STS-107 Daily Science Report
January 26
SOFBALL-2 test points 10M and 6A
were completed successfully. Test point 10M was intended to be
a 1.75 atm test of a 3.32% H2/air test, but because the mixture
did not burn at 3 atm on the previous shift, the pressure was
bled down to 1.75 atm and successful burn tests were performed.
Therefore, for test point 10M it was decided to do a 0.7 atm test
so that data at three different pressures (0.7, 1 and 1.75 atm)
could be obtained for the 3.32% H2/air mixture.
The first burn of the 0.7 atm mixture produced two flame balls.
The longer burning of the two lasted 205 seconds. The first reburn
produced one flame ball that lasted 180 seconds. The test point
04A mixture was 8.0% H2/16.0% O2/7.6% CO2/68.4% helium at 3 atm.
The first test produced two flame balls. The longer burning of
the two lasted 660 seconds. The first reburn produced two flame
balls. The longer burning of the two lasted 370 seconds. The second
reburn produced one flame ball that lasted 405 seconds.
Regarding CVX-2, we are currently
soaking (maintaining a stable temperature) at Tc + 0.1 K. We collected
data using newly defined sequences S13, S15, and S17. We also
completed the step to soak at Tc+0.05 K.
We’ve completed the temperature soak and have begun the initial
temperature ramp of critical period #4. The fourth pass through
Tc has been changed. The temperature ramps will be two times faster
than those in the second and third passes. This will be done to
shed some light on the sample’s dynamics just below Tc. We
are not requesting any changes to JSC planning of orbiter attitudes
or crew exercise. PI Bobby Berg issued a verbal request to the
HH OD for permission to operate until HH deactivation.
We are currently ramping from Tc+0.05 to Tc+0.003. We are not
requesting any changes to JSC planning of orbiter attitudes or
crew exercise. JSC approved CVX-22 operations until FREESTAR deactivates.
SAMS-FF continues to support ongoing
SOFBALL-2 operations on a 24-hour basis, providing vibratory acceleration
data as needed.
The OARE quasi-steady acceleration
data is being provided to SOFBALL-2 as it becomes available. The
last two test points will be downlinked after the completion of
the SOFBALL-2 experiment.
The OARE—which will remain active for the duration of the
Shuttle mission—has been approved to support the MIST Fire
Suppression Experiment.
The microgravity environment is becoming more quiescent, as indicated
by the first burn of SOFBALL-2 when the flame balls showed very
little relative motion.
Mission Status Reports
January
31, 2003
January 30, 2003
January 29, 2003
January 28, 2003
January 27, 2003
January 26, 2003
January 25, 2003
January 24, 2003
January 23, 2003
January 22, 2003
January 21, 2003
January 20, 2003
