Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour was awakened for its first full day in orbit at 7:37 a.m. CDT for a day that will see the spacecraft continue its pursuit of the International Space Station.

Endeavour's crew, Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, Mission Specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Dave Williams of the Canadian Space Agency, Barbara Morgan and Alvin Drew, was awakened by “Where My Heart Will Take Me,” performed by Russell Watson. It was played for Mastracchio.

Hobaugh, Caldwell and Mastracchio will use the shuttle’s robotic arm to unberth the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) to take an extensive and detailed look at the orbiter’s thermal protection system. Williams and Morgan join Mastracchio for the latter part of the survey. The grapple and unberth of the OBSS is scheduled for about 10:20 a.m. After the survey, it is to be reberthed at about 4:30 p.m.

Other activities include preparation for Endeavour’s rendezvous and docking with the space station. Crewmembers will install a centerline camera. It will help Kelly pilot the orbiter during its slow, careful approach to the station docking port. Crewmembers also will check out rendezvous tools and extend the Orbiter Docking System ring.

Endeavour is scheduled to dock at 12:53 p.m. Friday. It brings to the station the 4,000-pound Starboard 5 truss segment, a replacement for a Control Moment Gyroscope and a 6,900-pound External Stowage Platform, to stow replacement parts outside the station. Three spacewalks are scheduled, and a fourth could be done if the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System functions as expected, allowing Endeavour to extend its stay at the station.

The next status report will be issued Thursday afternoon or earlier if events warrant.

News from Commercial Space Watch