First STS-130 Spacewalk Complete

Spacewalkers Bob Behnken and Nicholas Patrick completed a 6-hour, 32-minute spacewalk at 3:49 a.m. EST.

The spacewalking pair finished all their assigned work and some get-ahead tasks. The Tranquility node and cupola were robotically maneuvered from Endeavour’s payload bay then installed onto the port side of the Unity node. Tranquility’s hatch is scheduled to be opened at about 9:14 p.m. tonight.

This was the first of three STS-130 spacewalks, the 231st conducted by U.S. astronauts, the fourth for Behnken and the first for Patrick. It was the 138th in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance, totaling 861 hours, 34 minutes. It was the 110th spacewalk out of the space station, totaling 674 hours, 19 minutes.

NASA Television will air a Mission Status Briefing at 5:30 a.m. with STS-130 Lead Space Station Flight Director Bob Dempsey and STS-130 Lead Spacewalk Officer Art Thomason.

Crew Inspecting Endeavour’s Heat Shield

The STS-130 crew is using Endeavour’s robotic arm, orbiter boom extension and specialized cameras to capture detailed video of the spacecraft’s heat shield. The inspection gives experts on the ground 3-D views of the shuttle’s heat shield to ensure no damage occurred during liftoff.

The crew will also prepare for rendezvous and docking and check out the spacesuits Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken will wear for three spacewalks, devoted largely to installation of Tranquility and the outfitting of the new module, the cupola and a docking port that will be relocated during docked operations.

Endeavour’s Launch Sparks Early Morning Sunrise

Space shuttle Endeavour lit up the predawn sky above Florida’s Space Coast on Monday with a 4:14 a.m. EST launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle’s last scheduled night launch began a 13-day flight to the International Space Station and the final year of shuttle operations.

Endeavour’s STS-130 mission will include three spacewalks and the delivery of the Tranquility node, the final major U.S. portion of the station. Tranquility will provide additional room for crew members and many of the space station’s life support and environmental control systems.

Attached to Tranquility is a cupola with seven windows, which houses a robotic control station. The windows will provide a panoramic view of Earth, celestial objects and visiting spacecraft. After the node and cupola are added, the orbiting laboratory will be approximately 90 percent complete.

Shortly before liftoff, Commander George Zamka said, “Thanks to the great team that got Tranquility, cupola and Endeavour to this point. And thanks also to the team that got us ready to bring Node 3 and cupola to life. We’ll see you in a couple of weeks. It’s time to go fly.”

Zamka is joined on the flight by Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken. Virts is making his first trip to space.

Endeavour’s first landing opportunity at Kennedy is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20, at 10:01 p.m. The STS-130 mission will be Endeavour’s 24th flight and the 32nd shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.