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Orbiter: Endeavour
Mission: STS-134
Payload: AMS
Launch: May 16, 2011
Time: 8:56 a.m. EDT
Site: Pad 39A, Kennedy Space Center
Landing: June 1 @ approx. 2:32 a.m. EDT
Site: KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility

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Cdr Mark Kelly

Pilot Greg Johnson

MS 1 Mike Fincke

MS 2 Roberto Vittori

MS 3 Drew Feustel

MS 4 Greg Chamitoff




Mission Status Center

By Justin Ray

Live coverage of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. Text updates will appear automatically; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2011
Preliminary assessment shows Katrina-damaged external tank performed well during ascent, the Mission Management Team says. Read our full story.
2005 GMT (4:05 p.m. EDT)
Check out photos of shuttle Endeavour launch from our cameras around the pad.
1820 GMT (2:20 p.m. EDT)
Flight Day 2 is winding down for the astronauts. They'll be heading into an 8-hour sleep period at 2:56 p.m. EDT. Tomorrow is docking day!
1749 GMT (1:49 p.m. EDT)
Down at the Kennedy Space Center, Atlantis has arrived inside the Vehicle Assembly Building for mating to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters. The final "rollover" of the space shuttle program is complete.

See Atlantis' Mission Status Center.
1645 GMT (12:45 p.m. EDT)
Mission specialist Drew Feustel has gotten the STORRM experiment set up and configured for tomorrow's approach with the International Space Station. The Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation is experimenting with new technology for orbital rendezvous.
1541 GMT (11:41 a.m. EDT)
Endeavour's reaction control jets have been fired for the NC3 burn to adjust the flight path toward the space station. This maneuver lasted 12 seconds and changed the shuttle's velocity by about 2.8 feet per second.
1515 GMT (11:15 a.m. EDT)
The crew has extended the docking ring that will connect the shuttle's port to the space station, setting up the springs and shock absorbers to do their roles during the link. The astronauts also set up the centerline camera in the docking port to be used in the final approach.
1450 GMT (10:50 a.m. EDT)
The Endeavour astronauts, working a deep overnight shift thanks to a two-week launch delay, carried out a detailed inspection of the shuttle's reinforced carbon carbon nose cap and wing leading edge panels Tuesday, a standard post-Columbia check to look for any signs of damage that might have occurred during launch Monday.

Read our full story.
1407 GMT (10:07 a.m. EDT)
The mission's spacewalkers have worked down on the middeck today testing and readying the spacesuits that will be worn during upcoming excursions outside the International Space Station. The crew has confirmed the suits are good and set for use.
1358 GMT (9:58 a.m. EDT)
And now Endeavour's robot arm has grabbed ahold of the ELC-3 pallet riding in the cargo bay. They will remain coupled overnight and through the docking tomorrow.
1340 GMT (9:40 a.m. EDT)
The Orbiter Boom Sensor System has been locked down in the payload bay, its job of inspecting Endeavour's heat shield complete for today. The boom will be used again late in the mission for another round of observations to check for orbital debris impacts before the astronauts give the device over to the International Space Station to keep.

A few highlights remaining on the to-do list for this workday include installation of the centerline camera in the Orbiter Docking System to help commander Mark Kelly during tomorrow's approach to the space station, a checkout of the rendezvous tools and the docking ring will be extended in preparation for linkup with the station's Harmony module.

The robot arm also will grapple the Express Logistics Carrier No. 3 in the payload bay as a preparatory get-ahead for tomorrow's unberthing of the spare parts pallet after docking.

The crew is scheduled for sleep at 2:56 p.m. EDT.
1255 GMT (8:55 a.m. EDT)
In our live video stream, you are hearing the Endeavour mission audio while seeing Atlantis moving to Vehicle Assembly Building.
1255 GMT (8:55 a.m. EDT)
The port-side sweeps by the inspection boom have been completed by the crew, finishing today's heat shield surveys. It will take a day or two for ground analysts to review the data and declare the heat shield safe for re-entry.

The astronauts will return the 50-foot-long structure back into its cradle in the payload bay a short time from now.
1203 GMT (8:03 a.m. EDT)
Down at the Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Atlantis has begun its departure from the orbiter processing facility this morning. Mounted atop a trailer-like transporter, Atlantis is being moved over the Vehicle Assembly Building for mating to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters in preparation to launch on the program's final mission.

See Atlantis' Mission Status Center.
1116 GMT (7:16 a.m. EDT)
Post-launch checks of the reinforced carbon-carbon panels on the leading edge of Endeavour's port wing are getting underway.
1044 GMT (6:44 a.m. EDT)
The crew has finished the nose cap survey. The left wing inspections are next up in this multi-hour job to survey the shuttle to look for any signs of launch damage. The precautionary safety inspection has become a standard activity for all post-Columbia shuttle crews.
1020 GMT (6:20 a.m. EDT)
The astronauts have swung the inspection boom into position out in front of Endeavour to get a closeup look on the shuttle's nose cap.
0959 GMT (5:59 a.m. EDT)
Inspections of space shuttle Endeavour's starboard wing have finished. The extensive imagery and laser data will be analyzed by specialists on the ground to determine if the spacecraft's heat shield is safe for re-entry.

Nose cap inspections are next.
0910 GMT (5:10 a.m. EDT)
Sweeping back and forth, back and forth, the inspection device is looking for any signs of damage to to the leading edge of Endeavour's starboard wing that could have occurred during ascent yesterday.
0827 GMT (4:27 a.m. EDT)
The Orbiter Boom Sensor System, anchored on the end of shuttle Endeavour's robot arm, has been positioned to begin today's heat shield inspections. Scans on the starboard side of the shuttle will be performed first.

The crew completed the calibration and testing of the sensors. They also took imagery of the starboard plate where the launch pad umbilicals connect to the shuttle.
0705 GMT (3:05 a.m. EDT)
The boom has been released from its cradle and raised out of the shuttle bay. The astronauts will work to activate the camera and laser sensor package on the boom to scan the wings and nose of the orbiter over the next several hours.
0655 GMT (2:55 a.m. EDT)
Shuttle Endeavour's robotic arm has grappled the Orbiter Boom Sensor System and the restraints holding that 50-foot-long inspection device in the payload bay are releasing it for unberthing.
0623 GMT (2:23 a.m. EDT)
After waking up, having some breakfast and going through their morning routine, the Endeavour astronauts have gotten to work. They just completed the latest engine firing as part of the two-day rendezvous sequence to catch the space station.

The NC2 burn was executed using the right-hand Orbital Maneuvering System engine, changing the shuttle's speed by 7.7 miles per hour during the 14-second firing that raised both the apogee and perigee of the orbit. The shuttle's new orbit is 210 by 202 miles, an increase from the 205 by 201 mile perch the vehicle had been flying in since yesterday afternoon.

Coming up shortly will be the grappling of the inspection boom by the shuttle's robot arm.
0540 GMT (1:40 a.m. EDT)
The Endeavour astronauts, working a deep overnight shift thanks to a two-week launch delay, were awakened at 11:56 p.m. EDT Monday to begin their first full day in space, enjoying a recording of U2's "Beautiful Day" beamed up from mission control. The tune was requested by commander Mark Kelly's wife, Gabrielle Giffords, and his two daughters.

Read our morning story.
0437 GMT (12:37 a.m. EDT)
The latest version of the NASA Television schedule (Rev. B) can be downloaded here.
0357 GMT (11:57 p.m. EDT Mon.)
Mission Control has awakened the astronauts with U2's song "Beautiful Day" to begin the crew's first full day in orbit.

Today will be spent inspecting Endeavour's heat shield for any signs of launch damage, a routine task for shuttle crews. Other activities include checking out the spacesuits to be worn during the mission's spacewalks and preparing equipment for tomorrow's docking to the space station.


Read our earlier status center coverage.

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