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STS-41-G Mission Overview

Marc Garneau conducted 10 experiments in three main categories: space technology, space science and life sciences. The space technology experiments involve two areas: important development tests for the NRCC Space Vision System experiment to be flown on a mission in early 1986 and tests to determine the effect of exposure to space on different advanced composite materials. The space science studies deal with the physical characteristics of the space environment and of the earth's upper atmosphere. The life sciences component includes several experiments on human adaptation to space flight as preparation for the more detailed investigations on a mission in mid-1986.

Each experiment were to be conducted on specific days of the mission. Besides conducting the experiments, Garneau did his share of housekeeping duties such as making meals and stowing and unstowing equipment. He also helped in any job that "needed three hands" such as taking notes for others and arranging for others to do the same for him.

Personal hygiene also took its share of time - hand-washing takes twice as long in space as it does on Earth and shaving with an electric shaver, up to three times longer. Even sleeping is different in a space environment. In order to get his eight hours of sleep each mission day, he had to attach himself to some spot in the mid-deck with Velcro to keep from floating freely.

Garneau used a combination of filling out check lists and spoke into a tape recorder to record the conditions under which the experiments are performed and their results.

All the equipment he needed for the 10 experiments fitted into one locker about half the size of a legal size filing cabinet drawer.