WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

STS-107 Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon
comments on the mission after the crew's arrival at KSC for pre-launch
preparations. Ramon is the first Israeli astronaut to fly on a Shuttle
mission. Standing behind him are (left to right) Commander Rick
Husband, Pilot William "Willie" McCool, Mission Specialists David
Brown and Kalpana Chawla, Payload Commander Michael Anderson and
Mission Specialist Laurel Clark. STS-107 is a mission devoted to
research and will include more than 80 experiments that will study
Earth and space science, advanced technology development, and
astronaut health and safety. The payload on Space Shuttle Columbia
includes FREESTAR (Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science,
Technology, Applications and Research) and the SHI Research Double
Module (SHI/RDM), known as SPACEHAB. Experiments on the module range
from material sciences to life sciences. Launch of Columbia is
targeted for Jan. 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.