NASA'S Shuttle
Endeavour Begins Mission To The Space Station
(11 March 2008) Space shuttle
Endeavour brought an early sunrise to the East Coast Tuesday, launching from
NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 2:28 a.m. EDT and beginning the STS-123 mission
to the International Space Station.
During the 16-day flight,
Endeavour's seven astronauts will work with the three-member space station crew
and ground teams around the world to install the first section of the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's
two-armed robotic system, known as Dextre. STS-123 is the longest shuttle
mission to the station and will include a record five shuttle spacewalks at the
orbiting laboratory, delivery of a new crew member to the complex and the
return of another astronaut after nearly seven weeks aboard the
station.
Shortly before launch, Commander Gorie thanked the teams that
helped make the launch possible. "You've got seven smiling faces on board
here," said Gorie. "God's truly blessed us with a beautiful night to launch so
let's light 'em up and give them a show."
Joining Gorie on STS-123 are
Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken, Mike
Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
astronaut Takao Doi. Reisman will replace current station crewmember Leopold
Eyharts, who has lived on the outpost since early February. Reisman will return
to Earth on shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission, targeted for launch on May 25,
2008.
Endeavour's cargo will help continue the station's assembly. The
Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section, or ELM-PS, will hold
experiment samples, maintenance tools and other spare items. Dextre can be
attached to the station's robotic arm to handle smaller components typically
requiring a spacewalking astronaut. At the tip of each arm is a "hand" that
consists of retractable jaws used to grip objects.
NASA is providing
continuous television and Internet coverage of Endeavour's mission, which is
the 122nd shuttle flight, the 21st for Endeavour and the 25th shuttle mission
to the station.
(source: NASA)
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