Tuesday evening starts the first full day in space for the Endeavour astronauts. NASA reports:

Endeavour’s Heat Shield Inspection Under Way

Image: Space shuttle Endeavour soars into orbit to start the STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

The STS-123 crew members began their inspection of space shuttle Endeavour’s heat shield at 9:00 p.m. EDT.

Using Endeavour’s robotic arm and an attached boom extension, the astronauts are checking the spacecraft’s underside, nose cap and leading edges of the wings as well as hard to reach shuttle surfaces. The purpose of this inspection is to ensure that, during the vehicle’s climb to orbit, no damage occurred to the tiles that protect Endeavour from the heat of reentry. Over the next few days, engineers and flight controllers will analyze the data collected by the STS-123 crew.

Endeavour’s crew also is slated to extend the Orbiter Docking System Ring at 5:08 a.m. Wednesday. They will also check out tools the astronauts will use to rendezvous and link up with the station. Docking is set for 11:25 p.m. Wednesday.

The STS-123 astronauts also are checking out spacesuits they will use during the mission’s five scheduled spacewalks at the station. The main goals of these spacewalks are assembly of Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency’s newest contribution to the station and the final element of its Mobile Servicing System, and preparation of the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section (JLP) for connection to the station. The JLP is the first element of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory.

Media Resources
› STS-123 Execute Packages
› STS-123 TV Schedule
› STS-123 Press Kit (4.4 Mb PDF)
› STS-123 Fact Sheet (433 Kb PDF)

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Flight Day 1 pics and video are up at the JSC Gallery. More launch pics and video at KSC. Discussion here. Status Report #2 here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.