Only now are we beginning to appreciate the dimensions of the great contribution to pure science of the "Columbia" shuttle voyages. Thanks to it we know our place in space
The galaxy ngc4631 photographed by Chandra - the telescope that went into space in 1999 by Columbia
Harvey Tanenbaum saw galaxies colliding, watched material being swallowed by black holes, and witnessed the discovery of the materials that formed the nucleus of life on Earth. The Chandra X-ray Observatory provides him with all of these things. It was the space shuttle Columbia that put Chandra into space in 1999
"We are now seeing things of indescribable quality and detail that we could not reach before Chandra," says Tannenbaum, director of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
After the IMAX company released the film "Long live Columbia" in which it documented the first shuttle mission in 1981, NASA twice invited the company's cameras to accompany Columbia in space. The result - the films "The Blue Planet" (1990) and "The Destination - Space" (1994). Over 70 million people around the world saw these films on giant screens.
"It's the only way NASA could really show the world what it's like to live in space," said Grimm Ferguson, one of the founders. "IMAX was really a substitute for the experience of being in space."
It is hard to believe how great the contribution to science of the space shuttle "Columbia", which broke up in the air on February 1, a few minutes before landing, on its return from a 16-day journey and research that ended in great tragedy. Only now are we beginning to better appreciate how useful this "elderly flagship" of the ferry fleet was to so many scientists, in diverse fields
so much.
Over the years, astronauts in Colombia have carried out experiments in growing crystals and plants. They tested systems that were later assembled into satellites, and made the final correction to the Hubble Space Telescope. They offered their bodies to laboratories to test the effect of the lack of gravity on bone and muscle density. By some measure, Columbia was the busiest cargo truck in the world.
In its 22 years and in the 28 space missions it carried out - and this is its legacy - "Columbia" allowed astrophysics scientists to observe galaxy collisions, black holes, the collapse of distant stars that threw into space elements of materials defined as the "seeds of life" on Earth. All this, because in 1999 it placed the airborne observatory in the field of X-rays: the "Chandra" telescope.
In 1993, "Columbia" placed in space the "Lagios-2" geodynamic laser satellite, made of a polished aluminum shell, at an altitude of 6000 km above the earth. It transmits computer data to reception stations around the globe, measures and warns of earthquakes, measures the gravity field and calculates the vibrations of the Earth, which moves on its axis and also accurately calculates the length of our day. The data is collected in a special computer center at the University of Texas at Austin.
Thanks to "Lageus" and thanks to Columbia, scientists now say, "We now know better where we are in space." "Lageus-"2 provided the first direct evidence of the phenomenon predicted by Albert Einstein 80 years ago in the theory of general relativity (that the Earth 'drags' space and time around it, as it moves on its axis). "Lageus" is designed to survive in space for 50 years and has been operating flawlessly for one decade.
In most of her voyages and also in the last one, in which seven crew members perished, including the late Israeli Col. Ilan Ramon, Columbia was used as a "research laboratory": crystals and protein crystals were grown there, the behavior of animals (mice, spiders, ants), spores and plants were monitored in mini-gravity conditions. The astronauts put their bodies, literally, at the disposal of medicine, physiology and biology: they sampled urine, saliva, blood (electrolytes) every day; Measure blood pressure, heart rate, lung content; skeleton bones; tried crystallization of gamma-interferon D1 (collagen-like) protein; Measure muscles, hormones (insulin) endocrine glands, eyes, nerves; They tested the response of wheat to space flight (lack of gravity inhibits photosynthesis and wheat growth slows down); An experiment of the immune system, which suffers suppression in zero gravity. They tried metals, modern materials, from polymeric membranes, liquids. We tested sophisticated systems for capturing "rogue" satellites (using robotic telescopic arms).
One year ago, on March 3, 2002, Columbia carried out the last repair mission to the "Hubble" space telescope and its team replaced a damaged mirror, cameras and other components that restored its continued normal operation.
In her last flight, not only the widely publicized Tel Aviv University experiments were carried out (photographing dust storms and dust plumes from the Sahara; air pollution; smoke from forest fires suppressing rain clouds in Brazil; lightning flashes) - also an experiment by the University of Michigan regarding the behavior of a flame In space, how soot is formed in zero gravity - experiments that are not possible on earth and will help to develop gasoline engines for cars that emit less smoke into the environment.
Columbia has given more than 70 million people in the world to get to know space better - through movies shot on the shuttle: "Long live Columbia" (in IMAX 1981D technology) from its maiden flight in 1990 and the sequels "The Blue Planet" (XNUMX)
and "Destiny in Space", 1994.
As the investigation into the crash continues, the question of the future of the shuttle fleet and NASA itself arises. It seems that a decision will be made that only two ferries will operate and the third will be used for backup only. No new ferry will be built, instead of Columbia. The remaining three will be renovated to extend their lives, until 2020.
The space agency will be required to focus its activities on unmanned missions when the control of satellites and space vehicles will be done by remote control. The systems that will be landed on distant planets will move like robots.
NASA's missions for the coming year will be: launching a Mars exploration satellite and a lander that will roam the planet, as well as placing an infrared telescope; Development of an advanced jet propulsion system for launching robotic spacecraft, to greater ranges and to the depths of space. All ferries will be equipped with escape chambers for emergency situations - a problematic issue (adding considerable weight).
It will be decided how the International Space Station project will continue, Ayusha, the schedule of the supply vehicles that will command it. Last week, NASA received the green light from Congress to continue its preparations to establish a research institute to manage science activities on the station.
