment around the shuttle during a simultaneous waste and excess drinking water dump from the spacecraft. Mission Control put the crew to bed for the day with the theme from the movie Starman. The eight-hour sleep period began at 2:42 p.m. CDT today. The crew will awaken at 10:42 p.m. tonight. STS-70 Flight Day 7 Highlights: On Wednesday, July 19, 1995, 7 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #12 reports: Discovery began what promised to be another trouble-free day on orbit, obtaining a successful alignment of the HERCULES geolocating camera and evaluating the manual setup procedures for the rotating wall bioreactor. Pilot Kevin Kregel downlinked both live and videotaped images from the HERCULES camera following the successful alignment of the camera's navigation equipment, which earlier in the flight had been troublesome. The crew kept the camera out longer than planned in an effort to record additional images. Mission Specialist Don Thomas activated and deactivated the Microencapsulation in Space experiment, a device that will attempt to produce a timed-release antibiotic medication in weightlessness. The lack of gravity allows the encapsulation process to be performed with much greater purity than can be achieved on the ground, according to experimenters. Thomas also made contacts with ham radio operators on the ground with the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment. Mission Specialist Nancy Currie checked on the status of the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth Experiment, helped Commander Tom Henricks and Kregel operate HERCULES and conducted a photo survey of a debris impact on one of the Shuttle's windows. The film was tucked way in a bag marked for return to Houston after the flight. The debris impact poses no hazard for the Shuttle. Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber continued her work with the Bioreactor Development System and reported no problems with the manual setup procedures. On Wednesday, July 19, 1995, 4 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #13 reports: The crew of Discovery, continuing a near-perfect flight, began to wrap up their experiment work today, after a week of gathering a host of data ranging from Earth observations to biological studies. After final sessions with the HERCULES camera and the WINDEX experiment, the crew has stowed them away for the trip home Friday. Early today, the crew successfully aligned the HERCULES camera's navigation equipment and sent the ground both live and videotaped images of regions from the device. Also, Commander Tom Henricks fired Discovery's steering thrusters several times for a final observation by the WINDEX experiment, which shares a camera with HERCULES. WINDEX records the environment around the spacecraft in low orbit and the effects of a variety of events, including water dumps and larger engine firings earlier in the flight. Mission Specialist Don Thomas also reported success with the SAREX amateur radio aboard the Shuttle, counting around 50 contacts with ground radio operators a day for several days of the mission. The crew also spoke with students at 10 schools scattered around the globe. Several experiments continue on Discovery--including the evaluation phase of the Bioreactor device, a cell culture growth experiment that already has successfully grown colon cancer cells during the early days of the flight. The current portion of the study characterizes the currents and environment inside the rotating cylinder that serves as the cell growth chamber. The crew began an eight-hour sleep period at 2:42 p.m. CDT and will awaken for their eighth day in space at 10:42 p.m. CDT. Attention will then be turned toward the return home as the crew performs checks of Discovery's equipment to be used during landing and starts packing up its gear. Discovery is scheduled to land Friday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with a touchdown at 6:54 a.m. CDT. STS-70 Flight Day 8 Highlights: On Thursday, July 20, 1995, 7 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #14 reports: The crew of Discovery overnight wrapped up its experiment work and checked out the systems that will be used for landing at Kennedy Space Center Friday. Discovery's orbital maneuvering system engines are currently scheduled to be fired for the deorbit burn at 5:54 a.m. CDT Friday, resulting in a touchdown in Florida at 6:54 a.m. CDT. The weather forecast was favorable enough for mission managers to decide not to call up landing support at Edwards Air Force Base in California and to press for landing in Florida on either Friday or Saturday. The second half of the crew's last full day on orbit will be spent packing up the experiments and stowing gear in preparation for landing. Earlier, Mission Specialists Don Thomas, Nancy Currie and Mary Ellen Weber completed the final data takes on the middeck experiments, and Commander Tom Henricks and Pilot Kevin Kregel successfully checked out the flight control surfaces and hot-fired the reaction control system steering jets they will use to pilot Discovery to a safe touchdown. Flight controllers are once again working out of the old Mission Control Center following an orderly midnight transition from the new control center so that it can be used for a simulation. Launches and landings are scheduled to be controlled out of the old MCC for the next several flights until the new facility can be certified for the most dynamic flight phases. On Thursday, July 20, 1995, 5 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #15 reports With their experiments stowed and the orbiter prepared for landing, Discovery's five crew members are ready to come home Friday and conclude their successful eight-day mission. The STS-70 crew has two opportunities to land at the Kennedy Space Center on Friday. For the first opportunity, Discovery's orbital maneuvering system engines would be fired for the deorbit burn at 5:53 a.m. CDT, resulting in a touchdown in Florida at 6:54 a.m. CDT. The deorbit burn for the second opportunity would occur at 7:28 a.m. CDT, with landing at 8:31 a.m. CDT. The weather predictions do look favorable, but forecasters will be watching for the formation of scattered cloud layers and ground fog that could hinder landing operations. STS-70 Flight Day 9 Highlights: On Friday, July 21, 1995, 8 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #16 reports: Low clouds and fog at the Kennedy Space Center have caused mission managers and flight controllers to postpone Discovery's landing 24 hours until early Saturday morning. Flight Director Rich Jackson directed the five STS-70 astronauts to remain aloft for another day after poor visibility prevented Discovery's homecoming on two consecutive landing opportunities. Landing support was not called up at the backup landing site at California's Edwards Air Force Base for today. Discovery's astronauts were informed that their landing had been waved off for the day at 7:10 AM CDT after astronaut Steve Oswald, flying weather reconnaissance in a Shuttle Training Aircraft over the landing strip, reported that he could not see the 3- mile long runway from his vantage point. Commander Tom Henricks, Pilot Kevin Kregel and Mission Specialists Don Thomas, Nancy Currie and Mary Ellen Weber climbed out of their launch and entry suits after the wave-off was declared and prepared to begin another eight-hour sleep period at 1:42 p.m. CDT. They'll be awakened at 9:42 p.m. to resume preparations for another try at coming home tomorrow. Two landing opportunities are available at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday. The first calls for a deorbit burn at 4:26 a.m. CDT with a landing at 5:26 a.m. CDT. the second opportunity calls for a deorbit burn at 6 a.m. CDT with a landing at 7:02 a.m. If the weather does not cooperate at KSC, Discovery will be directed to land at California's Edwards Air Force Base. The one Edwards opportunity tomorrow will start with a deorbit burn at 7:28 a.m. CDT with a landing at 8:29 a.m. CDT. On Friday, July 21, 1995, 2:30 p.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #17 reports: Discovery's crew spent a quiet extra day aloft after canceling efforts toward a landing this morning due to fog and low clouds at Florida's Kennedy Space Center shuttle runway. The crew began an eight-hour sleep period at 1:42 p.m. CDT and will awaken at 9:42 p.m. to refocus landing efforts toward a Saturday morning touchdown in either Florida or at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Discovery has a total of three landing opportunities Saturday, two to Florida and one to California. The first opportunity would have the shuttle fire its engines at 4:25 a.m. CDT to descend to a Florida landing at 5:26 a.m. CDT. A second opportunity would begin with an engine firing at 6 a.m. CDT culminating in a Florida touchdown at 7:02 a.m. CDT. The third opportunity, to California, would begin with an engine firing at 7:26 a.m. CDT and result in an 8:29 a.m. CDT touchdown at Edwards. The forecast for Florida tomorrow morning again calls for a possibility of fog and low clouds that could prohibit landing. The forecast for California calls for excellent landing weather, with only high, scattered clouds and light westerly winds. STS-70 Flight Day 10 Highlights: On Saturday, July 22, 1995, 7:30 a.m. CDT, STS-70 MCC Status Report #18 reports: After almost nine days in space, the STS-70 crew returned home to Florida this morning to complete a mission that included a successful satellite deployment and work with a variety of middeck experiments. STS-70 Commander Tom Henricks brought Discovery smoothly down on Runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center at 7:02 a.m. CDT, ending the 70th flight of the Space Shuttle system at a mission elapsed time of eight days, 22 hours and 21 minutes. The landing occurred on the second Florida deorbit and landing opportunity of the day. Even though weather looked good for the first opportunity, flight controllers opted to pass on it to allow weather conditions to improve even more. Discovery performed flawlessly during its descent to Earth, as has been the case throughout its 21st flight. Discovery will now be prepared to be transported to California for a routine inspection and maintenance period. The STS-70 crew will return to Houston later today. The five astronauts are expected to arrive at Ellington Field at about 5 p.m. today. The public is invited to attend the traditional welcoming ceremonies at NASA's Hangar 990 at the north end of the airfield. Disassembly of the RSRM factory joint after landing identified that the solid rocket boster (SRB) motor factory joint experienced an o-ring problem similar to what was discovered on STS-71 (after STS-70 launched). This will impact the launch date of STS-69.