14 DAY TRIAL // Finally, after about 24 hours of waiting, the space shuttle Endeavor blasted off from Launch Pad 39A at 4:14 am EST (0914 GMT) this morning. The launch was picture perfect, with the spacecraft roaring into the sky in the last scheduled nighttime launch for any of the tree remaining shuttles. Endeavor carries the Node 3 module, the Cupola observation dome, as well as spare parts for some vital components aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The two are scheduled to link two days after launch, Space reports.
Later this morning, the six-astronaut crew aboard Endeavor will go to sleep, and prepare for the second day of their flight to catch up with the space station. Throughout the entire 13-day mission, the crew will be working overnight shifts, and sleep during the day. The first flight day will be entirely dedicated to using the inspection tool to verify the condition of the heat shield below the wings and on the belly of the spacecraft. This type if inspection has become common practice during shuttle flights after the disaster that saw Columbia burn up in flames upon atmospheric reentry.
Two days from now, Endeavor will dock to the ISS, and the joint crew will then start conducting operations related to bringing the station's urine recycling system back online, and also installing the two new components on their designated locations. The recycling system is absolutely necessary for astronauts, as it ensures a steady supply of drinkable water. This means that the crew making up Expedition 22, as well as the astronauts that will replace them in the future, will not have to rely on resupply ships to get their water.
Three spacewalks are planned for the STS-130 mission, NASA reports. The first one will deal with making the necessary preparations for installing Node 3, and will also see the installation of the new module itself. The second spacewalk will take place during flight day seven, and will deal with the preparation of the module for the addition of the Cupola, which will be maneuvered into place during day eight, from inside the space station. The final extra-vehicular activity (EVA) will take place during flight day ten, and will see the installation of connectors between the two new additions and the ISS, as well as the attachment of rails to the outside of Tranquility.