NASA STS-124 Report #26 3 a.m. CDT Friday, June 13, 2008

Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON The crew of Discovery has begun its last full day in orbit.

Fittingly, the wake-up music was “Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home,” performed by Louis Prima and Keely Smith. The song was played at 2:02 a.m. CDT for Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman.

The crew will spend a large part of the day stowing away items in the crew cabin in advance of Saturday’s landing.

They also are scheduled to test Discovery’s flight control system, the flaps and rudder which will control the orbiter’s flight through the atmosphere, a little before 5:40 a.m. Subsequently, at about 6:50 a.m., they will test the spacecraft’s reaction control system jets, which control the shuttle’s orientation before the flight control system becomes effective.

Reisman’s recumbent seat will be set up on the mid-deck of the shuttle early this afternoon. This is a special reclining seat that helps returning Expedition crew members adjust to Earth’s gravity easier.

At the end of the crew’s day, the astronauts also will stow the Ku-band antenna. The high-data-rate KU-band system transmits, among other things, television signals.

The crew is scheduled to go to sleep at 5:32 p.m. CDT.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day, or earlier if events warrant.