Nation IN BRIEF : FLORIDA : Shuttle Crew Takes Break From Tests
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Columbia took a brief break from their chores, enjoying the views of Earth about 180 miles below. The seven crew members staggered their rest periods so they would not interrupt experiments. They took turns burning a candle, paper and insulating material in an enclosed chamber to test smoke detectors and measure the spread of flames in weightlessness. Columbia’s mission began Feb. 22. It is scheduled to land Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center.
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