The longest Shuttle flight to date came to a successful close as the orbiter Columbia (STS-78) touched down on Runway 33 of the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. During the nearly 17-day flight, the seven crew members on board for the 78th Shuttle mission conducted extensive research in the primary payload, the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS). The results from this Marshall managed payload will be sent to Marshall Space Flight Center for futher review.
Midmorning proved the perfect time for a Space Shuttle launch as the thunderstorms that characteristically develop later in the day during hot Florida summers held off long enough to allow a flawless liftoff for the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-78) and her crew of seven and the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), managed by Marshall Space Flight Center. During the 17 day spaceflight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations; and, in a marner very similar to future international space station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment.
Midmorning proved the perfect time for a Space Shuttle launch as the thunderstorms that characteristically develop later in the day during hot Florida summers held off long enough to allow a flawless liftoff for the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-78) and her crew of seven and the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), managed by Marshall Space Flight Center. During the 17 day spaceflight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations; and, in a marner very similar to future international space station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment.
Midmorning proved the perfect time for a Space Shuttle launch as the thunderstorms that characteristically develop later in the day during hot Florida summers held off long enough to allow a flawless liftoff for the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-78) and her crew of seven and the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), managed by Marshall Space Flight Center. During the 17 day spaceflight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations; and, in a marner very similar to future international space station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment.
STS078-397-030 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Five NASA astronauts and two international payload specialists take a break from a Shuttle duration record-breaker flight to pose for the traditional inflight crew portrait. The photograph should be oriented with payload commander Susan J. Helms at bottom center. Others, clockwise, are French payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, Canadian payload specialist Robert B. Thirsk; and astronauts Kevin R. Kregel, pilot; and Charles J. (Chuck) Brady and Richard M. Linnehan, both mission specialists, and Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, mission commander. The crew chose the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) Science Module, situated in the Space Shuttle Columbia's cargo bay, for the portrait setting.
The crew assigned to the STS-78 mission included (seated left to right) Terrence T. (Tom) Henricks, commander; and Kevin R. Kregel, pilot. Standing, left to right, are Jean-Jacques Favier (CNES), payload specialist; Richard M. Linneham, mission specialist; Susan J. Helms, payload commander; Charles E. Brady, mission specialist; and Robert Brent Thirsk (CSA). Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on June 20, 1996 at 10:49:00 am (EDT), the STS-78 mission’s primary payloads was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS). Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS.
The STS-78 patch links past with present to tell the story of its mission and science through a design imbued with the strength and vitality of the 2-dimensional art of North America's northwest coast Indians. Central to the design is the space Shuttle whose bold lines and curves evoke the Indian image for the eagle, a native American symbol of power and prestige as well as the national symbol of the United States. The wings of the Shuttle suggest the wings of the eagle whose feathers, indicative of peace and friendship in Indian tradition, are captured by the U forms, a characteristic feature of Northwest coast Indian art. The nose of the Shuttle is the strong downward curve of the eagle's beak, and the Shuttle's forward windows, the eagle's eyes, represented through the tapered S forms again typical of this Indian art form. The basic black and red atoms orbiting the mission number recall the original NASA emblem while beneath, utilizing Indian ovoid forms, the major mission scientific experiment package LMS (Life and Materials Sciences) housed in the Shuttle's cargo bay is depicted in a manner reminiscent of totem-pole art. This image of a bird poised for flight, so common to Indian art, is counterpointed by an equally familiar Tsimshian Indian symbol, a pulsating sun with long hyperbolic rays, the symbol of life. Within each of these rays are now encased crystals, the products of this mission's 3 major, high-temperature materials processing furnaces. And as the sky in Indian lore is a lovely open country, home of the Sun Chief and accessible to travelers through a hole in the western horizon, so too, space is a vast and beckoning landscape for explorers launched beyond the horizon. Beneath the Tsimshian sun, the colors of the earth limb are appropriately enclosed by a red border representing life to the Northwest coast Indians. The Indian colors of red, navy blue, white, and black pervade the STS-78 path. To the right of the Shuttle-eagle, the constellation Delphinus recalls the dolphin, friend of ancient sailors and, now perhaps too, of the 9 space voyagers suggested by this constellation's blaze of 9 stars. The patch simultaneously celebrates international unity fostered by the Olympic spirit of sports competition at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Deliberately poised over the city of Atlanta, the Space Shuttle glows at its base with the 5 official Olympic rings in the 5 Olympic colors which can also be found throughout the patch, rings and colors which signify the 5 continents of the earth. This is an international mission and for the first time in NASA patch history, astronauts have dispensed with identifying country flags beneath their names to celebrate the spirit of international unity so characteristic of this flight.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This photo shows the LMS being installed in the payload bay of the orbiter Columbia during preflight preparations.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This onboard photo represents payload commander Susan Helms and fellow astronaut in the LMS.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This onboard photo represents a view of the LMS Module in the Cargo Bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. In this photo, LMS mission scientist Patton Downey and LMS mission manager Mark Boudreaux display the flag that was flown for the mission at MSFC.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This photo shows the LMS spacelab being installed in the payload bay of the orbiter Columbia during preflight preparations.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This photo represents payload specialist, Robert Thirsk, involved in an onboard experiment.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. In this onboard photograph, mission commander Terence Henricks is checking out equipment.
STS078-S-001 (March 1998) --- The STS-78 mission links the past with the present through a crew patch influenced by Pacific Northwest Native American art. Central to the design is the space shuttle Columbia, whose shape evokes the image of the eagle, an icon of power and prestige and the national symbol of the United States. The eagle?s feathers, representing both peace and friendship, symbolize the spirit of international unity on STS-78. An orbit surrounding the mission number recalls the traditional NASA emblem. The Life Sciences and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) is housed in Columbia?s payload bay and is depicted in a manner reminiscent of totem art. The pulsating sun, a symbol of life, displays three crystals representing STS-78?s three high-temperature microgravity materials processing facilities. The constellation Delphinus recalls the dolphin, friend of sea explorers. Each star represents one member of STS-78?s international crew including the alternate payload specialists Pedro Duque and Luca Urbani. The colored thrust rings at the base of Columbia signify the five continents of Earth united in global cooperation for the advancement of all humankind. The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not anticipated, the change will be publicly announced. Photo credit: NASA
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-78: Columbia
STS078-428-015 (20 June-7 July 1996) --- The crewmembers chose the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) Science Module as a backdrop for their traditional inflight portrait. Hold picture vertically with payload commander Susan J. Helms in lower right. Clockwise from astronaut Helms are Charles J. Brady, Richard M. Linnehan, Kevin R. Kregel, Canadian payload specialist Robert B. Thirsk, Terence T. (Tom) Henricks and French payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier. Henricks and Kregel are commander and pilot, respectively, with Linnehan and Brady serving as mission specialists.
STS078-S-002 (April 1996) --- These seven crew members will spend 16 days aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, scheduled for launch in early summer 1996. Seated are astronauts Terrence T. (Tom) Henricks (left), mission commander, and Kevin R. Kregel, pilot. Standing, from the left, are payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, along with astronauts Richard M. Linnehan, Susan J. Helms and Charles E. Brady, Jr., all mission specialists; and payload specialist Robert B. Thirsk. Thirsk is with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Favier is with the French Atomic Energy Commission (FAEC) and represents the French Space Agency (CNES). The twentieth flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia will be devoted to the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS).
Video camcorder up close to a clyinder attached to a Spacelab locker.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This photo was taken in the Shuttle Action Center (SAC) of the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at MSFC during the mission.
STS078-726-000A (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Though the Space Shuttle program has been ongoing since 1981, few pictures have been taken from Earth-orbit that show the Toledo area featured in this 70mm frame from the STS-78/LMS-1 mission. The muddy Maumee River flows through Toledo into the west end of Lake Erie. Toledo is the seat (1835) of Lucas county, northwestern Ohio, and is a principal Great Lakes port, being the hub of a metropolitan complex that includes Ottawa Hills, Maumee, Oregon, Sylvania, Perrysburg, and Rossford. Fort Industry (1803-05) was located at the mouth of Swan Creek (now downtown Toledo), where permanent settlement was made after the War of 1812. Two villages, Port Lawrence (1817) and Vistula (1832), were consolidated in 1833 and named for Toledo, Spain. The united community was incorporated as a city in 1837. Its population in 1990 was 332,943. There are many smaller Ohio cities in the photo including Bowling Green, Findlay, Tiffin, Fremont, Fostoria, and Sandusky (right edge).
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This photo represents members of the Bubble Drop and Particle Unit team expressing satisfaction with a completed experiment run at the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at MSFC.
Launched on June 20, 1996, the STS-78 mission’s primary payload was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), which was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). During the 17 day space flight, the crew conducted a diverse slate of experiments divided into a mix of life science and microgravity investigations. In a manner very similar to future International Space Station operations, LMS researchers from the United States and their European counterparts shared resources such as crew time and equipment. Five space agencies (NASA/USA, European Space Agency/Europe (ESA), French Space Agency/France, Canadian Space Agency /Canada, and Italian Space Agency/Italy) along with research scientists from 10 countries worked together on the design, development and construction of the LMS. This photo represents Data Management Coordinators monitoring the progress of the mission at the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at MSFC. Pictured are assistant mission scientist Dr. Dalle Kornfeld, Rick McConnel, and Ann Bathew.
STS078-368-022 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Astronauts Susan J. Helms, payload commander, and Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, mission commander, prepare a sample cartridge containing semiconductor crystals for Spacelab research. The crystals were later placed in the Advanced Gradient Heating Furnace (AGHF) in the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) Science Module. The AGHF is designed for directional solidification of the crystals in the sample cartridges. The microgravity of space allows the crystals to grow in a perfect state that can not be accomplished in Earth's gravity.
STS078-457-006 (20 June 1996) --- One of the first still pictures recorded by the crew members was this 35mm image of the External Fuel Tank (ET) soon after being jettisoned on launch day. The mission, less than ten minutes old when this picture was made, went on to set a Space Shuttle duration record of almost seventeen-days in Earth-orbit. The Indian Ocean forms the backdrop for the image.
Onboard Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-78) Mission Specialist Richard M. Lirnehan works out in the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) Science Module. With an almost 17-day mission away from Earth's gravity, crew members maintained an exercise regimen above and beyond their assigned LMS-1 duty assignments.
The Advanced Gradient Heating Facility (AGHF) is a European Space Agency (ESA) developed hardware. The AGHF was flown on STS-78, which featured four European PI's and two NASA PI's. The AGHFsupports the production of advanced semiconductor materials and alloys using the directional process, which depends on establishing a hot side and a cold side in the sample.
STS-87 Commander Kevin Kregel is assisted with his ascent and re-entry flight suit in the white room at Launch Pad 39B by Danny Wyatt, NASA quality assurance specialist. STS-87 is the fourth flight of the United States Microgravity Payload and Spartan-201. A veteran of two space flights (STS-70 and -78), Kregel has logged more than 618 hours in space
STS-87 Commander Kevin Kregel sits in his launch and entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building holding a cap of his son’s soccer team of which Kregel is the coach. Shortly, he and the five other crew members of STS-87 will depart for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Columbia awaits liftoff on a 16-day mission to perform microgravity and solar research. A veteran of two space flights (STS-70 and -78), Kregel has logged more than 618 hours in space
STS078-398-032 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Astronaut Susan J. Helms, payload commander, measures the distance between Jean-Jacques Favier’s head and the luminous torque, used for the Canal and Otolith Interaction Study (COIS) on the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) mission. Favier, representing the French Space Agency (CNES), is one of two international payload specialists on the almost-17-day flight. This view shows the Voluntary Head Movement (VHM) segment of the experiment. The VHM is meant to characterize how the coordination of head and eye movement changes as a result of spaceflight. Since most vestibular functions are influenced by gravity, the COIS experiment is meant to measure response differences in microgravity.
STS078-304-018 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Payload specialist Robert B. Thirsk, representing the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), performs a test on his arm using the Torque Velocity Dynamometer (TVD). Dr. Thirsk was measuring changes in muscle forces of the bicep and tricep in this particular view. The TVD hardware is also used to measure leg muscle forces and velocity at the ankle and elbow joints. Crew members for the mission performed all experiment protocols prior to flight to develop a baseline and will also perform post-flight tests to complete the analysis. Additionally, muscle biopsies were taken before the flight and will be conducted after the flight.
STS078-301-021 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, representing the French Space Agency (CNES), holds up a test container to a Spacelab camera. The test involves the Bubble Drop Particle Unit (BDPU), which Favier is showing to ground controllers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in order to check the condition of the unit prior to heating in the BDPU facility. The test container holds experimental fluid and allows experiment observation through optical windows. BDPU contains three internal cameras that are used to continuously downlink BDPU activity so that behavior of the bubbles can be monitored. Astronaut Richard M. Linnehan, mission specialist, conducts biomedical testing in the background.
STS078-429-017 (20 June-7 July 1996) --- Aboard the middeck of the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Columbia, astronaut Charles J. Brady, mission specialist and a licensed amateur radio operator or "ham", talks to students on Earth. Some of the crew members devoted some of their off-duty time to continue a long-standing Shuttle tradition of communicating with students and other hams between their shifts of assigned duty. Brady joined four other NASA astronauts and two international payload specialists for almost 17-days of research in support of the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) mission.
STS078-306-035 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Astronaut Susan J. Helms, payload commander, and payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, representing the French Space Agency (CNES), insert a test container into the Bubble Drop Particle Unit (BDPU) in the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) Science Module aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. The fluid in the chamber is heated and the fluid processes are observed by use of three internal cameras mounted inside the BDPU. Investigations in this facility will help characterize interfacial processes involving either bubbles, drops, liquid columns or liquid layers.
STS078-396-015 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, representing the French Space Agency (CNES), prepares a sample for the Advanced Gradient Heating Facility (AGHF) while wearing instruments that measure upper body movement. The Torso Rotation Experiment (TRE) complements other vestibular studies that measure differences in the way human beings react physically to their surroundings in microgravity. This is a typical Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) mission scene, with several experiments being performed. Astronaut Susan J. Helms, payload commander, assists Favier in the AGHF preparations. Astronaut Richard M. Linnehan (bottom right), mission specialist, tests his muscle response with the Handgrip Dynamometer. Astronaut Thomas T. (Tom) Henricks (far background), mission commander, offers assistance.
STS078-397-010 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, representing the French Space Agency (CNES), and astronaut Kevin R. Kregel, pilot, perform a successful Inflight Maintenance (IFM) on the Bubble Drop Particle Unit (BDPU). The IFM technique was performed initially on the ground at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) by alternate payload specialist Pedro Duque of the European Space Agency (ESA), with the procedure being recorded on video and uplinked to the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia to aid in the repair.
STS078-432-009 (20 June-7 July 1996) --- Among the inflight maintenance (IFM) chores that were handled by the crew members during their almost 17 days in space aboard the space shuttle Columbia was one that involved going into the bay beneath the floor of the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) Science Module. Astronaut Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, mission commander, shines a tiny flashlight onto some cables related to LMS-1 supported computer systems. As in the case of the other IFM chores, Henricks' efforts were successful. He was joined by four other NASA astronauts and two international payload specialists for the space shuttle duration record-setting mission.
STS078-430-009 (20 June-7 July 1996) --- Astronaut Richard M. Linnehan, mission specialist, performs a test on his leg using the Torque Velocity Dynamometer (TVD). Dr. Thirsk was measuring changes in muscle forces of the leg in this particular view. The TVD hardware is also used to measure arm muscle forces and velocity at the bicep and tricep areas. Crewmembers for the mission performed all experiment protocols prior to flight to develop a baseline and will also perform post-flight tests to complete the analysis. Additionally, muscle biopsies were taken before the flight and will be conducted after the flight.
STS029-78-019 (13 March 1989) --- Headed on its way to a much higher orbit is another Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-D), as photographed with a 70mm camera from inside Discovery's cabin. Moments earlier, the STS-29 crewmembers released the cylindrical form into space from Discovery's cargo bay. When at its final destination high above Earth, TDRS-D will no longer maintain its cylindrical form, having transformed into an operational satellite with antenna spanned out in various directions and its Interim Upper Stage (IUS), covered with gold foil and forward-most in this frame, discarded.
Kevin Kregel, commander of the STS-87 crew, participates in a news briefing at Launch Pad 39B during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Selected by NASA in 1992, Kregel is a veteran of two space flights (STS-70 and 78) and has logged over 618 hours in space. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight providing the crew of each mission opportunities to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-87 is scheduled for launch Nov. 19 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia from pad 39B at KSC
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With sunrise just minutes away, the orbiter Columbia swoops down on KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33. The 33rd KSC landing in Shuttle program history is set to occur on the first opportunity Dec. 7 at 6:49 a.m. EST. Prior landing attempts Dec. 5 and 6 were scrubbed due to weather conditions. The extended time aloft allowed the five- member crew of Mission STS-80 to set a new record for long-duration Shuttle flight. At main gear touchdown, mission duration will be about 17 days, 16 hours, surpassing the 16-day, 21-hour set by the STS-78 crew earlier this year. Guiding Columbia onto the runway is STS-80 Commander Kenneth D. Cockrell; the pilot is Kent V. Rominger. The three mission specialists are Tamara E. Jernigan, Thomas D. Jones and Story Musgrave
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With sunrise just minutes away, the orbiter Columbia swoops down on KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33. The 33rd KSC landing in Shuttle program history is set to occur on the first opportunity Dec. 7 at 6:49 a.m. EST. Prior landing attempts Dec. 5 and 6 were scrubbed due to weather conditions. The extended time aloft allowed the five- member crew of Mission STS-80 to set a new record for long-duration Shuttle flight. At main gear touchdown, mission duration will be about 17 days, 16 hours, surpassing the 16-day, 21-hour set by the STS-78 crew earlier this year. Guiding Columbia onto the runway is STS-80 Commander Kenneth D. Cockrell; the pilot is Kent V. Rominger. The three mission specialists are Tamara E. Jernigan, Thomas D. Jones and Story Musgrave.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With sunrise just minutes away, the orbiter Columbia swoops down on KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33. The 33rd KSC landing in Shuttle program history is set to occur on the first opportunity Dec. 7 at 6:49 a.m. EST. Prior landing attempts Dec. 5 and 6 were scrubbed due to weather conditions. The extended time aloft allowed the five- member crew of Mission STS-80 to set a new record for long-duration Shuttle flight. At main gear touchdown, mission duration will be about 17 days, 16 hours, surpassing the 16-day, 21-hour set by the STS-78 crew earlier this year. Guiding Columbia onto the runway is STS-80 Commander Kenneth D. Cockrell; the pilot is Kent V. Rominger. The three mission specialists are Tamara E. Jernigan, Thomas D. Jones and Story Musgrave.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With sunrise just minutes away, the orbiter Columbia swoops down on KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33. The 33rd KSC landing in Shuttle program history is set to occur on the first opportunity Dec. 7 at 6:49 a.m. EST. Prior landing attempts Dec. 5 and 6 were scrubbed due to weather conditions. The extended time aloft allowed the five- member crew of Mission STS-80 to set a new record for long-duration Shuttle flight. At main gear touchdown, mission duration will be about 17 days, 16 hours, surpassing the 16-day, 21-hour set by the STS-78 crew earlier this year. Guiding Columbia onto the runway is STS-80 Commander Kenneth D. Cockrell; the pilot is Kent V. Rominger. The three mission specialists are Tamara E. Jernigan, Thomas D. Jones and Story Musgrave.
STS042-78-061 (22-30 Jan. 1992) --- The seven STS-42 crewmembers pose for a traditional in-space portrait in the shirt-sleeve environment of the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1) science module in the shuttle's cargo bay. (Hold picture with index numbers at top.) David C. Hilmers, mission specialist, is at top center of the 70mm image. Others pictured are (clockwise) Ronald J. Grabe, mission commander; William F. Readdy; mission specialist; Ulf Merbold, European Space Agency (ESA) payload specialist; Norman E. Thagard, payload commander; Stephen S. Oswald, pilot; and Roberta L. Bondar, Canadian payload specialist. The rotating chair, used often in biomedical tests on the eight-day flight, is (partially obscured) in center frame.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The drag chute pops open as the orbiter Columbia glides down Runway 33 of the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown occurred at 8:36 a.m. EDT, July 7, 1996. A mission duration of 16 days, 21 hours, and 47 minutes made STS-78 the longest Shuttle flight to date. On board are a crew of seven: mission Commander Terence "Tom" Henricks; Pilot Kevin R. Kregel; Payload Commander Susan J. Helms; Mission Specialists Richard M. Linnehan and Charles E. Brady Jr.; and Payload Specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, representing the French Space Agency (CNES) and Robert Brent Thirsk, of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) . The primary payload of the 78th Shuttle flight was the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS)
STS078-751-012 (20 June-7 July 1996) --- The international crew of the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) mission onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia photographed this oblique view of the "toe" of Italy and the island of Sicily. Southern Italy is known as the Mezzogiorno because of the intensity of sunshine there at midday (Mezzogiorno is the Italian term for "midday" or "noon"). Mezzogiorno is a mainland subregion consisting of the modern southern Italian regions of Abruzzi, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria and an insular subregion composed of Sicily and Sardinia. Southern Italy is dominated by the Apennine Range, seen in the photo on the west side, and up to one-half of the land is too steep for any form of cultivation. Coastal plains are generally narrow and poorly drained and are limited to the environs of the cities of Naples and Salerno, Foggia, and Taranto. Chief crops in this region include wheat, olives, grapes, peaches, apricots, pears, and various vegetables. Iron, steel, machine tools, agricultural machinery, and petrochemicals are produced in the industrial triangle of Bari, Brindisi, and Taranto; industries around Naples are more diversified and produce textiles and various consumer goods, iron, steel, Olivetti office machinery, Pirelli cables, Alfa Romeo automobiles, and ships. The Adriatic Sea on the east separates it from the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea on the south separates it from North Africa. Three major tectonic plates, converging from the south, the west, and the northeast, create geologically unstable conditions throughout southern Italy and Sicily. The most famous of southern Italy's four active volcanoes is Mount Vesuvius, whose eruption in AD 79 destroyed Pompeii. Sicily's Mount Etna and Stromboli, on an island north of Sicily, were active during this Space Shuttle mission.
STS078-742-004 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- This is a north-looking perspective of the major volcanoes of the Cascade Mountains of southern Washington and northern Oregon. With the Earth limb in the upper left corner of the photo, the large mountain at the top right, or northern part of the photo, is Mt. Rainier. The next snow covered area to the south east of Mt. Rainier is Gilbert Point. Mt. Adams is the larger peak, south-southeast of Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens is the gray patch in the center of the photo, west of Mt. Adams. Mt. St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, removing 1,300 feet of the 9,677-ft. volcano. The eruption toppled trees with a searing, stone-filled 275-mile-per-hour wind over an area of more than 150 square miles. This area, now referred to as the "blast zone", can be easily spotted in this view. NASA scientists say that natural regrowth of vegetation within the blast zone is progressing at a rapid rate, especially on the outer fringes and in the protected valleys. Many fir trees have grown to heights exceeding 20 feet in a little over 12 years. A large lava dome within the crater of the volcano has grown to a height of over 1,000 feet since the 1980 eruption. The next three snow covered peaks are Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson and the Three Sisters all located in Oregon.
STS078-760-010 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- As photographed with color infrared film by the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, the capital of the United States of America (the right of center) is located at the head of the navigable portion of the Potomac River. The Potomac separates the capital from Virginia to the southwest. It covers an area of 68-square-mile (177-square-kilometers). Andrews Air Force Base is seen east southwest of Washington D.C. at the right edge of the photo. Dulles International Airport is located west of the city on the left edge of the photo. Green vegetation shows up as red in the color infrared image.
STS078-S-008 (20 June 1996) --- With an international payload and crew aboard, the Space Shuttle Columbia lifts off from Launch Pad 39B, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Possibly expected to be NASA's longest duration Shuttle flight to date, the mission officially began at 10:49:00 a.m. (EDT), June 20, 1996. Onboard for Columbia’s 20th flight were astronauts Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, mission commander; Kevin R. Kregel, pilot; Susan J. Helms, payload commander; and Richard M. Linnehan and Charles E. Brady, Jr., both mission specialists, along with payload specialists Jean-Jacques Favier of the French Space Agency (CNES) and Robert B. Thirsk of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Flying in Columbia’s payload bay is the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), carrying a complement of United States and international experiments.
STS078-752-050 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- A large portion of southeastern France is depicted in this view. The pictured area extends from the port of Marseilles northeastward over the Alps to Lake Geneva in the upper right hand corner. Marseilles is the second largest city proper (population in 1990 was 807,726) and the largest commercial seaport of France and since 1970 it has rivaled Rotterdam as a transit port for all of Europe. It is situated on the Mediterranean's Gulf of Lion within a semicircle of limestone hills. Settled by Greeks from Asia Minor during the 7th century BC, Marseilles is the oldest of France's major cities.
STS078-751-076 (20 June-7 July 1996) --- Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, host area for 1996 Summer Olympics was captured on film by one of the crew members using a 70mm handheld camera. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport is visible to the south of Atlanta, near the center of the photograph. Dobbins Air Force Base and a portion of the city of Marietta can also be seen to the north of Atlanta in the upper left hand corner. The complex system of transportation routes and interstate highways is seen surrounding and traversing Atlanta. The white dot near the center of the city is the Georgia Dome, a major sports and entertainment complex in downtown Atlanta. Atlanta is the cultural, industrial, transportation, financial, and commercial center of the South. It has one of the busiest air traffic hubs in the United States. A major aircraft assembly plant is located north of Atlanta in Marietta. The Stone Mountain Memorial, with its enormous relief carvings of Confederate figures, is located east of Atlanta and is visible on the photograph.
STS078-726-014 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Washington D.C., located in the center of the photo, was photographed in both regular color (here) and infrared (STS078-760-010) by the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) crew members. The city of Washington is coextensive with the District of Columbia, whose site was agreed upon by Congress in 1790 as the permanent seat of government for the new nation. It is located at the head of the navigable portion of the Potomac River, which separates it from Virginia to the southwest. It covers an area of 68-square-mile (177-square-kilometers). Andrews Air Force Base is seen east southeast of Washington D.C. Baltimore, Maryland, surrounding the Patapsco River mouth into Chesapeake Bay is located northeast of Washington D. C. or in upper right.
STS078-S-009 (20 June 1996) --- With an international payload and crew aboard, the Space Shuttle Columbia lifts off from Launch Pad 39B, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Possibly expected to be NASA's longest duration Shuttle flight to date, the mission officially began at 10:49:00 a.m. (EDT), June 20, 1996. Onboard for Columbia’s 20th flight were astronauts Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, mission commander; Kevin R. Kregel, pilot; Susan J. Helms, payload commander; and Richard M. Linnehan and Charles E. Brady, Jr., both mission specialists, along with payload specialists Jean-Jacques Favier of the French Space Agency (CNES) and Robert B. Thirsk of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Flying in Columbia’s payload bay is the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS), carrying a complement of United States and international experiments.
STS078-742-051 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- One of the crew members aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in Earth-orbit photographed this space to Earth view of Madrid, the capital of Spain as well as that country’s largest city. Madrid represents the national center of arts and industry. It is located in the center of the photo and is difficult to see because it blends into the surrounding colors. It was in 1607 that Philip III officially made the city the national capital, a status it has retained ever since. Under the patronage of Philip and his successors, Madrid developed into a city of curious contrasts, preserving its old, overcrowded center, around which developed palaces, convents, churches, and public buildings. Madrid lies almost exactly at the geographical heart of the Iberian Peninsula, near the Carpetovetonica Range. It is situated on an undulating plateau of sand and clay known as the Meseta (derived from the Spanish word mesa, or "table") at an altitude of 2,100 feet (635 meters) above sea level, making it one of the highest capitals in Europe. It is not on a major river, in the way that so many European cities are, but is on a smaller river, the Manzanares.
STS078-736-064 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- As photographed by the flight crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia in Earth-orbit, the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado, is seen near the eastern base of Pikes Peak. It was built on a mesa at 6,008 feet (1,831 meters) sea level. Pikes Peak is the large tan patch on the bottom left or west portion of the photo. The city is the headquarters of Pike National Forest, located on its west side. Founded in 1871 as Fountain Colony by General William J. Palmer, builder of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, it was renamed for the nearby Manitou mineral springs. Growth of the area followed the Cripple Creek gold strikes in the 1890s and the promotion of the tourist-health-resort trade in the area. The establishment of military installations gave further impetus to development. The North American Air Defense and Aerospace Defense commands are headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base (Peterson Field). Fort Carson (1942), on the city's southern edge, is the home of the Fourth United States Infantry Division. The United States Air Force Academy (1954), just to the north, is set against a backdrop of the Rampart Range. Its population in 1990 was 281,140.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The nose of NASA's Super Guppy aircraft opens to reveal the <a href="http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/release/2000/78-00.htm">Joint Airlock Module</a> the gateway from which crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will enter and exit the 470-ton orbiting research facility. The airlock was transported from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The airlock will be transported to the Operations and Checkout Building in the KSC industrial area where it will undergo vacuum chamber testing. It will then be moved to the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) for further prelaunch preparation and checkout. The massive, spindle-shaped airlock is 20 feet long, has a diameter of 13 feet at its widest point, and weighs six and a half tons. It was manufactured at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center by the Huntsville division of The Boeing Company. The Space Shuttle Atlantis will carry the airlock to orbit on mission STS-104, the tenth International Space Station flight, currently targeted for liftoff in May 2001
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA's Super Guppy aircraft lands at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility with its cargo, the <a href="http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/release/2000/78-00.htm"> Joint Airlock Module</a> the gateway from which crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will enter and exit the 470-ton orbiting research facility. The airlock was transported from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The airlock will be transported to the Operations and Checkout Building in the KSC industrial area where it will undergo vacuum chamber testing. It will then be moved to the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) for further prelaunch preparation and checkout. The massive, spindle-shaped airlock is 20 feet long, has a diameter of 13 feet at its widest point, and weighs six and a half tons. It was manufactured at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center by the Huntsville division of The Boeing Company. The Space Shuttle Atlantis will carry the airlock to orbit on mission STS-104, the tenth International Space Station flight, currently targeted for liftoff in May 2001
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The nose of NASA's Super Guppy aircraft opens to reveal the <a href="http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/release/2000/78-00.htm">Joint Airlock Module</a> the gateway from which crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will enter and exit the 470-ton orbiting research facility. The airlock was transported from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The airlock will be transported to the Operations and Checkout Building in the KSC industrial area where it will undergo vacuum chamber testing. It will then be moved to the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) for further prelaunch preparation and checkout. The massive, spindle-shaped airlock is 20 feet long, has a diameter of 13 feet at its widest point, and weighs six and a half tons. It was manufactured at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center by the Huntsville division of The Boeing Company. The Space Shuttle Atlantis will carry the airlock to orbit on mission STS-104, the tenth International Space Station flight, currently targeted for liftoff in May 2001
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA's Super Guppy aircraft lands at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility with its cargo, the <a href="http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/release/2000/78-00.htm"> Joint Airlock Module</a> the gateway from which crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will enter and exit the 470-ton orbiting research facility. The airlock was transported from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The airlock will be transported to the Operations and Checkout Building in the KSC industrial area where it will undergo vacuum chamber testing. It will then be moved to the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) for further prelaunch preparation and checkout. The massive, spindle-shaped airlock is 20 feet long, has a diameter of 13 feet at its widest point, and weighs six and a half tons. It was manufactured at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center by the Huntsville division of The Boeing Company. The Space Shuttle Atlantis will carry the airlock to orbit on mission STS-104, the tenth International Space Station flight, currently targeted for liftoff in May 2001