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Shuttle Endeavour Lifts Off In Smooth Midnight Launch
Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) Mar 11, 2008 US Space Shuttle Endeavour blasted into space at 0628 GMT Tuesday, carrying Japan's first space lab to the International Space Station. Two minutes after launch Endeavour jettisoned its twin solid rocket boosters as it soared far above the Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle crew of seven, including Japanese astronaut Takao Doi, is on a 16-day mission to install the first stage of the Japanese laboratory Kibo, a micro-gravity research facility. NASA astronaut Dominic Gorie commands a crew of six, including Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi. Johnson, Behnken and Foreman will be making their first spaceflight. During the 16-day mission, the crew's two prime objectives are to deliver and attach to the International Space Station the first component of Japan's new laboratory called Kibo, as well as Canada's new robotics system, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre. STS-123 is the 25th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Leopold Eyharts, who arrived at the station aboard Atlantis in February, will return to Earth with the Endeavour crew as Reisman takes his place on the station.
Day One The astronauts are spending today inspecting the orbiter's heat shield and preparing for their arrival at the International Space Station Wednesday. Crew members will use the shuttle's robotic arm and Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) to check out the underside of Endeavour and the leading edges of its wings. The purpose of this inspection is to ensure that, during the vehicle's climb to orbit, no damage occurred to the tiles that protect Endeavour from the heat of reentry. Endeavour's crew members will extend the Orbiter Docking System Ring and check out rendezvous tools in preparation for their arrival at the station. The STS-123 astronauts also are slated to check out spacesuits they will use during the mission�s five scheduled spacewalks at the station. Three of these will include tasks devoted to assembly of Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency's newest contribution to the station and the final element of its Mobile Servicing System, and installation of related equipment. The spacewalkers also will work to unberth from Endeavour's payload bay the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, the first element of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Other spacewalk activities include the installation of spare parts, tools and a materials experiment, as well as the replacement of a circuit-breaker box and demonstration of a repair procedure for tiles of the shuttle's heat shield. The astronauts also will stow the OBSS onto the station�s main truss during the fifth spacewalk. Related Links the missing link Shuttle at NASA Watch NASA TV via Space.TV Space Shuttle News at Space-Travel.Com
Endeavour is 'go' for Tuesday launch
Washington (UPI) Mar 10, 2008The U.S. space agency said all systems were "go" for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour and its STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. |
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