Columbia roars into space
NASA says computer problem not threatening to mission
June 20, 1996
Web posted at: 12:30 p.m. EDTCAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (CNN) -- Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off from its Florida launch pad Thursday and headed into the sky for what is expected to be the shuttle program's longest mission.
The shuttle was launched at 10:49 a.m. EDT (1449 GMT), right on time despite threatening weather. A TV camera inside the cockpit captured the crew's reaction as Columbia traveled from zero to 17,000 miles an hour on the way to orbit.
Cockpit camera captures crew's reaction during Columbia liftoff
1.1M QuickTime Movie
NASA's mission manager, Loren Shriver, told reporters that one of the five general purpose computers aboard Columbia apparently failed during launch. There are no spares. Each computer does a different set of jobs, but its possible to assign duties from a faulty computer to the other four.
The computer which seemed to fail is used as a backup with a set of backup flight software inside. The other four are loaded with what NASA calls the primary flight software. The plan at the moment is to assign the backup software to another of the main computers, if possible.
Managers say they see no reason this computer problem would shorten the mission or endanger the astronauts.
Columbia is the oldest of NASA's shuttles, and this mission is its 20th flight. The mission will help set the stage for long-term stays in space in the planned international space station.
Once in orbit, four of the astronauts will become human guinea pigs to study the effects of space travel on their bodies. Astronauts often complain of poor sleep in space, and their muscles and bones weaken because of an absence of gravity.
As part of the exercise, they will have blood drawn and record their diminishing muscle strength. They'll also monitor their sleep by wearing caps with electrodes.
Astronauts will conduct laboratory work similar to the research planned for the international space station, which is to be built later this decade and next.
"It represents kind of a blueprint, a road map, to the space station," said Dr. Arnauld Nicogossian, acting head of NASA's Life and Microgravity Sciences Office.
In all, the American, Canadian and French astronauts will perform $138 million worth of biomedical, plant, fluid and metal experiments in orbit.
They even plan to practice shuttle maneuvers that may help another shuttle crew move the Hubble Space Telescope into a higher orbit next year.
If the astronauts can conserve enough power, the flight will be extended from 16 to 17 days, which would be a shuttle endurance record. Columbia is scheduled to return to the Kennedy Space Center on July 6.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Columbia Launch Photo Gallery
- Space Exploration Gallery
- NASA clears Columbia for launch - June 19, 1996
- Countdown for shuttle's longest mission begins - June 18, 1996
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