FREESTAR, which stands forFast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science TechnologyApplications and Research, was a payload of six separate experiments on theSpace ShuttleColumbia.[1]
It was mounted on a crossbayHitchhiker Multipurpose Equipment Support Structure in the Shuttle's payload bay during theSTS-107 flight, which ended with thedisintegration ofColumbia during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Although data was lost in the re-entry, much of the data collected while in space, such as that from MEIDEX, had already been transmitted to ground stations.
The six experiments were:
The primary mission of the MEIDEX payload was to study the temporal and spatial distribution and physical properties of atmospheric desert dust overNorth Africa, theMediterranean and the AtlanticSaharan regions. The aim was achieved by aremote sensing experiment operated by the astronauts aboard the shuttle. Also, MEIDEX accomplished diverse secondary science objectives by performing slant visibility observations, sea-surface reflectivity observations, desert surface observations and observations of Transient Luminous Events, better known as sprites. MEIDEX also made the first space observation of aglory.[2]
SOLSE-2 was ahyperspectral imagingspectrometer built at theGoddard Space Flight Center that demonstrated a new technique to measure the vertical distribution ofozone in the atmosphere. The first demonstration flight of SOLSE-1 was onSTS-87 in 1997. Once proven over a wider range of viewing conditions, the SOLSE-2 technique was incorporated to routinely measure ozone by the next generation ofweather satellites, including theOzone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS), that was launched in 2011.
The Critical Viscosity of Xenon-2 Experiment measures the viscous behavior ofxenon – a heavy, inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines – at its critical point.
The data from the CVX-2 experiment was believed lost in the disaster. The hard drive that carried its data, aSeagate ST9385AG 2.5" hard drive with 400 MB storage capacity,[3] was found and believed to be melted beyond recognition. In 2008, however, a data recovery specialist cleaned the hard drive's storage platters and rebuilt them into a new hard drive. They were able to recover 99% of the data, saving the experiment.[4]
The SOLCON instrument is designed to accurately measure thesolar constant and identify variations in the value during asolar cycle. SOLCON measures the solarirradiance in space to avoidperturbations by the atmosphere of theEarth. It is also used as a reference to construct a long-duration time series of thesolar irradiance. This data will ensure continuity of the solar constant level obtained by instruments mounted on free flyers, over climate time-scale duration.
The SEM is made up of 11 separate student experiments from schools across the United States and is the 14th flight of a SEM on theSpace Shuttle.
The Low PowerTransceiver is a compact, flexible device that can be configured to perform custom communications and navigation functions in terrestrial, airborne and space applications.
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