Space Shuttle to launch on April 3 for new manned mission
News story originally written on March 31, 1997
At 2:01 PM on April 3, NASA plans to launch Space Shuttle Columbia into orbit
from the Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle
will stay in orbit for two weeks in which several experiments will be carried
out. Columbia is expected to land at Kennedy Space Center on April 19.
The Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) mission, will study the effects of
gravity on different materials.
Gravity is a force from our planet that keeps us on the ground. In
space, gravity is minimal or almost non-existent--this is called a
"microgravity
environment."
MSL-1 will conduct experiments to study how different kinds of materials and
liquids behave or change in space. MSL-1 will serve as a test run to the
future International Space Station (ISS). ISS will serve
as a research facility for microgravity studies. MSL-1 will test some of the
equipment that is planned for use on ISS.
The Columbia Space Shuttle crew consists of the following: commander Jim
Halsell,
pilot Susan Still, Janice Voss, Michael Gernhardt, Donald Thomas, Roger Crouch,
and Greg Linteris. STS-83 will be the 22nd Flight of Columbia.
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