WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

The STS-107 crew, waving to onlookers,
exits the Operations and Checkout Building on their way to Launch Pad
39A for liftoff. Leading the way are Pilot William "Willie" McCool
(left) and Commander Rick Husband (right). Following in the second row
are Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla (left) and Laurel Clark; in the
rear are Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon, Payload Commander Michael
Anderson and Mission Specialist David Brown. Ramon is the first
astronaut from Israel to fly on a Shuttle. The 16-day mission is
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. Liftoff is scheduled for
10:39 a.m. EST.