Already-tight security at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, has been stepped up further for the planned 16 January launch of Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS 107, carrying the first Israeli astronaut, payload specialist Illan Ramon, an air force fighter pilot.
The much-delayed human health and science mission will also be crewed by six NASA astronauts working in the first Spacehab double module and operating the Freestar (Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications Research) external payload. Columbia will be equipped with an Extended Duration Orbiter fuel-cell system, mounted at the rear of the payload bay, enabling the craft to fly for 16 days.
The much-delayed launch of the US Air Force's $224 million Coriolis satellite on a Titan II took place at Vandenberg AFB, California, on 5 January. The 800kg (1,760lb) spacecraft, built by Spectrum Astro and operating in a 830km (450nm) sun-synchronous orbit, will monitor ocean winds and solar storms.
International Launch Services conducted the first commercial launch of the Russian Proton M/Breeze M booster from Baikonur on 30 December, carrying the Lockheed Martin-built Canadian Nimiq 2 communications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. It followed the flight of a Russian national Proton K on 25 December, also from Baikonur, carrying three Glonass navigation satellites.
Source: Flight International
