Shuttle Mission Marks Midpoint

Sun., Oct. 29, 1995

Compiled From Wire Services

Columbia and its astronauts soared past the halfway point of their 16-day mission Saturday, with more laboratory experiments on tap.

If Columbia lands next Sunday as scheduled, it will be the second-longest flight in the shuttle program. Endeavour holds the record with a 16-1/2-day astronomy mission in March.

Scientists in charge of Columbia’s 14 laboratory experiments are delighted to get so much time in orbit for their projects, which involve potatoes, among other things.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison hope the potato plants will help them learn more about the feasibility of growing edible crops on long space flights. The crew hopes to bring back one marble-sized potato from each of the five plants.

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Shuttle Mission Marks Midpoint

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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