Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 Daily Science Post-Launch Update for
April 4, 1997

1:30 p.m. CST, Huntsville AL

MSL-1 IS UNDERWAY!!!! With this afternoon's launch of the space shuttle Columbia, NASA begins a voyage to acquire knowledge of combustion, protein crystal growth, and materials science that can only be obtained from the low-gravity environment aboard the space shuttle.

This mission is the latest in NASA's continuing endeavor to use the unique environment of space to perform experimentation and acquire new and useful knowledge that cannot be obtained in any other way.

The low-gravity environment aboard the space shuttle is a unique and fantastic laboratory. It allows scientists to study and learn about fundamental physical processes in materials science, combustion science, fluid physics, and other areas of research. Our Mission Scientist Dr. Mike Robinson (biography) likens the microgravity environment of space to the ability to go to a symphony, yet focus only on the particular instrument, say a single flute player, or ensemble of instruments of your choosing. Removing the effects of gravity in one's experiments allows you to remove much of the background noise that prevents you from getting at the particular processes that you're interested in studying.

Here's an overview of the uniqueness of the microgravity environment.

Once in orbit, about an hour from now, science operations aboard the spacecraft will begin. The first order of business will be to power up the laboratory, much like turning on the lights when you first get to work in the morning. Equipment must be unpacked, and experiments turnedon and configured before science experimentation can begin. The crew aboard Columbia will begin to activate the Spacelab module about two hours after the launch.

The first science activity will begin with the activation of one of the Protein Crystal Growth Experiments on the orbiter middeck, approximately 2.5 hours after launch. The Protein Crystal Growth Apparatus for Microgravity (PCAM) will be the first of the three PCG experiments to begin operation, and is located in the orbiter middeck - activation of the Spacelab facility is therefore not a requirement to begin this experiment.

Check out why we're interested in growing Protein Crystals in Space!!!

Following the activation of the Spacelab laboratory in the shuttle's cargo bay, scientists in space and on the ground will begin the process of getting the maximum use out of the 16-day flight to perform experiments and research in areas of protein crystal growth (PCG), combustion research (CR), and materials science (MS).

Stay tuned to this web-site for the latest science news and information...

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Author: Dr. John Horack
Curator: Linda Porter
NASA Official: Gregory S. Wilson