Red Team to study fire supression
Monday, Jan. 27, 2003 at 9:45 a.m. EST

Columbia's Red Team of Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon are back on duty this morning, working in the shuttle's crew cabin and the Spacehab laboratory module in the cargo bay.

They were awakened at 3:39 a.m. EST, went on duty at 5:09 a.m. EST and are to handover to the Blue Team at 5:39 p.m. EST followed by retiring at 7:39 p.m. EST.

On tap for today are some familiar experiments involving the study of the human body's reaction to space, checking on the health and status of a variety of experiments that don't need crew intervention and working on some technology experiments.

One new acronym has shown up on the mission flight plan: MIST, which is short for Water Mist Fire Supression experiment. In the same combustion module that astronauts have been setting fires to learn more about burning things in space, now the aim of the research will be on how to more efficiently snuff out fires in space.

Also on the schedule for today at 12:34 p.m. EST is a ship-to-ship call with the International Space Station's Expedition Six crew of Ken Bowersox, Don Pettit and Nikolai Budarin. The shuttle and station are in very different orbits, but from time to time they are flying close enough to see each other and communicate.

The two ships passed about a 100 miles of each other on Saturday, but the lighting conditions prevented Columbia's crew from seeing the station. The Expedition Six crew were asleep at the time.

And finally, the last word on Super Bowl XXXVII: What I meant to say was that Oakland would score a field goal first, not win by a field goal. No, really I did. There must have been a problem with the publishing system. I blame solar flares.

We will next update this page by 11 p.m. EST, sooner if events warrant.

Due to a file management mistake on the part of your's truly, we are missing the updates for Monday night Jan. 27 and Tuesday morning Jan. 28. Suffice it to say, science operations continued around the clock with troubleshooting the MIST experiment as the main topic of discussion.

-- Jim Banke

Blue Team to grapple with balky hardware
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2003 at 11 p.m. EST

Shuttle Columbia's Blue Team of pilot Willie McCool and mission specialists Dave Brown and Mike Anderson will attempt to salvage an important experiment threatened by a leaky combustion facility in the Spacehab Research Double Module.

Combustion Module-2 Facility, which is used for fire-related experiments, failed its initial leak checks Monday. Mission specialist Mike Anderson is scheduled to begin work with the Water Mist Fire Suppression Experiment (MIST) experiment tonight, assuming that the combustion module is functional.

The MIST experiment will investigate how water mist inhibits the spread of flames. Scientists hope to apply what they learn to designs for improved, lighter-weight fire suppression systems on Earth, as well as for spacecraft-based systems.

The Blue Team was awakened at 3:39 p.m. EST and relieved Columbia's Red Team at about 5:09 p.m. EST to continue working on Columbia's array of experiments. The astronauts are divided into two teams working 12-hour shifts to assure that scientific research is conducted round-the-clock.

The Blue Team will continue with tests of their hearts, lungs and metabolism associated with ARMS or Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System - a suite of monitoring instruments and supplies. Experiments will also be conducted with the PCBA (Portable Clinical Blood Analyzer) - a system for in-vitro analysis of fresh whole blood - and PhAB4, which stands for Physiology and Biochemistry.

Observations with MEIDEX or Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment will continue. MEIDEX is an Earth observation experiment consisting of a radiometric camera and a video camera, to measure a dust plume north of the Gulf of Sidra.

The Blue Team will work on their experiments until about 5:29 a.m. EST Wednesday when they will be officially relieved by the Red Team of Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. The Blue Team will then begin a scheduled sleep period at 7:39 a.m. EST.

All of Columbia's systems continue to function well.

We will next update this box Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. EST, earlier if events warrant.

Shuttle crew answers questions
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003 at 10 a.m. EST

The traditional in-flight press conference was held earlier this morning and all seven astronauts participated.

They offered answers to a variety of questions that allowed them to sum up how things were going during the mission.

We asked payload commander Mike Anderson to compare how their work is alike and different from what's being done on the International Space Station.

"A lot of what we're doing now is really in preparation for future flights aboard the space station. A lot of experiments that we have are really just being demonstrated and developed, and once they're fully developed they'll reside on board the space station and the scientists on board the space station will have years to conduct the experiments that we're trying to do here in a relatively short period of time."

"The science we're doing here is great and it's fantastic, it's leading edge, but I think once we get a seven-member crew on board the space station you're really going to see some outstanding science in space."

"This flight has been absolutely fantastic. I think a lot of our experiments have exceeded our expectations by a hundred percent. We've seen things that we really never expected to see on board this flight."

FLORIDA TODAY reporter Chris Kridler asked each of the crewmembers to describe any "Oh, wow!" moments for them, and in a rare offering each of the seven-member crew took the microphone and described some special moments they have experienced during the past two weeks in space, proving that even a science research mission can be made interesting.

We will post her story later today.

In the meantime, our next update to this box will come by 11 p.m. EST tonight, earlier if events warrant.

Columbia's Blue Team to practice fire suppression
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003 at 11 p.m. EST

Fire in a crewed spacecraft is a mission planner's nightmare. Perfecting methods to extinguish that same fire, burning in a microgravity environment, may prove invaluable to designers of future spacecraft and fire suppression researchers on Earth.

Shuttle Columbia's Blue Team - Pilot Willie McCool and Mission Specialists Dave Brown and Mike Anderson - will use a water mist to extinguish flames tonight in SPACEHAB's specially designed Combustion Module.

Combustion Module-2 Facility, used for fire-related experiments, is back in service after a balky seal was fixed on Tuesday. The Blue Team is scheduled to continue work with the Water Mist Fire Suppression Experiment (MIST) experiment tonight, investigating how water mist inhibits the spread of flames. Scientists hope to apply what they learn to designs for improved, lighter-weight fire suppression systems on Earth, as well as for spacecraft-based systems.

The Blue Team was awakened at 3:39 p.m. EST and relieved Columbia's Red Team at about 5:09 p.m. EST to continue work on Columbia's suite of experiments. A pair of astronaut teams is working 12-hour shifts to assure that scientific research is conducted round-the-clock.

The Blue Team will continue with tests of their hearts, lungs and metabolism associated with ARMS or Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System - a suite of monitoring instruments and supplies - as well as analyzing fresh whole blood using the PCBA (Portable Clinical Blood Analyzer) experiment.

Observations with MEIDEX or Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment will also continue.

The Blue Team will work on their experiments until about 4:49 a.m. EST Thursday when they will be officially relieved by the Red Team of Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. Pilot Willie McCool will then spend some time preparing for Saturday's scheduled landing before beginning a sleep period, along with the other Blue Team members, at 8:39 a.m. EST.

Columbia's systems continue to function well as NASA's oldest Orbiter begins its third week in orbit.

We will next update this box Thursday morning at 10 a.m. EST, earlier if events warrant.

Science operations begin winding down
Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 at 10 a.m. EST

Today is Flight Day 15 and basically the last full day for science operations on board shuttle Columbia.

The Red Team of Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon have been on duty since 4:49 a.m. EST and will continue working a nearly full plate of science experiments until 5:09 p.m. EST, after which the Blue Team of Willie McCool, Dave Brown and Mike Anderson will begin their last shift of science.

Although Spacehab isn't scheduled to be deactivated until Friday evening, most of the work day tomorrow will involve shutting down experiments, packing up gear and preparing the shuttle for Saturday's scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center.

During the next few hours, the Red Team's science duties will include working on an assortment of experiments related to studying how the human body reacts to spaceflight and looking for dust and other stuff in Earth's atmosphere.

There are some landing preparations scheduled for today, including shutting down an instrument that was looking at the sun, practicing landing using an onboard flight simulator and performing a maintenance task on the Spacehab's water separator system to put it in a good configuration for Saturday's homecoming.

We will next update this box tonight by 11 p.m. EST, earlier if events warrant.

Blue Team shutting down science operations
Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 at 11 p.m. EST

Shuttle Columbia's Blue Team - Pilot Willie McCool and Mission Specialists Dave Brown and Mike Anderson - will wrap up science operations tonight and begin stowing equipment and experiments for Saturday's return to Earth.

The Blue Team was awakened at 4:39 p.m. EST and relieved Columbia's Red Team at about 5:09 p.m. EST to complete work on Columbia's cargo of 80-plus experiments. Two teams of astronauts worked 12-hour shifts to maximize scientific research on this marathon mission.

Mission specialist Dave Brown expressed sentiments shared by the entire crew shortly after tonight's wake-up call.

"I think as much as we've enjoyed it up here, we're also starting to look forward to seeing all the people back on Earth that we miss and love so much," remarked Brown.

The Water Mist Fire Suppression Experiment (MIST), which got a late start due to problems setting up the test chamber, will make several more runs to study the effectiveness of fog-like water droplet concentrations in putting out flames. Scientists hope to apply what they learn to designs for improved, lighter-weight fire suppression systems on Earth, as well as for spacecraft-based systems.

The Blue Team will also store the final blood, urine and saliva samples collected for studies of human physiology associated with the ARMS or Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System - a suite of monitoring instruments and supplies - as well as the Physiology and Biochemistry Team experiments. The samples will be kept at appropriate temperatures in refrigeration systems in the SPACEHAB module for return to Earth and further study.

The Blue Team will begin a scheduled sleep period at about 8:39 a.m. EST Friday after being relieved by the Red Team of Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon.

Columbia is scheduled to land at 9:16 a.m. EST Saturday and preliminary forecasts indicate excellent conditions at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. All of Columbia's systems continue to function well.

We will next update this box Friday morning at 10 a.m. EST, earlier if events warrant.

It's time to come home
Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 at 10 a.m. EST

Shuttle Columbia's Red Team -- Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon -- are hard at work preparing for Saturday's planned homecoming to the Kennedy Space Center.

After a busy 16 days of intense science operations, the 80-plus experiments on this flight are either shut down or about to be wrapped up as the crew packs up the orbiter.

This morning the shuttle's reaction control system steering jets, auxiliary power units and hydraulic systems, wing and body flaps and other systems were put through their paces to ensure all was in working order for the trip back through Earth's atmosphere -- and all is well.

Later today the crew will finish shutting down the Spacehab module inside Columbia's cargo bay, turn off the lights and close the hatches. Officials said Thursday that even if Columbia does not land as planned on Saturday there were no plans to go back inside Spacehab once the module was deactivated.

So far the weather forecast looks good in Florida for the targeted 9:16 a.m. EST touchdown, and Edwards Air Force Base in California will not be called up as a backup landing site for Saturday.

We will post a complete landing preview story later today and then update this box again by 11 p.m. EST, sooner if events warrant.

We also invite you to get up early with us on Saturday as we provide complete coverage and frequent updates of STS-107's return to Earth beginning about 5:30 a.m. EST.

Blue shift up for the duration
Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 at 10:30 p.m. EST

For what we expect is the final time, the Blue Team of Willie McCool, Mike Anderson and Dave Brown were awakened late this afternoon to begin a very long work day that could keep them up for almost a full 24 hours.

Their chief job tonight is to finish turning off experiments and packing up gear for the planned landing at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday. They've already stowed the Ku-band antenna and begun deactivating the Spacehab module.

The Red Team of Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon will be awakened at 1:39 a.m. EST to join in the pre-landing activities.

The hatches between Spacehab and Columbia's crew cabin are expected to be closed between 4 and 5 a.m. EST, the official start of the de-orbit checklist is expected at 4:18 a.m. EST and the shuttle's payload bay doors are to be closed at 5:35 a.m. EST.

A few minutes after that the shuttle's computers are to be loaded with the entry and landing software.

The weather forecast is ideal for a 9:16 a.m. EST landing. Patchy dense fog along Florida's Space Coast tonight is expected to be gone by sunrise -- and it is really thick here at the Cape Canaveral Bureau tonight.

We will have complete landing coverage with frequent updates Saturday morning starting around 5:45 a.m. EST when we can confirm that the payload bay doors are closed.

Columbia's doors closed for landing
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 5:55 a.m. EST

Shuttle Columbia's payload bay doors have been closed and latched in final preparation for its fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere and a long, gliding descent to the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The crew has also been given a 'Go' for OPS-3 transition, that is, loading the onboard flight computers with the software used for de-orbit, reentry and landing.

The shuttle is expected to land on the first of two Florida landing opportunities available today at 9:16 a.m. EST on orbit 255, with a backup slot at 10:50 a.m. EST during orbit 256.

Weather conditions for a Florida landing today are favorable. NASA & NOAA's Spaceflight Meteorology Group forecasts only scattered clouds and light northwesterly winds, both well within limits for landing. The only concern is some patchy ground fog and a layer of low clouds that are expected to burn off after sunrise on Florida's Space Coast.

The backup shuttle landing site at Edwards AFB, Calif. has not been activated because Columbia's return to Florida today is almost a certainty.

Barring any unforeseen problems, Mission Control will issue the "go for de-orbit burn" command just before 8 a.m. EST. Firing of Columbia’s braking rockets will occur at 8:15 a.m. EST for the first landing opportunity, enabling the shuttle to drop out of orbit for its hour-long descent back to Earth and a touchdown on the 3-mile long Shuttle Landing Facility runway.

We will next update this box at about 7 a.m. EST, earlier if events warrant.

Astronauts preparing for Columbia's reentry
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 7 a.m. EST

The seven astronauts on shuttle Columbia have donned their orange launch-and-entry suits in preparation for reentry and landing this morning.

The Orbiter is expected to complete its 16-day marathon science mission with a landing on the first of two Florida opportunities available today at 9:16 a.m. EST on orbit 255, with a backup slot at 10:50 a.m. EST during orbit 256.

Columbia's payload bay doors have been closed and latched in final preparation for its fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere and a long, gliding descent to the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility and its onboard flight computers are running the software package required for de-orbit, reentry and landing.

Weather conditions for a Florida landing today are favorable for a touchdown on KSC's runway 33. The Spaceflight Meteorology Group forecasts only scattered clouds and light northwesterly winds, both well within limits for landing. Patches of ground fog and a layer of low clouds are expected to burn off after sunrise on Florida's Space Coast. Flight controllers are watching some unusual winds aloft that may affect Columbia's landing approach.

The backup shuttle landing site at Edwards AFB, Calif. has not been activated because Columbia's return to Florida today is almost a certainty.

Barring any unforeseen problems, Mission Control will issue the "go for de-orbit burn" command just before 8 a.m. EST. Firing of Columbia’s braking rockets will occur at 8:15 a.m. EST for the first landing opportunity, enabling the shuttle to drop out of orbit for its hour-long descent back to Earth and a touchdown on the 3-mile long Shuttle Landing Facility runway.

We will next update this box at about 7:55 a.m. EST with the "Go for de-orbit burn" call, sooner if events warrant.

Columbia headed for Florida homecoming
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 8:18 a.m. EST

Shuttle Columbia has ignited its braking rockets and started a fiery plunge through Earth's atmosphere and a long, gliding descent to the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to end its 16-day marathon science mission. The shuttle will land at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Columbia just completed a 2-minute, 38-second firing of its twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines that began at 8:15 a.m. EST to reduce the shuttle's velocity sufficiently to drop it out of orbit and begin an hour-long free-fall descent back to Earth. 

The Orbiter will encounter the upper fringes of the atmosphere at about 400,000 feet in altitude, followed by a series of turns and banking maneuvers to slow the vehicle for its powerless touchdown on the 3-mile long Shuttle Landing Facility runway 33.

The shuttle should light up like a very bright but relatively slow-moving meteor and should be visible for hundreds of miles on either side of the path. Pacific Time Zone residents should start watching at about 5:50 a.m. local time, Mountain Time Zone residents may see the shuttle soon after 6:50 a.m.

Weather conditions for a Florida landing today are acceptable for a touchdown on KSC's runway 33. Flight controllers are watching some unusual winds aloft that may affect Columbia's landing approach.

We will next update this box at about 8:45 a.m. EST when Columbia reaches entry interface, sooner if events warrant.

Columbia blazing across western U.S. skies
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 8:45 a.m. EST

Shuttle Columbia has reached "entry interface", or entering the upper fringes of Earth's atmosphere at about 400,000 feet, as it begins a fiery reentry and a long, gliding descent to the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to end its 16-day marathon science mission.

The shuttle will land at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Following reentry, the Orbiter will make a series of turns and banking maneuvers to slow the vehicle for its powerless touchdown on the 3-mile long Shuttle Landing Facility runway 33.

Columbia's reentry is providing a spectacular site in the pre-dawn skies over the western U.S.. SPACE.com's Joe Rao describes the trajectory: "The shuttle will be re-entering the Earth's atmosphere over the San Francisco Bay Area at 5:52 a.m. PST ... yielding a spectacular sight to all of central and northern California, Nevada and points east almost to the Mississippi River basin where sunlight will begin to interfere."

The shuttle should light up like a very bright but relatively slow-moving meteor and should be visible for hundreds of miles on either side of the path. Pacific Time Zone residents should start watching at about 5:50 a.m. local time, Mountain Time Zone residents may see the shuttle soon after 6:50 a.m.

Weather conditions for a Florida landing today are acceptable for a touchdown on KSC's runway 33. Flight controllers are watching some unusual winds aloft that may affect Columbia's landing approach. The landing convoy of support vehicles is in place to converge upon Columbia and retrieve the seven astronauts following touchdown. 

We will next update this box at 9:16 a.m. EST when Columbia lands at KSC, sooner if events warrant.

Location of space shuttle Columbia is unknown
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 9:16 a.m. EST

The space shuttle Columbia is missing and presumed lost.

Mission control in Houston last made contact with the Orbiter as it reentered Earth's atmosphere at about 207,000 feet over Texas at about 9 a.m. EST, about 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Columbia was scheduled to land at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Tracking systems at the Kennedy Space Center did not acquire Columbia as it approached the Florida coast

We will next update this box as soon as more information becomes available. Search and rescue crews looking for Columbia
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 9:30 a.m. EST

The space shuttle Columbia is missing and presumed lost.

Search and rescue crews have been dispatched to the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. NBC News is reporting a large explosion over Dallas, Texas. Video of Columbia's descent over Texas shows multiple trails of debris reentering the atmosphere.

Mission Control in Houston last made contact with the Orbiter as it reentered Earth's atmosphere at about 207,000 feet over Texas at about 9 a.m. EST, about 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Columbia was scheduled to land at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Tracking systems at the Kennedy Space Center did not acquire Columbia when it was scheduled to approach the Florida coast.

We will next update this box as soon as more information becomes available.

Shuttle Columbia, seven astronauts apparently lost during reentry
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 10:45 a.m. EST

The space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven astronauts are missing and presumed lost. NASA has lowered flags to half-staff at the Kennedy Space Center.

Search and rescue crews have been dispatched to the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. NBC News has reported a large explosion over Dallas, Texas and eyewitnesses near Dallas report hearing loud explosions at the time Columbia was scheduled to pass overhead.

Video of Columbia's descent over Texas shows the vehicle breaking up upon reentry.

Law enforcement authorities report numerous pieces of debris landing in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Mission Control in Houston last made contact with the Orbiter at about 9 a.m. EST as it reentered Earth's atmosphere over north-central Texas. Columbia was at about 207,000 feet altitude, traveling at about 12,500 mph, when contact was lost, about 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Columbia was scheduled to land at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Tracking systems at the Kennedy Space Center did not acquire Columbia when it was scheduled to approach the Florida coast.

We will next update this box as soon as more information becomes available.

Columbia breaks up during reentry, seven astronauts apparently lost
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 11:45 a.m. EST

Space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven astronauts are missing and presumed lost after the Orbiter broke up during reentry this morning.

NASA has lowered flags to half-staff at the Kennedy Space Center. A NASA news conference scheduled for 11:30 a.m. EST at the Kennedy Space Center has been delayed.

A White House spokesperson states that there is no reason to believe that the accident is terrorism-related. President Bush is returning to the White House and will address the nation later today.

Video of Columbia's descent over Texas shows the vehicle breaking up upon reentry.

Law enforcement authorities report numerous pieces of debris landing in Nacogdoches and Palestine, Texas, and there are reports of smoldering debris landing over several hundred square miles of eastern Texas.

Search and rescue crews have been dispatched to the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. Numerous eyewitnesses near Dallas report hearing loud explosions at the time Columbia was scheduled to pass overhead.

Mission Control in Houston last made contact with the Orbiter at about 9 a.m. EST as it reentered Earth's atmosphere over north-central Texas. Columbia was at about 207,000 feet altitude, traveling at about 12,500 mph, when contact was lost, about 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Columbia was scheduled to land at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Tracking systems at the Kennedy Space Center did not acquire Columbia when it was scheduled to approach the Florida coast.

We will next update this box as soon as more information becomes available.

Columbia destroyed during reentry, seven astronauts lost
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 at 2:10 p.m. EST

In an address to the nation, President George W. Bush has just confirmed that the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven astronauts were lost today after the Orbiter broke up during reentry on its landing approach to the Kennedy Space Center.

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe notified President Bush moments after Columbia's scheduled landing time had passed without any sighting of the Orbiter. O'Keefe has met with the astronauts' families gathered at the Florida landing site for Columbia's landing.

A visibly shaken astronaut Bill Readdy, speaking at a press conference, announced somberly that "sadly, it does not appear that there are any survivors."

President Bush has called the astronauts' families to express the nation's condolences. The President also called Israeli Prime Minister Sharon to discuss the tragedy - the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon was one of Columbia's seven crewmembers.

Both NASA and White House officials have stated that there is no reason to believe that the accident is terrorism-related.

Mission Control in Houston last made contact with the Orbiter at about 9 a.m. EST as it reentered Earth's atmosphere over north-central Texas. Columbia was at about 207,000 feet altitude, traveling at about Mach 18 or 12,500 mph, when contact was lost, about 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.

Tracking systems at the Kennedy Space Center did not acquire Columbia when it was scheduled to approach the Florida coast.

The last communication from the crew made a reference to a "tire pressure" indicator.

Video of Columbia's descent over Texas shows the vehicle breaking up upon reentry. Weather radar from Shreveport, Louisiana shows a wide swath of heated particles extending over several hundred miles as the vehicle disintegrated.

Law enforcement authorities report numerous pieces of debris landing in Nacogdoches and Palestine, Texas. Aerial video shows smoldering debris landing over several hundred square miles of eastern Texas.