Mission Status Center

The combined crews of the shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station worked overnight Friday outfitting the new Tranquility module and preparing it for activation during a spacewalk Saturday night to connect ammonia coolant lines.

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The crew reports having the Air Revitalization System rack and Advanced Resistive Exercise Device transferred into Tranquility.

The astronauts are conducting a review of procedures for Saturday night's spacewalk aimed at beginning the external plumbing work for Tranquility's ammonia cooling system.

Also completed overnight has been prepping the spacesuits to be worn during the EVA, including the new one for Nick Patrick.

An internal fan in Patrick's original didn't operate at the expected speed during Thursday's night spacewalk. It was a condition not seen before or understood by engineers, prompting the decision for Patrick to wear a different suit for the next EVA.

However, the swap wasn't that simple. The alternate suit available had originally been slated for use by Bob Behnken, but during checkout earlier in the mission there was a power problem with a wiring harness affecting the helmet-mounted camera and glove heaters. So Behnken had switched to the other available spare suit. The crew tonight replaced that wiring package and now has the old Behnken suit repaired and ready for use by Patrick tomorrow night.

The crew has been stumped by an interference problem in working with an internal cover in the threshold to cupola. The cover will protect area when cupola is relocated to a different port later in the mission. The ground is assessing various options to resolve the unexpected problem.

At 11:32 p.m. EST, the hatch between Tranquility and cupola was opened. The crew will work only briefly in cupola to complete a couple of procedures that enable its relocation later in the mission. Cupola rode to orbit on the outer port of Tranquility in order to fit in Endeavour's payload but will be positioned on the Earth-facing side of the module in a few days.

"The module looks beautiful and the atmosphere is very clean," space station commander Jeff Williams reports, noting no dust or debris. The crew was wearing goggles and protective masts in case of anything floating around in there.

Throughout the rest of the workday, the crew astronauts will be doing internal outfitting tasks such as hooking up avionic cables and water lines. They also plan to move the Air Revitalization System life-support rack and the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device into the Tranquility.

The doorway to Tranquility swung open at 9:17 p.m. EST, allowing the Expedition 22 crew and shuttle Endeavour astronauts to go inside the brand new module for the first time.

Tranquility's delivery to the space station brings the international outpost's construction to 98 percent complete.

The shuttle Endeavour's heat shield - the protective tiles on the ship's belly and the critical carbon composite nose cap and wing leading edge panels - has been cleared for re-entry after a detailed analysis of post-launch imagery and sensor data, NASA officials said Friday.

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The shuttle and station crews are getting to work inside the Unity connecting node to configure the hatchway leading into the newly attached Tranquility module. They are scheduled to open the door and float into Tranquility for the first time today, perhaps around 9:15 p.m. EST or so.

And then later tonight, the hatch between Tranquility and the cupola will be opened around 10:45 p.m. EST. All of the windows of the cupola are wrapped with thermal blankets, however. The external coverings will be removed during spacewalk No. 3 next week.

Flight Day 6's wakeup has been given to the Endeavour astronauts, starting the day that will see the crew open the hatchway and enter inside the Tranquility module for the first time. They'll also get the spacewalking suits and tools readied for Saturday's EVA.

The latest version of the NASA Television schedule (Rev. F) can be downloaded here.

Read our earlier status center coverage.