Status Report

NASA STS-134 Report #02 12:30 a.m. CDT Tuesday, May 17, 2011

By SpaceRef Editor
May 16, 2011
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NASA STS-134 Report #02  12:30 a.m. CDT Tuesday, May 17, 2011
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Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON – Endeavour’s six crew members are awake and ready for their mission’s first full day in space. The crew’s activities will focus on the standard inspection of the orbiter and preparations for docking with the International Space Station.

The crew was awakened at 10:56 p.m. CDT Monday to “Beautiful Day” performed by U2. The song was played for Commander Mark Kelly.

The six-hour inspection of critical parts of the shuttle’s thermal protection system will look at the reinforced carbon-carbon leading edges of Endeavour’s wings and nose cap. The Orbiter Boom Sensor System, the 50-foot extension of the shuttle’s robotic arm, was to be unberthed for the inspection by Mission Specialists Mike Fincke and Roberto Vittori.

Fincke, Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel were to begin their look at the starboard wing at about 2:40 a.m. The nose cap survey with Fincke, Feustel and Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff at the arm controls comes next, and the process will wind up with a look at the port wing with Johnson, Vittori and Chamitoff. The arm extension is scheduled to be berthed a little before 8 a.m.

Endeavour is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station at about 5:15 a.m. on Wednesday. Today’s activities included preparations for the rendezvous and docking, including installation of the centerline camera in the orbiter docking system, extension of the orbiter docking system ring and a checkout of rendezvous tools.

The crew is scheduled to begin its sleep period just before 2 p.m. The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted.

SpaceRef staff editor.