Columbia Launches to Begin 16-Day Research Mission
STS-107 got under way today when Space Shuttle Columbia launched from
Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 9:39 a.m. CST (1539 GMT). The seven-member
crew is slated to spend to 16 days in space conducting research during.....Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC

Columbia Launches to Begin 16-Day Research Mission
STS-107 got under way today when Space Shuttle Columbia launched from
Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 9:39 a.m. CST (1539 GMT). The seven-member
crew is slated to spend to 16 days in space conducting research during
around-the-clock operations. More than 80 experiments are flying aboard
Columbia. Research areas include Earth and space sciences, advanced
technology development, and astronaut health and safety

Now that they are in space, the seven crewmembers are preparing for
on-orbit operations and activating experiments. The crew is slated to
activate the SPACEHAB Research Double Module at 12:09 p.m. CST (1809 GMT)
today.

The Blue Team -- Pilot William McCool, Mission Specialists David Brown
and Payload Commander Michael Anderson are slated to go to sleep at 1:39
p.m. CST (1939 GMT) today. The Red Team -- Commander Rick Husband,
Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon and Mission Specialists Laurel Clark and
Kalpana Chawla -- will continue to activate experiments.

Columbia is scheduled to return to Earth on Feb. 1.