STS-94

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mission emblem
Mission emblem STS-94
Mission dates
Mission: STS-94
COSPAR-ID : 1997-032A
Crew: 7th
Begin: July 1, 1997, 18:02:00  UTC
Starting place: Kennedy Space Center , LC-39A
Landing: July 17, 1997, 10:46:33 UTC
Landing place: Kennedy Space Center, Lane 33
Flight duration: 15d 16h 44min 33s
Earth orbits: 251
Rotation time : 90.6 min
Orbit inclination : 28.47 °
Apogee : 299 km
Perigee : 294 km
Covered track: 9.98 million km
Team photo
v. l. No. Roger Crouch, Michael Gernhardt, James Halsell, Susan Still, Donald Thomas, Greg Linteris
v. l. No. Roger Crouch, Michael Gernhardt, James Halsell, Susan Still, Donald Thomas, Greg Linteris
◄ Before / After ►
STS-84 STS-85

STS-94 ( english S pace T ransportation S ystem) is the mission designation for a flight of the US Space Shuttle Columbia ( OV -102) of NASA . The launch took place on July 1, 1997. It was the 85th space shuttle mission and the 23rd flight of the Columbia space shuttle.

team

This crew holds the record for the shortest time span between two missions (83 days between STS-83 and STS-94).

replacement

Mission description

Due to a defect in the energy system and the associated premature termination of the MSL 1 ( STS-83 ) mission , the flight, which is very important for science, was repeated with the same crew. 33 investigations were planned, 19 of them of a material science nature. These included, above all, experiments to research the physical properties of supercooled liquid mixtures and the combustion processes on solid and liquid materials as well as the production of pure protein crystals . Everything happened under strictly controlled conditions. These include above all temperature and microgravity. Four measuring systems alone determined the tiny accelerations acting on the space shuttle , which are mainly caused by the movements of the astronauts. The materials science experiments were carried out with a large isothermal furnace and with an electromagnetic heating system. The subcooling and rapid crystallization of metals and metal alloys, the diffusion of liquid metals, metal alloys and semiconductors (measurement of the diffusion rate), the mixing of liquid metals in a solid (sintering experiment) and the thermophysical properties of supercooled liquids were examined in detail . In addition, combustion processes of liquids in the form of drops were researched. This involved internal currents, flame shapes, temperature distributions, carbon monoxide emissions and processes that cause flames to extinguish. To do this, air pressure, oxygen concentration and drop size were varied (2 - 5 mm). The formation and stability of fireballs was also examined. The knowledge gained from this will be used to increase the efficiency of combustion processes in car engines. It is also hoped that progress will be made in the development of new fire fighting methods.

In EXPRESS rack , a unit, can automatically take place in the various experiments Two experiments were performed. First, the physics of curved surfaces was examined. These experiments were followed by research on plant growth in weightlessness. Further technical innovations were a multi-channel video transmission system and the use of a glove box for fluid physics in the middle deck of the Columbia. The contactless change in position of floating drops of liquid was tested here. Without the influence of mechanical instruments, bubbles and drops can only be properly examined.

After a successful, almost sixteen-day flight, the Columbia landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

See also

Web links

Commons : STS-94  - album with pictures, videos and audio files