Mar 4 1994
From The Space Library
Preparations for the launch, the launch itself, and experiments conducted aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia received extensive media coverage. Fueling began the morning of March 4 prior to the crew's boarding. The mission commander and the pilot wore newly devised long johns with tubes that plugged into water pumps to keep them cool while awaiting takeoff and during reentry. Most of the major experiments were to be operated from the ground so that the astronauts could concern themselves with medical tests, some mechanical structures, and observation of the 12 rats used in a bone density study. On March 5, one of Columbia's three auxiliary power units registered an unusually high pressure reading, causing concern; the readings returned to normal when the crew switched to other heaters. It developed that the high pressure apparently resulted from an ice buildup in one of the auxiliary power units. Meanwhile, several articles expressed concern that budget cuts endangered the safety of NASA flights, but NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin denied this was true. As the space flight progressed, two crew members at a time took turns in taking four hours off duty in view of the lengthy nature of the mission. (W Post, Mar 4/94; AP, Mar 4/94; UP, Mar 4/94; Reuters, Mar 4/94; W Times, Mar 5/94; NY Times, Mar 5/94; W Post, Mar 5/94; B Sun, Mar 5/94; P Inq, Mar 5/94; W Times, Mar 6/94; W Post, Mar 6/94; P Inq, Mar 6/94; Daily News, Mar 6/94; UP, Mar 6/94; Reuters, Mar 6/94; NY Times, Mar 7/94; AP, Mar 7/94; UP, Mar 7/94; Reuters, Mar 7/94; NY Times, Mar 8/94; CSM, Mar 8/94; W Post, Mar 8/94; C Trib, Mar 8/94; Reuters, Mar 8/94; AP, Mar 9/94; UP, Mar 9/94)
One of the major experiments conducted on Columbia involved growing crystals, which had many potential commercial and medical applications. However, results to date were not promising and caused criticism of expenditures involved. (Fla Today, Mar 4/94)
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