Astronauts Michael Fincke and Gregory Chamitoff attached the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield inspection boom to the International Space Station Friday, completing the U.S. segment of the orbital lab complex after 12 years of construction and more than 1,000 hours of spacewalk assembly time.

Pausing to snap a final few pictures before returning to the Quest airlock, Chamitoff marked the milestone with a brief tribute to Endeavour, the shuttle and station programs and the thousands of engineers and technicians around the world who contributed to the high-flying project.

"At this time, now that we're almost done here, I wanted to say a few words," he said. "This is the last flight of the space shuttle Endeavour and it's also the last spacewalk of shuttle crew members in station assembly. It's kind of fitting that Endeavour is here because Endeavour was the first shuttle∫ to begin construction of the station and so it's fitting that she's here for the last mission to finish assembly.

"During this EVA, we tallied altogether collectively over a thousand hours of spacewalks as part of station assembly. Mike and I have the honor here to share this last spacewalk and of course, with all the folks working on the ground, the thousands of people who helped build this, working in the shuttle and the station programs. We're floating here on the shoulders of giants. This space station is a pinnacle of human achievement and international cooperation -- 12 years of building and 15 countries. And now it's the brightest star in the sky and hopefully the doorstep to our future. So congratulations everybody on assembly complete."

The Russians plan to add at least one more module to the station, a laboratory called Nauka that will take the place of the Pirs docking compartment in 2011 or 2012. Thirteen Russian spacewalks are planned to decommission and undock Pirs and to attach the new multi-purpose lab module.

Chamitoff and FIncke began repressurizing the station's Quest airlock compartment at 7:39 a.m. EDT (GMT-4) to officially conclude a seven-hour-hour 24-minute spacewalk, the 159th EVA devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998, the eighth so far this year and the fourth and final excursion planned by Endeavour's crew. Total space station EVA time now stands at 1,002 hours and 37 minutes, or 41.8 days.

It was the ninth spacewalk for Fincke, who now ranks as the sixth most experience spacewalker in the world with 48 hours and 37 minutes of EVA time, and the second for Chamitoff, whose total stands at 13 hours and 43 minutes. The total for Endeavour's mission through four EVAs is 28 hours and 44 minutes.

The primary goal of the final shuttle spacewalk was to attach Endeavour's no-longer-needed heat shield inspection boom to the space station and to attach a grapple fixture that will permit the lab's robot arm to use it as a 50-foot-long extension for future maintenance and repairs. The astronauts also released clamps on a spare robot arm fitting.

"I wanted to say congratulations to the shuttle program for all the wonderful successes we've had over the past 30-something years," Fincke said in the airlock. "It's a privilege that Endeavour's hosting the last spacewalk by a space shuttle crew. So congratulations to the EVA development teams. We've come a long way. From me and Greg and the rest of the crew, congratulations."

The shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for launch July 8 on the 135th and final shuttle mission to deliver critical supplies to the outpost. One spacewalk is planned, to retrieve a failed coolant system pump and to install an experiment, but it will be carried out by space station crew members.

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VIDEO: WEDNESDAY NIGHT FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE PLAY

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

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
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VIDEO: PITTSBURGH AND HOUSTON MEDIA INTERVIEWS PLAY

VIDEO: POST-SOYUZ MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: POPE BENEDICT XVI CALLS THE ASTRONAUTS 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
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

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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VIDEO: MILES O'BRIEN MODERATES CREW INTERVIEW PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW CONGRATULATED BY AMS' LEADER PLAY | HI-DEF
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

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: ENDEAVOUR CREW WELCOMED ABOARD STATION PLAY | HI-DEF
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VIDEO: DOCKING OF SHUTTLE TO STATION AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
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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

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

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' FLIGHT DAY 1 HOME MOVIES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS REEL PLAY

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VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS' VIEW OF JETTISONED FUEL TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GO INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
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VIDEO: GIFFORDS' STAFF BRIEF REPORTERS PLAY

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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
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VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 071 PLAY | HI-DEF
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VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PATRICK AFB PLAY | HI-DEF

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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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VIDEO: CHECKING ENDEAVOUR'S WIRING PLAY | HI-DEF
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VIDEO: LAUNCH OF ENDEAVOUR DELAYED FURTHER PLAY

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VIDEO: TOUR OF ATLANTIS AND ASTRONAUT MEETING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FIRST FAMILY DEPARTS AFTER VISIT PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: POST-SCRUB NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH DIRECTOR EXPLAINS SCRUB CALL PLAY | HI-DEF
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VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS LEAVE QUARTERS BEFORE SCRUB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW GETS SUITED UP FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF PAD GANTRY RETRACTING 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: COUNTDOWN UPDATE AND WEATHER BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: THE PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
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

VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR CLEARED FOR APRIL 29 LAUNCH PLAY

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
VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES FOR PRACTICE COUNT PLAY | HI-DEF

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

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

VIDEO: SUN RISES OVER THE LAUNCH PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ENDEAVOUR ARRIVES ATOP PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
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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