STS-62 Mission Status Report #11
MISSION CONTROL CENTER

Wednesday, March 9, 1994, 8 a.m. CST

The first half of Flight Day 6 passed quietly this morning as STS-62 crew
members devoted their time to the secondary experiment housed in Columbia's
middeck.

Mission Specialist Sam Gemar returned to his work with the Middeck 0-Gravity
Dynamics Experiment. MODE is an instrumented model of a truss structure which
may be used on a future space station.  Engineers will use data from the 77
experiment protocols to improve upon designs and procedures for building large
structures such a the International Space Station.

Pilot Andy Allen took time from his day to talk with reporters in Cleveland,
Ohio; Philadelphia, Penn.; and Knoxville, Tenn. Prior to his interview, Allen
discussed the medical tests that crew members are performing before during and
after the flight.  Astronauts are collecting blood and urine samples to help
researchers determine the chemical regulatory changes the human body undergoes
while in space.  Pre- and post-flight test study the crew members' gait,
steadiness while standing and exercise capacities.

Other crew members checked on the protein crystal growth experiments, performed
some Auroral Photography experiments and checked the orbiter windows for any
debris impacts.  Later today, crew members will exercise using the Shuttle's
ergometer.

Columbia continues to function well and as a result is providing an excellent
platform for the mission's microgravity experiments as it orbits 160 nautical
miles above the Earth.

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