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STS073-363-032 (20 October - 5 November 1995) --- Astronaut Kenneth D. Bowersox, mission commander, studies the movement of fluids in microgravity at the Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (GFFC) workstation in the science module of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia. Bowersox was joined by four other NASA astronauts and two guest researchers for almost 16-days of Earth-orbit research in support of the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission. |
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STS073-702-051 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- Photographed by the crew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, this detailed scene of East Caicos Island highlights the shallow tropical waters typical of the Bahamas region. The contrast between the light blue shallow water and dark blue deep water marks a sharp difference (hundreds of meters) in water depth. The shallow marine regions include sand bars and tidal channels (just right of center). The coastline of the island is low and swampy, and is also greatly influenced by the tides. Further offshore, the darker regions in the slightly deeper water mark sea grass and algae beds. This sensitive submarine environment can be mapped from space because the waters are so clear. Chains of clouds forming off islands and headlands, mark the downwind direction. |
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STS073-706-012 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- Each of the great bridges spanning San Francisco Bay are captured in this near-nadir photo of the San Francisco and Oakland, California, areas. Starting from the south (left in this photo), Dumbarton, San Mateo, Bay, Golden Gate, and San Rafael bridges are seen. Ribbons of run-off induced sediments color the bay, and multi-colored salt-production pens line the southernmost shore. |
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STS073-708-089 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- As evidenced by this 70mm photograph from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia, international borders have become easier to see from space in recent decades. This, according to NASA scientists studying the STS-73 photo collection, is particularly true in arid and semi-arid environments. The scientists go on to cite this example of the razor-sharp vegetation boundary between southern Israel and Gaza and the Sinai. The nomadic grazing practices to the south (the lighter areas of the Sinai and Gaza, top left) have removed most of the vegetation from the desert surface. On the north side of the border, Israel uses advanced irrigation techniques in Israel, mainly "trickle irrigation" by which small amounts of water are delivered directly to plant roots. These water-saving techniques have allowed precious supplies from the Jordan River to be used on farms throughout the country. Numerous fields of dark green can be seen in this detailed view. Scientists say this redistribution of the Jordan River waters has increased the Israeli vegetation cover to densities that approach those that may have been common throughout the Mid-East in wetter early Biblical times. A small portion of the Mediterranean Sea appears top right. |
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STS073-723-054 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- Central Turkey dominates this north-looking panorama, with the long fingered island of Cyprus lower left, surrounded by the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Turkey's capital, Ankara, lies just north of the white bed of a dry lake in the center of the view. The city is supplied with water from the neighboring blue lake. The coast of Syria and Lebanon appear bottom right. Man-made lakes on the upper Euphrates River in eastern Turkey appear extreme right.. According to scientists studying the STS-73 photo collection, the striking difference in visibility to north and south of Turkey suggests a pollution event over the Black Sea. Air pollution from East European industry flows down into the Black Sea basin, especially at the west end (haze top left) as shown in this view (compare clearer air top right). |
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STS073-725-031 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- The contrasting colors of fall in New England are captured on this northward-looking photo of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket Island, and the famous hook-shaped Cape Cod. Light-colored patches of urbanization are scattered throughout the scene, the most evident being the greater Boston area along the shores of Massachusetts Bay. The cape is composed of rock debris that, according to NASA scientists studying Columbia's photo collection, was deposited along the end of glacier some 20,000 years ago. |
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STS073-727-045 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- Photographed by the astronaut aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia is this scene over Lake Powell. The lake was formed by the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. The vertical stabilizer of Columbia points northeastward. Navaho Mountain, northwest of the tail, according to NASA geologists, was formed by an intrusion of molten rock that uplifted older, layered rocks, then cooled, and has been exposed by erosion. The rest of the landscape is dominated by faulted layers of sandstone, shale, and limestone that were formed in shallow seas and great deserts 80 to 250 million years ago. These rocks of the Colorado Plateau were uplifted a few million years ago to be dissected by the meandering Colorado River, San Juan River, and their tributaries. |
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STS073-728-010 (22 October 1995) --- Photographed by the astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia orbiting at 146 nautical miles above Earth is this scene over West Virginia featuring the Appalachian Mountains. Center point coordinates are 37.5 degrees north latitude and 80.5 degrees west longitude. |
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STS073-736-018 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- The Kalihari desert in Namibia, Africa, forms the backdrop for this scene. Five NASA astronauts and two guest researchers spent almost 16 days of research in this science module affixed in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Columbia in Earth-orbit. The tunnel in bottom foreground served as the busy passageway for the seven crew members, who split their forces into two shifts. The Nosob and Olifants Rivers can be delineated in the terrain below. |
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STS073-S-030 (20 October 1995) --- The Space Shuttle Columbia lifts off from Launch Pad 39B, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), to begin a scheduled 16-day mission in Earth-orbit in support of the United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2). Five NASA astronauts and STS073-S-029 (20 October 1995) --- A stationary 70mm camera captured this wide view of the Space Shuttle Columbia as it lifted off from Launch Pad 39B, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), to begin a scheduled 16-day mission in Earth-orbit in support of the United States STS073-S-027 (20 October 1995) --- A 35mm camera captured this low-angle view of the Space Shuttle Columbia as it lifted off from Launch Pad 39B, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), to begin a scheduled 16-day mission in Earth-orbit in support of the United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2). Five NASA astronauts and two scientists from the private sector were onboard. Liftoff occurred at 9:53:00 a.m. (EDT) on October 20, 1995. The mission represents the 72nd Space Shuttle flight for NASA. The crew will be working around the clock on a diverse assortment of USML-2 experiments located in a science module in Columbia's cargo bay. Fields of study include fluid physics, materials science, biotechnology, combustion science and commercial space processing technologies. The crew is made up of astronauts Kenneth D. Bowersox, commander; Kent V. Rominger, pilot; Kathryn C. Thornton, payload commander; Michael E. Lopez-Alegria and Catherine G. Coleman, mission specialists; along with Fred W. Leslie and Albert Sacco Jr., payload specialists. |
