7+-+3

STA-099 || NASA Shuttle || RIGHT-CLICK on these links to "Open in a new window"
 * Category 3 – Shuttle Missions **
 * Enterprise || NASA Shuttle ||
 * Atlantis || NASA Shuttle ||
 * Challenger || NASA Shuttle ||
 * Discovery || NASA Shuttle ||
 * Columbia || NASA Shuttle ||
 * Endeavor || NASA Shuttle ||
 * STS 1 – Columbia || NASA Shuttle ||
 * STS-51L – Challenger
 * STS 107 – Columbia || NASA Shuttle ||

NASA Space Shuttles http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

**__STS-107__** Mission: Migrogravity Research Mission/SPACEHAB Space Shuttle: [|Columbia] Launch Pad: [|39A] Launched: January 16, 2003, 10:39 a.m. EST
 * Crew Members**

Image above: STS-107 Crew photo with Commander [|Rick Husband], Pilot [|Willie McCool], Payload Commander [|Michael Anderson], Mission Specialists [|Kalpana Chawla], [|David Brown], [|Laurel Clark] and Payload Specialist [|Ilan Ramon]. Image Credit: NASA Jan. 16, 2003, at 10:39 a.m. EST, Columbia lifted off on time on the first shuttle mission of the year. It carried seven crew members, including the first Israeli astronaut, on a marathon international scientific research flight.
 * Launch**

Experiments in the SPACEHAB RDM included nine commercial payloads involving 21separate investigations, four payloads for the European Space Agency with 14 investigations, one payload/investigation for ISS Risk Mitigation and 18 payloads supporting 23 investigations for NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR).

A facility for forming protein crystals more purely and with fewer flaws than is possible on Earth may lead to a drug designed for specific diseases with fewer side effects. A third experiment looked at developing a new technique of encapsulating anti-cancer drugs to improve their efficiency. The Canadian Space Agency sponsored three bone-growth experiments, and was collaborating with ESA on two others. The German Space Agency measured the development of the gravity-sensing organs of fish in the absence of gravity. A university was growing ultra-pure protein crystals for drug research. And another university was testing a navigation system for future satellites.

__ **Space Shuttle Overview: Columbia (OV-102)** __ On April 12, 1981, a bright white Columbia roared into a deep blue sky as the nation's first reusable Space Shuttle. Named after the first American ocean vessel to circle the globe and the command module for the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Columbia continued this heritage of intrepid exploration. The heaviest of NASA's orbiters, Columbia weighed too much and lacked the necessary equipment to assist with assembly of the International Space Station. Despite its limitations, the orbiter's legacy is one of groundbreaking scientific research and notable "firsts" in space flight.


 * __Construction Milestones - STA-099 (Challenger)__**


 * **July 26, 1972** || Contract Award ||
 * **Nov. 21, 1975** || Start structural assembly of crew module ||
 * **June 14, 1976** || Start structural assembly of aft-fuselage ||
 * **March 16, 1977** || Wings arrive at Palmdale from Grumman ||
 * **Sept. 30, 1977** || Start of Final Assembly ||
 * **Feb. 10, 1978** || Completed final assembly ||
 * **Feb. 14, 1978** || Rollout from Palmdale ||

In the late 1970s, NASA strived for a lighter weight orbiter, but a test vehicle was needed to ensure the lighter airframe could handle the stress of space flight. Computer software at the time wasn't yet advanced enough to accurately predict how STA-099's new, optimized design would respond to intense heat and stress. The best solution was to submit the vehicle to a year of intensive vibration and thermal testing. Space Shuttle orbiter Challenger was named after the British Naval research vessel HMS Challenger that sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the 1870s. The Apollo 17 lunar module also carried the name of Challenger. Like its historic predecessors, Challenger and her crews made significant scientific contributions in the spirit of exploration. Challenger's service to America's Space Program ended in tragedy on Jan. 28, 1986. Just 73 seconds into mission STS 51-L, a booster failure caused an explosion that resulted in the loss of seven astronauts, as well as the vehicle. The loss of Challenger does not overshadow her legacy in NASA's storied history. The discoveries made on her many successful missions continue to better mankind in space flight and in life on Earth.


 * Construction Milestones - OV-099**

__
 * **Jan. 1, 1979** || Contract Award ||
 * **Jan. 28, 1979** || Start structural assembly of crew module ||
 * **June 14, 1976** || Start structural assembly of aft-fuselage ||
 * **March 16, 1977** || Wings arrive at Palmdale from Grumman ||
 * **Nov. 3, 1980** || Start of Final Assembly ||
 * **Oct. 21, 1981** || Completed final assembly ||
 * **June 30, 1982** || Rollout from Palmdale ||
 * **July 1, 1982** || Overland transport from Palmdale to Edwards ||
 * **July 5, 1982** || Delivery to Kennedy Space Center ||
 * **Dec. 19, 1982** || Flight Readiness Firing ||
 * **April 4, 1983** || First Flight (STS-6) ||

Discovery (OV-103) was NASA's third space shuttle orbiter to join the fleet, arriving for the first time at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in November 1983.

Since that inaugural flight, Discovery has completed more than 30 successful missions, surpassing the number of flights made by any other orbiter in NASA's fleet. Just like all of the orbiters, it has undergone some major modifications over the years. The most recent began in 2002 and was the first carried out at Kennedy. It provided 99 upgrades and 88 special tests, including new changes to make it safer for flight.

Discovery has the distinction of being chosen as the Return to Flight orbiter twice. The first was for STS-26 in 1988, and the second when it carried the STS-114 crew on NASA's Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station in July 2005.

Destined for exploring the heavens instead of the seas, it was only fitting that NASA's Discovery carried the Hubble Space Telescope into space during mission STS-31 in April 1990, and provided both the second and third Hubble servicing missions (STS-82 in February 1997 and STS-103 in December 1999

For the first time, an orbiter was named through a national competition involving students in elementary and secondary schools. They were asked to select a name based upon an exploratory or research sea vessel. In May 1989, President George Bush announced the winning name

Endeavour was named after a ship chartered to traverse the South Pacific in 1768 and captained by 18th century British explorer James Cook, an experienced seaman, navigator and amateur astronomer