Spaceflight Now



STS-134 Mission Coverage



Parade moves tank to museum for Endeavour

A spectacle never seen before -- a space shuttle external fuel tank traversing city streets -- was witnessed in Los Angeles today as the relic was moved to the museum that will construct a rocket science attraction.

   FULL STORY
   PHOTO GALLERY


Shuttle fuel tank comes ashore in California

A five-week, 5,000-mile sea trek of the last space shuttle external fuel tank pulled into port today for a parade through the urban jungle of Southern California on Saturday to its final destination.

   FULL STORY
   PHOTO GALLERY


Journey of shuttle tank saves four people in Pacific

Making a brief pit shop in San Diego to clear customs today, the museum-bound space shuttle external fuel tank will reach Los Angeles for offloading from the transport barge on Wednesday, just days after a serendipitous rescue of the passengers from a sunken boat in the Pacific.

   FULL STORY


Museum-bound tank transits Panama Canal

Navigating the 48-mile Panama Canal that slices through the isthmus, the final shipment of a space shuttle external fuel tank emerged into the Pacific for a three-week trek to California.

   FULL STORY
   PHOTO GALLERY


Last shuttle tank reaches Panama Canal

The tugboat and barge transporting the last space shuttle external tank to its display venue in California have reached the inlet to the Panama Canal, now just days away from sailing into the Pacific.

   FULL STORY


Final fuel tank heads to California museum

On the 35th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch, the last remaining external fuel tank set sail today from its factory in New Orleans to Los Angeles and a remarkable museum attraction in the making.

   FULL STORY
   PHOTO GALLERY


Endeavour reunited with Spacehab in museum

Two years after it paraded through the streets of Los Angeles following a cross-country ferry flight from Florida, the space shuttle Endeavour was loaded with a Spacehab logistics module Thursday ahead of the orbiter's planned transition to a vertical display on a mock launch pad.

   FULL STORY
   PHOTO GALLERY


Museum display of shuttle Endeavour opens to public

Throwing open the doors to schoolchildren and the world Tuesday, the California Science Center's display of the retired space shuttle Endeavour is up and running in Los Angeles.

   PHOTO GALLERY


Photo gallery: Endeavour takes to the LA streets

Spaceflight Now captured space shuttle Endeavour's once-in-a-lifetime journey through an American city from start to finish, from the ground and even in the air. This 8-page photo gallery relives the remarkable event that will never be forgotten for the million spectators who lined the sidewalks of Los Angeles.

   PHOTO GALLERY


Shuttle reaches retirement roost in sunny SoCal

Shimmying, zig-zagging and pivoting to dodge trees and poles in the final stretch, the space shuttle Endeavour pulled into her new residence for retirement Sunday, capping an arduous two-and-a-half-day trek through Los Angeles to reach the California Science Center at Exposition Park.

   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!

   ENDEAVOUR'S FINAL MISSION AND FERRYFLIGHT
   STS-134 HDTV VIDEO ARCHIVE
   STORE: SHUTTLE FERRYFLIGHT PATCH
   STORE: BEAUTIFUL SPACE PHOTO PRINTS


Crowds cheer as Endeavour traverses though Los Angeles

One day down, one more to go in space shuttle Endeavour's surreal trek through Los Angeles, a scene attracting thousands of spectators young and old along city sidewalks and erupting chants of "USA! USA! USA!"

   FULL STORY


Journey of shuttle Endeavour through Los Angeles begins

After flying in space 25 times and logging 123 million miles, the final journey of the shuttle Endeavour that promises to be a grand spectacle got underway today as the retired spaceplane began a 12-mile procession through the city streets of Los Angeles.

   FULL STORY


Endeavour to go parading through LA streets for 2 days

A journey like no other for the shuttle Endeavour -- a two-day, round-the-clock trek through the city streets of Los Angeles -- begins late Thursday night and continues along 12 miles of urban jungle through Saturday evening to the retired spaceship's new home at the California Science Center.

   FULL STORY


Photo feature: Coast-to-coast with shuttle Endeavour

Endeavour's ferryflight across the country last week traveled from the Cape to the City of Angels, and Spaceflight Now was on the move to capture the departure, the final visit to Edwards Air Force Base that had played a key role throughout the space shuttle program and the stirring flyover of Los Angeles where the spaceship now resides for retirement.
See our four-page photo spread on the trip.
   SPECIAL PHOTO GALLERY


California welcomes shuttle Endeavour back to birth state

Completing the final leg of the final space shuttle ferryflight, the decommissioned Endeavour toured iconic landmarks around California before her 747 carrier jet made a tire-smoking touchdown at the Los Angeles International Airport on Friday.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!


Final space shuttle ferryflight to be completed Friday

An aviation marvel since 1977 and a spectacle seen on 107 treks, the modified Boeing 747 jumbojet is hauling the the decommissioned orbiter Endeavour across the country this week on space shuttle era's final ferryflight.
   FULL STORY
   GALLERY: SHUTTLE FLIES OVER TEXAS CAPITOL


Kennedy Space Center bids final farewell to Endeavour

Bound for Southern California where America's space shuttle fleet was born, the retired spaceship Endeavour left her homeport Wednesday morning atop a modified 747 carrier jet to become a tool of inspiration at a children's science museum in Los Angeles.
   FULL STORY
   GALLERY: SHUTTLE FLIES OVER TEXAS CAPITOL
   GALLERY: DEPARTURE PHOTOS FROM RUNWAY WESTSIDE
   GALLERY: ENDEAVOUR OVER COCOA BEACH

   LOS ANGELES PLANS
   SPECIAL PHOTO GALLERY
   ENDEAVOUR'S FINAL MISSION
   STS-134 HDTV VIDEO ARCHIVE
   STORE: SHUTTLE FERRYFLIGHT PATCH
   STORE: BEAUTIFUL SPACE PHOTO PRINTS


Weather postpones shuttle Endeavour ferryflight takeoff

Unfavorable weather in Houston will prevent the space shuttle Endeavour from starting her hopscotching trek across the southern United States on a ferryflight into retirement at sunrise Monday. Instead, departure from Kennedy Space Center has been postponed to Tuesday, with arrival into Los Angeles International Airport still targeted for noon Thursday.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!

   EARLIER PREVIEW STORY
   GALLERY: UP-CLOSE WITH ENDEAVOUR AND 747
   GALLERY: 747 EXITS CRANE CONTRAPTION WITH ENDEAVOUR
   GALLERY: GO INSIDE THE SHUTTLE CARRIER AIRCRAFT


Endeavour and carrier jet joined as one for ferryflight

Taking the reverse course she followed when returning from spaceflights, the retired shuttle Endeavour moved Friday to Kennedy Space Center's runway complex and was mounted atop the modified Boeing 747 carrier jet for next week's ferryflight departure to California.
   FULL STORY
   GALLERY: ROLLOUT AND MATING TO 747


Endeavour's ride to the West Coast arrives at spaceport

The modified Boeing 747 jumbojet that will haul the space shuttle Endeavour piggyback-style to Los Angeles next week flew across the country to Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday to pick up the spaceplane passenger.
   FULL STORY


PHOTOS: Endeavour ready to set sail one final time

Now peacefully parked in the Vehicle Assembly Building, the space shuttle Endeavour is counting down the days until she bids farewell to the Kennedy Space Center and rides piggyback atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to Los Angeles next month. Spaceflight Now photographer Walter Scriptunas II took the chance this week to shoot a gallery that captures the beauty of the spacecraft.

   SPECIAL PHOTO GALLERY


Endeavour and Atlantis do the final shuttle shuffle

The space shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis swapped locations at Kennedy Space Center Thursday morning, as Endeavour departed her hangar for the final time to take up storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building and Atlantis left storage to resume museum display preparations, briefly appearing nose-to-nose on the road.

   NOSE-TO-NOSE PHOTO GALLERY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR HATCH CLOSED
   IMAGES: FINAL STATE OF CREW MODULE
   IMAGES: FERRYFLIGHT TAIL CONE INSTALLED


Celebrations will welcome Endeavour to Los Angeles

The space shuttle Endeavour, retired from service after 25 missions that spanned 123 million miles, will star in a remarkable 12-mile parade through the streets of Los Angeles on October 12-13, traveling from the city's international airport to the California Science Center for display at the children's learning complex.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: WEDNESDAY PHOTO GALLERY
Endeavour's hatchway closed and locked
A poignant moment in the retirement of space shuttle Endeavour occurred Friday, August 10 as Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, a former commander of the ship, helped technicians close the crew module hatch for the final time at the spaceport before delivery to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
   PHOTO GALLERY
Endeavour's crew module put into final configuration
A pair of mission specialist seats was moved from the middeck to the flight deck of space shuttle Endeavour before the crew module was closed up at Kennedy Space Center for shipment to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
   PHOTO GALLERY
Ferryflight cone attached to shuttle Endeavour
The aerodynamic tail cone to cover space shuttle Endeavour's main engines and provide a smooth airflow during the piggyback ride atop the modified Boeing 747 carrier jet to the California in September was installed onto the orbiter Aug. 6.
   PHOTO GALLERY
PHOTOS: Aboard shuttle Endeavour one final time
Gaining one last glimpse inside the crew module of space shuttle Endeavour where astronauts lived and worked on 25 missions, Spaceflight Now's Justin Ray climbed aboard the spacecraft this week.
   SPECIAL PHOTO GALLERY


Shuttle Endeavour's cockpit comes alive one more time

Climb aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, the flight deck displays powered up and buttons glowing just like her astronaut crews saw as they circled the planet, a living spaceship taking hardware and humans to and from Earth orbit safely 25 times.

   SPECIAL PHOTO GALLERY


Inside Endeavour, a bond of technology and humanity

A sea of switches, displays, gauges and buttons greets astronauts, engineers and the few lucky visitors who crawl inside a space shuttle. But beyond the visual wonder, the shuttle offers a humbling glimpse into what made the ships fly.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR'S FLIGHT DECK
   IMAGES: SHUTTLE MIDDECK, AIRLOCK, CARGO BAY
Endeavour back in hangar to prepare for Los Angeles
After more than five months of storage inside bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, the retired space shuttle Endeavour was rolled back over to Orbiter Processing Facility 2 on Wednesday to resume preparations for museum display. The ship will head west to the California Science Center in October.
   PHOTO GALLERY
   VIDEO: FINAL MISSION ARCHIVE
   HDTV: HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO


Two shuttle orbiters face off on road to retirement duty

Two space shuttle orbiters swapped places at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday as NASA prepares the retired spaceships for public display in museums. The unique morning climaxed with a nose-to-nose photo opportunity with Discovery and Endeavour.

   IMAGES: DISCOVERY AND ENDEAVOUR PICTURED TOGETHER


Soyuz pictures of shuttle and station finally released

It was "the ultimate photo op" as Expedition 27 crew member Paolo Nespoli, inside the departing Soyuz TMA-20 capsule, snapped pictures of the International Space Station with shuttle Endeavour docked at the orbiting complex.

   PHOTO GALLERY - more added!

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Shuttle Endeavour comes home to enter retirement

Swooping out of the nighttime sky to enter homeport a final time, the shuttle Endeavour has safely completed her spaceflight career that covered 25 voyages to Earth orbit over 19 years, spanning 122,883,151 miles traveled, 4,677 revolutions of the planet and 299 days aloft.

   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!
   IMAGES: SPACESHIP TOWED OFF THE RUNWAY
   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR'S GHOSTLY HOMECOMING
   IMAGES: LANDING GROUND TRACKS
   MORNING STORY

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. M (.pdf download)
   STS-134 ARCHIVE

Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 16 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' TRIBUTE TO ENDEAVOUR PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR'S AEROSURFACES TESTED PLAY
VIDEO: ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC AND FOX MEDIA INTERVIEWS PLAY

HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 15 FULL STATION FLYAROUND HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 14 HOME MOVIES HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 13 HOME MOVIES HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 12 COVERAGE OF FOURTH SPACEWALK HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 11 HOME MOVIES HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 9 HOME MOVIES HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 7 COVERAGE OF SECOND SPACEWALK HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 6 FOCUSED INSPECTION ON HEAT SHIELD HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 5 COVERAGE OF FIRST SPACEWALK HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 4 ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 3 DOCKING AND ELC-3 UNBERTH HI-DEF
HDTV: FLIGHT DAY 2 HOME MOVIES HI-DEF

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Astronauts prep Endeavour for final return to Earth

The space shuttle Endeavour astronauts are readying the spaceship for landing at the Kennedy Space Center tonight to close out the orbiter's 25th and final voyage. Touchdown is scheduled for 2:35 a.m. EDT (0635 GMT).

   FULL STORY



Space shuttle laser test could help guide asteroid missions

Astronauts piloted the shuttle Endeavour on a unique course back toward the International Space Station Monday, testing a next-generation laser-based navigation sensor in hopes of verifying it can help guide future voyages to the space station, distant asteroids and Mars.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: SHUTTLE DEPARTS SPACE STATION
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. L (.pdf download)



Endeavour leaves space station for the final time

Concluding its 12th visit to the International Space Station, the shuttle Endeavour undocked at 11:55 p.m. EDT Sunday. Endeavour spent nearly 12 days docked to the complex, delivering a costly, exotic particle physics experiment and a load of spare parts.


   PREVIEW STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. L (.pdf download)

Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 15 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: VIEWS OF THE SHUTTLE DURING THE FLYAROUND PLAY
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR UNDOCKS FROM THE SPACE STATION PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 14 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: FAREWELL CEREMONY FOR SHUTTLE AND STATION CREWS PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY

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Shuttle astronauts bid farewell to space station
The Endeavour astronauts wrapped up last-minute experiment transfers early Sunday, bid farewell to the crew of the International Space Station and moved back aboard the shuttle to prepare the ship for undocking Sunday night.
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. K (.pdf download)
   STS-134 ARCHIVE


Spacewalkers send back rarely-seen views of station

While Saturday's activities on the International Space Station focused on packing cargo and repairing a carbon dioxide scrubber, we present spectacular photos taken by astronauts Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff on Friday's final shuttle spacewalk.


   IMAGES: AMAZING VISTAS OF SPACE STATION
   IMAGES: SPACEWALKERS WORK OUTSIDE
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. K (.pdf download)
   STS-134 ARCHIVE



Shuttle astronauts venture into space for final time

Astronauts Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff stepped outside the International Space Station for more than seven hours Friday, placing the shuttle's 50-foot inspection boom on the station's truss backbone to extend the reach of the lab's robot arm. It was the final planned spacewalk to be conducted by space shuttle crew members.

   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. J (.pdf download)
   STS-134 ARCHIVE



Awe-inspiring views of shuttle Endeavour's launch

Onboard rocket camera footage always dazzles and the video from Endeavour's external fuel tank and solid boosters didn't disappoint during the morning blastoff last week. Check out these amazing videos of the spacecraft rocketing toward orbit, which are presented here for Spaceflight Now+Plus users with launch audio.

Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY
VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY
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Shuttle heat shield inspected before giving away boom

The Endeavour astronauts carried out a final inspection of the shuttle's heat shield early Thursday, fielded questions from reporters and geared up for a fourth and final spacewalk Friday, an excursion that will push space station EVA assembly time past the 1,000-hour mark.

   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. I (.pdf download)
   STS-134 ARCHIVE



American spacewalkers work on Russian module

Endeavour crewmates Drew Feustel and Mike Fincke, working outside on the mission's third spacewalk, today established an operating base for the International Space Station's robotic arm on the Zarya module, creating the ability for the Canadian-made crane to cross borders from the U.S. to the Russian segments for the first time. The astronauts also wired redundant power paths to supply electricity to the Russian elements and plugged in new communications antennas that were bolted on the Destiny laboratory last week.

   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
   MORNING STORY

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. H (.pdf download)
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ELECTRONICS BOX AND CABLING INSTALLED ON ZARYA PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOT ARM OPERATING BASE ADDED TO RUSSIAN MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: GRAPPLE FIXTURE FETCHED FROM THE AIRLOCK PLAY
VIDEO: THERMAL BLANKETS REMOVED ON ZARYA WORKSITE PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 3 PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' FLIGHT DAY 9 HOME MOVIES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: CALIFORNIA MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH CREW PLAY
VIDEO: PITTSBURGH AND HOUSTON MEDIA INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO: POST-SOYUZ MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY

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Soyuz crew returns to Earth after shuttle photo op

Outgoing space station commander Dmitry Kondratyev, Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Catherine "Cady" Coleman undocked and returned to Earth Monday, pausing briefly to snap long-sought pictures of the station with a space shuttle attached before dropping out of orbit and landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 159-day voyage.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: VIDEO STILLS OF SHUTTLE AND STATION COMPLEX
   MORNING STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: CREW EXTRACTED FROM CAPSULE PLAY
VIDEO: AERIAL VIEW OF THE SOYUZ LANDING PLAY
VIDEO: LANDING AS SEEN LIVE IN KAZAKHSTAN PLAY
VIDEO: CAPSULE UNDOCKS AND CONDUCTS "THE PHOTO OP" PLAY
VIDEO: SOYUZ CAPSULE HATCH CLOSURE PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: RETURNING TO THE AIRLOCK AFTER EVA PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKER WORKS ON THE DEXTRE ROBOT PLAY
VIDEO: LUBRICATING SOLAR ALPHA ROTARY JOINT RING PLAY
VIDEO: FLOWING AMMONIA TO REPLENISH COOLING LOOP PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALK NO. 2 BEGINS PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 2 PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY

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Spacewalkers work on the space station's longevity

For the second spacewalk of Endeavour's mission, astronauts Drew Feustel and Mike Fincke took an eight-hour excursion Sunday morning to replenish the ammonia in one of the International Space Station's cooling systems and lubricate a massive solar array drive mechanism to reduce long term wear and tear.

   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   BOLT PROBLEM PROMPTED PLAN CHANGE
   COOLING SYSTEM RECHARGED WITH AMMONIA
   MORNING STORY


'Focused inspection' clears Endeavour heat shield

The shuttle Endeavour's crew early Saturday morning conducted a close-up, focused inspection of a damaged tile on the belly of the orbiter. The three-dimensional insight into ding allowed managers by the afternoon to announce the spacecraft's heat shield is safe for re-entry.

   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: FRIDAY'S SPACEWALK GALLERY
   MORNING STORY
   FRIDAY'S STORY

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. E (.pdf download)
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH THE 'FOCUSED INSPECTION' ON DAMAGED TILE PLAY
VIDEO: INSPECTION BOOM UNBERTHED FROM CRADLES PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKER INSTALLS NEW ANTENNA PLAY
VIDEO: WORKING WITH AMMONIA JUMPER LINE PLAY
VIDEO: SCIENCE EXPERIMENT RETRIEVED PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALK NO. 1 BEGINS PLAY

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Photo Gallery: Aerial views of Endeavour's launch
A low deck of clouds covering the Kennedy Space Center made Endeavour's final launch mostly invisible to the spectators who flocked to the Space Coast. The ship disappeared into the clouds about 23 seconds after liftoff and was never seen again. But these aerial pictures provide a beautiful look at Endeavour's morning ascent.
   IMAGES: AERIAL VIEWS OF ENDEAVOUR'S LAUNCH
Pope Benedict XVI calls the space shuttle-station crew
Pope Benedict XVI called the combined crews of the shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station Saturday, wishing commander Mark Kelly's gravely wounded wife, Gabrielle Giffords, a steady recovery and asking station flight engineer Paolo Nespoli how he endured news of his mother's death in the isolation of space.
   FULL STORY
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Endeavour astronauts take mission's first spacewalk

Working outside the International Space Station for six hours Friday morning, Endeavour astronauts Drew Feustel and Greg Chamitoff retrieved and replaced materials exposure experiment packages, conditioned coolant lines in preparation for flowing ammonia during Sunday's EVA and installed two wireless communications antennas. But a malfunctioning carbon dioxide sensor in Chamitoff's spacesuit prompted an early end to the spacewalk before the crew could connect and route a large bundle of wiring for those new antennas.

   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   SENSOR GLITCH INTERRUPTS EVA PLAN
   MORNING STORY

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. D (.pdf download)
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
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VIDEO: AMAZING VIEWS INSIDE SOYUZ CAPSULE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 1 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY | HI-DEF

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Out-of-this-world photo op approved for space station
The Mission Management Team for the International Space Station met Friday and formally approved plans for "the ultimate photo op" to occur Monday evening when the Russian Soyuz capsule departs the complex for landing. The crew will take digital imagery of shuttle Endeavour docked to space station, something never before attempted.
   FULL STORY - with video!
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
Analysts continue shuttle heat shield assessment
Engineers have eliminated one of three damage sites on the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield tiles as an area of concern and a second may be dismissed and deemed safe for re-entry as is by Friday, a senior manager said Thursday. But one damage site on the shuttle's belly may require an additional, "focused," inspection Saturday to make sure repairs are not needed.
   FULL STORY
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VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY

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Endeavour's boosters to be stored to fly again someday

The shuttle Endeavour's two spent solid rocket booster casings returned to a Cape Canaveral hangar Wednesday to undergo inspections and cleaning before being put into storage for potential future use on commercial or heavy-lift launchers.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: SHUTTLE BOOSTERS BACK IN PORT


Space station receives premier physics experiment

An exotic experiment that could write the lasting scientific legacy of the International Space Station by probing the mysteries of physics was unloaded from the shuttle Endeavour and mounted atop the orbiting outpost Thursday morning.

   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!
   KELLY SAYS WIFE DOING WELL AFTER SURGERY

   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. C (.pdf download)
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: INTERVIEWS WITH NPR, AP, REUTERS, FOX NEWS PLAY
VIDEO: MILES O'BRIEN MODERATES CREW INTERVIEW PLAY

VIDEO: CREW CONGRATULATED BY AMS' LEADER PLAY
VIDEO: ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: AMS HANDED FROM SHUTTLE ARM TO STATION ARM PLAY
VIDEO: SPECTROMETER UNBERTHED FROM SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED DESCRIPTION OF AMS INSTALLATION PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER ANIMATION PLAY | HI-DEF

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Endeavour docks to the International Space Station

Sailing on her last journey, Endeavour has arrived at the International Space Station to bolster the outpost's scientific potential with a particle physics detector to study the origins of the universe. But before the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer gets installed Thursday, the astronauts Wednesday morning transferred from Endeavour's payload bay the final batch of large spare parts to sustain the station's viability after the space shuttles are retired.

   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY

VIDEO: EXPRESS LOGISTICS CARRIER NO. 3 INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: PALLET HANDED FROM SHUTTLE ARM TO STATION ARM PLAY
VIDEO: SPARE PARTS CARRIER UNBERTHED FROM SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: A LOOK AT SPARE PARTS RIDING ON PALLET PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ANIMATED EXPLANATION OF ELC NO. 3 INSTALL PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: SHUTTLE CREW WELCOMED ABOARD STATION PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE AND STATION BROUGHT TO FIRM CONNECTION PLAY
VIDEO: DOCKING OF SHUTTLE TO STATION AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ARCS OUT IN FRONT OF SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR PERFORMS THE 360-DEGREE BACKFLIP PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF THE DOCKING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GUIDED TOUR OF SHUTTLE'S PAYLOAD BAY PLAY | HI-DEF

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NASA assesses tile damage on shuttle Endeavour
Close-up photos of heat shield tiles on the shuttle Endeavour's belly taken during final approach to the International Space Station Wednesday revealed several gouges and dings from apparent debris impacts during launch. LeRoy Cain, chairman of NASA's Mission Management Team, said three "areas of interest" may require an additional focused inspection Saturday to collect more data.
   FULL STORY - with pictures


Astronauts give Endeavour full post-launch inspection

The Endeavour astronauts, working a deep overnight shift, spent their first full day in space inspecting the shuttle's nose cap and wing leading edge panels for standard post-launch heat shield checks, testing equipment needed for upcoming spacewalks and preparing for Wednesday's docking to the International Space Station.

   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   FULL STORY
   MORNING STORY
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. B (.pdf download)
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VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' FLIGHT DAY 2 HOME MOVIES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: INSPECTION BOOM UNBERTHED FROM SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 2 PLAY | HI-DEF

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Shuttle Endeavour launches on her 25th and final voyage

Endeavour safely sailed into orbit Monday on a 16-day journey to the International Space Station to install the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment that promises to chart a new course in physics research, plus deliver another stockpile of spare parts for supporting the outpost's extended life.

   ARCHIVED MISSION STATUS CENTER
   LAUNCH STORY
   IMAGES: PHOTOS FROM PAD CAMERAS
   IMAGES: LAUNCH AS SEEN FROM PRESS SITE
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. A (.pdf download)
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   COUNTDOWN SCHEDULE
   ASCENT EVENTS TIMELINE
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' FLIGHT DAY 1 HOME MOVIES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY

VIDEO: THE FULL STS-134 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR BLASTS OFF! PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' VIEW OF JETTISONED FUEL TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GO INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: GIFFORDS' STAFF BRIEF REPORTERS PLAY

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA BEACH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD FRONT CAMERA PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 070 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 071 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PATRICK AFB PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS LEAVE CREW QUARTERS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW FINISHES GETTING SUITED UP PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: BEAUTY SHOTS OF ENDEAVOUR ON THE PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ROTATING SERVICE STRUCTURE RETRACTED PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF SUNDAY'S GANTRY ROLLBACK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ANOTHER TOWER TIME-LAPSE FROM PAD CAMERA PLAY

VIDEO: LOOK BACK AT ENDEAVOUR'S LAUNCH DELAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR'S PRE-FLIGHT CAMPAIGN PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PAYLOADS' PRE-FLIGHT CAMPAIGN PLAY | HI-DEF

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Endeavour stands tall on eve of final launch
Spaceflight Now presents three sets of photos showing NASA's youngest space shuttle on the launch pad the day before it's final scheduled blastoff. Endeavour will lift off Monday on its 25th and last mission.
   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR FROM EVERY ANGLE
   IMAGES: NASA PHOTOS OF SHUTTLE LAUNCH PAD
   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR 24 HOURS BEFORE LAUNCH


Shuttle Endeavour aims for Monday morning launch

With the shuttle Endeavour's countdown proceeding smoothly toward launch Monday, NASA managers carried out a final processing review Saturday and said they were confident the electrical glitch that grounded the ship April 29 has been safely resolved.

   FULL STORY
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. 0 (.pdf download)
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VIDEO: RECAP OF HEATER PROBLEM AND THE FIX PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY

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Countdown begins anew for shuttle Endeavour's launch

Engineers restarted the shuttle Endeavour's countdown Friday, setting the stage for a delayed launch Monday on a flight to deliver supplies, spare parts and a $2 billion particle physics detector to the International Space Station. There are no technical problems of any significance at pad 39A and forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of good weather.

   FULL STORY
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Astronauts return to Cape
for Monday's shuttle launch


Back at the Kennedy Space Center for the second countdown, the shuttle Endeavour astronauts arrived at the Florida spaceport this morning after spending the recent launch delay undergoing refresher training in Houston.

   FULL STORY
   MEET THE ASTRONAUTS
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VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE FOR SECOND COUNTDOWN PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CHECKING ENDEAVOUR'S WIRING PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: GUIDED TOUR OF SPACE STATION PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR MISSION PREVIEW MOVIE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GET TO KNOW ENDEAVOUR'S ASTRONAUTS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH MARK KELLY PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH GREG JOHNSON PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH MIKE FINCKE PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH ROBERTO VITTORI PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH DREW FEUSTEL PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH GREG CHAMITOFF PLAY

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Shuttle Endeavour repaired and ready for launch

NASA managers met Monday and cleared the shuttle Endeavour for a second launch try May 16 after weekend work to re-wire and re-test hydraulic power system fuel line heaters blamed for derailing an April 29 launch attempt.

   FULL STORY
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NASA moves Endeavour launch date to May 16

Launch of the shuttle Endeavour, grounded April 29 by an electrical glitch in the ship's hydraulic system, will be delayed until at least May 16 pending additional troubleshooting and repairs, NASA managers said Friday.

   FULL STORY
   PANORAMAS: THE FIRST COUNTDOWN


Failure analysis indicates possible external short

Engineers inspecting a suspect electrical distribution box removed from the shuttle Endeavour after a launch scrub last week have found blown internal fusing that could be the result of an external, yet-to-be-identified short circuit somewhere in the ship's complex electrical system, officials said Wednesday. But they cautioned that troubleshooting is not yet complete and a problem with the box itself has not yet been ruled out.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: FAILED BOX REMOVED FROM ENDEAVOUR
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VIDEO: FAILED ALCA-2 BOX REMOVED FROM ENDEAVOUR PLAY | HI-DEF

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NASA tentatively targets
May 10 for shuttle launch


Work to replace and retest an electrical distribution box in the shuttle Endeavour's engine compartment will push the crew's next launch attempt to at least May 10, agency managers said Monday. An official launch date is expected Friday, after repairs are complete.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: REPAIR WORK UNDERWAY AT PAD 39A
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Space shuttle Endeavour launch delayed further

Launch of space shuttle Endeavour will be postponed several more days so technicians can remove and replace the faulty load control assembly switchbox in the orbiter's aft compartment. Engineers believe this device is responsible for the electrical glitch with a string of fuel line heaters on the Auxiliary Power Unit No. 1 that scrubbed last Friday's initial countdown attempt.

   FULL STORY
   VIDEO: TECHNICIANS ENTER ENGINE COMPARTMENT
   IMAGES: NASA OFFICIALS HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE
   IMAGES: ILLUSTRATIONS OF ALCA-2 SWITCHBOX
   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR AWAITS BLASTOFF
   VIDEO: OBAMA: STAY AWAY FROM MY ASTRONAUTS!
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VIDEO: LAUNCH OF ENDEAVOUR DELAYED FURTHER PLAY

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Technicians hunt for electrical glitch in shuttle

Engineers troubleshooting an electrical glitch that grounded the shuttle Endeavour Friday have verified that a cockpit fuse panel is working normally, officials said Saturday, indicating the problem likely is either an open circuit in a hydraulic system fuel line heater thermostat or trouble inside an avionics box in the shuttle's aft engine compartment.

   FULL STORY
   VIDEO: OBAMA: STAY AWAY FROM MY ASTRONAUTS!
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VIDEO: PRESIDENT OBAMA ARRIVES AT THE CAPE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TOUR OF ATLANTIS AND ASTRONAUT MEETING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FIRST FAMILY DEPARTS AFTER VISIT PLAY | HI-DEF

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Endeavour launch scrubbed

An electrical glitch with the shuttle Endeavour's hydraulic power system forced NASA managers to scrub Friday's planned launch on a space station assembly mission, disappointing thousands of spectators and spoiling a visit by President Obama and his family.

   FULL STORY
   SHUTTLE BEING FUELED FOR LAUNCH
   VIDEO: BOLTS OF LIGHTNING BEHIND SHUTTLE
   IMAGES: LIGHTNING OVER THE SPACEPORT
   IMAGES: CREW AT LAUNCH PAD
   LIST OF PRESIDENTIAL VISITS TO KSC
   NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. 0 (.pdf download)
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: POST-SCRUB NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH DIRECTOR EXPLAINS SCRUB CALL PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SCRUB DECLARED FOR APU NO. 1 HEATER GLITCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS LEAVE QUARTERS BEFORE SCRUB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW GETS SUITED UP FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR'S PRE-FLIGHT CAMPAIGN PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PAYLOADS' PRE-FLIGHT CAMPAIGN PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PREPARING ENDEAVOUR FUEL TANK FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF PAD GANTRY RETRACTING PLAY | HI-DEF

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Endeavour fuel tank reborn after Hurricane Katrina
Scarred by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina and subsequent repairs, Endeavour's external fuel tank went through years of stress before ever encountering the trials of a space shuttle launch.
   FULL STORY
Space Coast prepares for onslaught of launch viewers
Up to 750,000 onlookers are flocking to Florida's Space Coast for launch of the shuttle Endeavour, the second-to-last flight of NASA's fleet of winged spaceships.
   FULL STORY


Storm front slows, shuttle weather now 70 percent 'go'

A storm front that wreaked havoc across the southeastern United States overnight Wednesday will reach the Florida space coast Thursday night, but forecasters expect the sky will clear in time for the shuttle Endeavour's launch Friday on a long-awaited space station assembly mission.

   FULL STORY
   IMAGES: CREW AT LAUNCH PAD
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Mission preview: One final spaceflight for Endeavour

With just two flights remaining and thousands of layoffs looming, NASA is readying the shuttle Endeavour for launch Friday on its 25th and final mission, a four-spacewalk voyage to deliver supplies, spare parts and a $2 billion particle physics detector to the International Space Station. This is our 6-page, 10,300-word mission preview.

   FULL REPORT


Giffords flies to Florida for Endeavour's launch

The shuttle Endeavour's countdown is proceeding smoothly toward launch Friday with no technical problems of any significance and forecasters predicting an 80 percent chance of good weather. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the wounded wife of shuttle commander Mark Kelly, flew to Florida from Houston Wednesday to witness the blastoff.

   FULL STORY
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Wildfire flares up during shuttle countdown

With the countdown underway for Endeavour's final liftoff, a wildfire erupted Wednesday afternoon near the Kennedy Space Center press site, sending a plume of smoke over the shuttle launch site.

   IMAGES: HELICOPTERS TACKLE LAUNCH SITE FIRE
   IMAGES: FIRE NEAR SHUTTLE LAUNCH PAD


Space station resupply ship launched ahead of Endeavour

Before the shuttle Endeavour can receive final clearance for takeoff Friday afternoon, a Russian-made cargo freighter must make a smooth flight to the International Space Station. Step number one was accomplished Wednesday when that unmanned resupply ship successfully launched atop a Soyuz booster from Kazakhstan at 9:05 a.m. EDT (1305 GMT).

   FULL STORY


Shuttle crew ready to go as launch countdown begins

Endeavour's six astronauts have arrived and the countdown has commenced for Friday's scheduled blastoff of the next-to-last space shuttle mission.

   FULL STORY
   MEET THE ASTRONAUTS
   IMAGES: CREW ARRIVAL PHOTO GALLERY
Spaceflight Now Plus
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VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: COUNTDOWN PREVIEW BRIEFING PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: GUIDED TOUR OF SPACE STATION PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR MISSION PREVIEW MOVIE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GET TO KNOW ENDEAVOUR'S ASTRONAUTS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH MARK KELLY PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH GREG JOHNSON PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH MIKE FINCKE PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH ROBERTO VITTORI PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH DREW FEUSTEL PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH GREG CHAMITOFF PLAY

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Endeavour to chart new ground in rendezvous demo

It's a test pilot's dream. Use an existing vehicle to try out technology for its replacement. The U.S. military does it with fighter planes, and now NASA plans to demonstrate an important piece of space navigation equipment next month on the shuttle Endeavour's last mission.

   FULL STORY


President Obama to attend Endeavour's final launch

President Obama will attend next week's launch of space shuttle Endeavour, the first time since 1998 a sitting president has visited the Kennedy Space Center to view a manned blastoff, according to a White House official.

   FULL STORY
   LIST OF PRESIDENTIAL VISITS TO KSC


Reviewers clear Endeavour for April 29 launch

NASA managers attending an executive-level flight readiness review Tuesday formally cleared the shuttle Endeavour for launch April 29 on its 25th and final mission, a four-spacewalk flight to deliver supplies, spare parts and a $2 billion particle physics detector to the International Space Station.

   FULL STORY
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Shuttle prime contractor details major layoffs
United Space Alliance, the space shuttle prime contractor, will eliminate half its remaining workforce -- up to 2,800 jobs -- this summer, soon after NASA launches its final two shuttle missions in April and June, the company announced Friday.
   FULL STORY


Space shuttle retirement museums announced

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden unveiled which museums will house the retired space shuttle vehicles during a ceremony Tuesday on the 30th anniversary of the program's first launching. The future homes are: Discovery to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Atlantis to the Kennedy Space Center, Endeavour to California Science Center in Los Angeles and Enterprise to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.

   FULL STORY
   LIVE STREAMING VIDEO COVERAGE
   IMAGES: STS-1 ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY IN FLORIDA


NASA braces for possible government shutdown

Bracing for a potential government shutdown, NASA managers are assessing shuttle launch processing and putting plans in place to continue near-normal operation of the International Space Station if a workforce furlough is ordered.

   FULL STORY


Shuttle Endeavour launch postponed to April 29

Attempts by NASA to resolve the scheduling conflict between Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station and the exchange of Russian resupply ships at the complex have failed to secure the shuttle's planned April 19 launch date. Instead, this final voyage by Endeavour will be delayed 10 days.

   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   COUNTDOWN SCHEDULE
   ASCENT EVENTS TIMELINE
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
Storm inspections on Endeavour at pad 39A
After nasty storms blew across Kennedy Space Center earlier this week, precautionary inspections of space shuttle Endeavour and the external fuel tank were performed at launch pad 39A. Only superficial marks were noted on the tank's foam during initial looks, as seen in this gallery of images snapped from Friday's high-definition video.
   PHOTOS: STORM INSPECTIONS


Endeavour crew completes countdown dress rehearsal

The Endeavour astronauts followed a realistic countdown sequence Friday, getting suited up and strapping inside the space shuttle for a thorough dress rehearsal that culminated with a pretend ignition and shutdown of the three main engines at T-minus 4 seconds.

   FULL STORY
   PHOTOS: COUNTDOWN REHEARSAL GALLERY
   PHOTOS: STORMY WEATHER THURSDAY MORNING
   PHOTOS: CREW TRAINING ON WEDNESDAY
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   ASCENT EVENTS TIMELINE
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
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VIDEO: EVACUATION DRESS REHEARSAL PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS BOARD ENDEAVOUR PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SUITING UP FOR PRACTICE COUNT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE INSPECTED FOR STORM DAMAGE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW TEST-DRIVES PAD ESCAPE VEHICLE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUT CHAT AT THE PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF

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Shuttle crew comes to town for practice countdown

The six astronauts to fly Endeavour's final orbital voyage have jetted into the Kennedy Space Center for this week's countdown dress rehearsal with the space shuttle launch team.

   FULL STORY
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Endeavour's cargo bay loaded for space station run

Inside launch pad 39A's cleanroom today, technicians completed inserting a $2 billion physics instrument and a pallet of spare parts into the payload bay of shuttle Endeavour for hauling to the International Space Station.

   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
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VIDEO: PAYLOADS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CANISTER ROTATED UPRIGHT FOR PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PALLET OF SPARE PARTS INTO CANISTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: AMS PAYLOAD PUT INTO TRANSPORTER PLAY | HI-DEF

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Kelly still hopeful injured wife can attend launch

Astronaut Mark Kelly told reporters Thursday he believes there is a "pretty good chance" his wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, will be able to attend his launching April 19 aboard the shuttle Endeavour.

   FULL STORY
NASA weighs Soyuz photo op during shuttle flight
A few weeks after managers rejected a similar plan during the last shuttle flight, NASA officials hope extra lead time and better planning will permit a three-man Russian Soyuz capsule to undock from the space station and collect never-before-seen imagery of the shuttle Endeavour and orbiting lab linked together.
   FULL STORY
Shuttle awaiting resolution to space station conflict
Preparations to ready Endeavour for blastoff are proceeding smoothly, the shuttle program manager said Thursday, but U.S. and Russian officials must complete negotiations about conflicting International Space Station traffic plans next month.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates and video!
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   STS-134 ARCHIVE
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VIDEO: SHUTTLE AND STATION PROGRAM BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: THE STS-134 MISSION OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS PLAY
VIDEO: IN-DEPTH WITH ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW BRIEFING ON MISSION'S SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS' PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY

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Shuttle commander abruptly opts out of media interviews

Astronaut Mark Kelly, scheduled to command the shuttle Endeavour's 25th and final mission next month, abruptly removed himself from planned round-robin media interviews Thursday, citing a reluctance to discuss his personal life and that of his wife, Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, NASA officials announced Wednesday.

   FULL STORY


Endeavour payloads to put final touches on the station

The cosmic experiment headed for the International Space Station to probe the mysteries of physics and more spare parts to keep the outpost flying after the space shuttles are retired have arrived at the pad for launch aboard Endeavour four weeks from Tuesday.

   FULL STORY
   PHOTOS: PAYLOADS ARRIVE AT PAD


Space station payloads readied for Endeavour

With hazardous fuel loading operations successfully conducted Friday and Saturday on Endeavour for the space shuttle's maneuvering thrusters and engine pods, attention now turns to Monday night's delivery of the mission payloads to launch pad 39A.

   PAYLOADS PHOTO GALLERY
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VIDEO: ROLLOUT FROM VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: HOISTING ENDEAVOUR TO TANK AND SRBS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ORBITER GOES VERTICAL PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR LEAVES PROCESSING HANGAR PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PAYLOAD MEDIA DAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PAYLOAD REMOVED FROM C-5 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: AMS ARRIVES FROM EUROPE PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: EXPRESS LOGISTICS CARRIER NO. 3 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: HIGH-PRESSURE OXYGEN GAS TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PUTTING STATION ANTENNA ON CARRIER PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: TANK UNLOADED TO ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE EXTERNAL FUEL TANK ARRIVES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: BOOSTER SEGMENT MOVED TO VAB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SRB CEREMONY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR FITTED WITH MAIN ENGINES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ORBITER TOWED OFF RUNWAY PLAY | HI-DEF

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Kennedy Space Center team poses for unique portrait

Thousands of Kennedy Space Center employees stand side-by-side to form a full-scale outline of a space shuttle orbiter outside the Vehicle Assembly Building. The unique photo opportunity was designed to honor the space shuttle program's 30-year legacy and the people who contribute to processing, launching and landing the vehicle.

   PHOTO GALLERY
   VIDEO OF HOW PORTRAIT WAS TAKEN
Worker dies at shuttle pad
A United Space Alliance worker at launch complex 39A, where the shuttle Endeavour is being processed for launch April 19, fell to his death early Monday, a NASA spokesman said. An investigation is underway and all work at the pad was suspended for the rest of the day.
   FULL STORY


Shuttle Endeavour makes final crawl to launch pad

A day after shuttle Discovery entered forced retirement, sistership Endeavour emerged from the Vehicle Assembly Building and rolled to Kennedy Space Center's launch pad overnight for her 25th and final flight.

   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates and streaming video!
   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR LEAVES ASSEMBLY BUILDING
Stack 'em up: Endeavour bolted to burnt orange tank
The shuttle Endeavour was securely fastened to its bullet-shaped external fuel tank Wednesday morning, two days after the ship left its hangar and rolled into the Vehicle Assembly Building in a major milestone before launch.
   FULL STORY


Endeavour takes slow-motion crane ride for the final time

Suspended from a heavy-duty crane, space shuttle Endeavour was methodically transported from the floor of the vast 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building to join the fuel tank and solid rocket boosters that will help launch the space plane into orbit for the 25th and final time next month. The breath-taking journey spanned all night and all day, and Spaceflight Now was there to capture the extraordinary scene.

   IMAGES: ENDEAVOUR ROTATED VERTICAL
   IMAGES: SHUTTLE HOISTED TO THE CEILING
   IMAGES: ORBITER JOINS SHUTTLE STACK
   PREVIEW STORY


Kelly to resume training for April space shuttle flight

Just one month after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head in Tucson, the Arizona Democrat's husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, announced Friday that he will resume training Monday to command the shuttle Endeavour during its final flight in April, saying his wife "would be very comfortable with the decision I made."

   FULL STORY
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Backup commander replaces Kelly in training
Veteran shuttle commander Frederick Sturckow will replace Mark Kelly in near-term training for a flight aboard the shuttle Endeavour in April, NASA announced Thursday. With Kelly's wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, in critical condition in Tucson with a gunshot wound to the head, the substitution will free Kelly to remain at her bedside while ensuring his crewmates complete critical flight training.
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Wife of space shuttle commander shot in Arizona
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, 40, an Arizona Democrat married to veteran astronaut Mark Kelly, was shot in the head during a public meeting outside a Tucson supermarket Saturday.
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Shuttle boosters swap rooms in assembly building
The two solid rocket motors that will help boost the shuttle Endeavour to space in February took a rare solo trip outdoors Wednesday, moving from one bay of the massive Vehicle Assembly Building to another.
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One-day delay of final shuttle launch makes room for ATV

After commercial interests pushed its launch into next year, Europe's next orbital cargo freighter will attempt to reach the International Space Station in a narrow docking window in February, pushing back the final planned space shuttle flight by one day, officials said this week.

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Sign of the times: Final space shuttle tank arrives
The Kennedy Space Center took receipt of the last space shuttle external fuel tank Tuesday, as the massive propellant reservoir for Endeavour's February launch was offloaded from a sea-going barge.
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Reborn after Katrina, shuttle tank leaves factory
An external fuel tank damaged by Hurricane Katrina left a New Orleans factory Tuesday on a 900-mile barge trip to the Kennedy Space Center, where it will be bolted to the shuttle Endeavour for the program's final scheduled launch.
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Astrophysics experiment touches down in Florida
An international particle physics experiment flew into the Kennedy Space Center on a U.S. Air Force cargo plane Thursday, reaching the mission's last stop on Earth before launching in February on a hunt for an anti-universe and dark matter.
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Dark matter experiment is space shuttle's 'last hurrah'
After a late magnet switch forced NASA to order a six-month deferment of the final planned space shuttle flight, the Kennedy Space Center is preparing to receive a $1.5 billion physics experiment Thursday to seek out the cosmic signature of enigmatic, ubiquitous dark matter.
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Three main engines bolted to space shuttle Endeavour
The shuttle Endeavour's three main engines were installed this week as workers prepare the ship's two solid rocket boosters and external tank for the program's final scheduled launch.
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Booster stacking underway for final shuttle launch
Workers started assembling twin solid rocket boosters this week to help power Endeavour toward orbit in February on the final scheduled launch of the space shuttle program.
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Fuel tank for final shuttle welcomed at spaceport

The external fuel tank for the final scheduled space shuttle launch has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center after a five-day, 900-mile barge ride from Louisiana to the Cape.

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Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF TANK ARRIVING AT THE CAPE PLAY
VIDEO: EXTERNAL TANK LEAVES THE FACTORY PLAY
VIDEO: TANK ROLLOUT CEREMONY IN NEW ORLEANS PLAY
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Ceremony marks unveiling of final shuttle fuel tank
The external tank for the final planned shuttle mission was rolled out of Lockheed Martin's Michoud Assembly Facility Thursday to begin the 900-mile voyage to the Kennedy Space Center for launch next February.
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United Space Alliance announces shuttle layoffs
With only two shuttle flights remaining on NASA's manifest, prime contractor United Space Alliance plans to lay off about 15 percent of its 8,100-strong space shuttle workforce Oct. 1, company officials announced Tuesday.
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New launch dates targeted for remaining shuttles
After assessing payload processing issues and projected traffic to and from the International Space Station, NASA managers Thursday formally retargeted the program's final two missions for launches Nov. 1 and Feb. 26.
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NASA begins review of shuttle launch date changes

NASA managers Tuesday asked shuttle engineers to assess retargeting the final two space shuttle missions, moving launch of a mid-September flight with Discovery to Oct. 29 and a late November flight by Endeavour to Feb. 28. The changes would give engineers more time to optimize payloads bound for the International Space Station and avoid launch conflicts with other flights to the lab complex.

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Summer shuttle launch postponed to November
Work to replace a powerful magnet in a $1.5 billion physics experiment bound for the International Space Station has forced NASA to move a summer flight by the shuttle Endeavour to mid November, agency officials said Monday, delaying the planned end of the shuttle program.
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