STS-87
Report # 14 
Wednesday, November 26, 1997 - 6:00 a.m. CDT 
 
  As they reach the one week mark in their 16-day flight, the STS-87
crew have shifted the focus of their efforts towards the variety of
science experiments flying on Mission STS-87.

  Mission Specialist Kulpana Chawla spent a large part of Flight Day
Seven working with several samples of materials in the glovebox
facility in Columbia's middeck designed to investigate the
characteristics of creating composite materials in weightlessness. The
experiment , called PEP, involves heating samples and then recording
the mixture as it resolidifies. It is hoped to provide scientists with
insight that could lead to new developments in composite materials on
Earth. Ukrainian Payload Specialist Leonid Kadenyuk will continue
studies of plant growth in space with the Collaborative Ukrainian
Experiment, spending much of his day harvesting and preserving soybean
seedlings for analysis after Columbia's return home.

  Winston Scott and Takao Doi finished stowing the tools and equipment
they used during their spacewalk and filled out questionnaires
designed to capture their early thoughts on the evaluations they
performed. The insights they provide will help engineers as they
finalize the designs of tools planned for use during assembly of the
International Space Station.

  Early this morning Doi received congratulations on his work and
mission in a special call to Columbia from Sadakazu Tanigaki, Minister
of Japan's Science and Technology Agency, and Tomifumi Godai, vice
president of the National Space Development Agency of Japan.

  Columbia remains in excellent condition with no mechanical
problems. The shuttle is in an orbit of 175 by 170 statute miles.

 The next mission status report will be issued at 6 p.m. Wednesday,
Nov. 26.

--end--

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