STS 123 FD\16

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STS 123 FD\15

STS-123 Continues Landing Preparations

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Image above: The STS-123 crew members participate in an in-flight media interview. Credit: NASA TV

The crew of space shuttle Endeavour spent Tuesday getting ready for its journey home and the end of the STS-123 mission. Early in their day, the crew members performed a test of the thrusters that will be used to position the orbiter for re-entry and the control surfaces for its flight through the atmosphere.

The STS-123 astronauts also set up the recumbent seat for Mission Specialist Léopold Eyharts, who joined the crew of Endeavour on the International Space Station. The recumbent seat is a special seat designed to reduce the stress of gravity on those who have spent long periods of time in the weightless environment of space.

STS-123 arrived at the station March 12, delivering the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, the first pressurized component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory, to the station. The crew of Endeavour also delivered the final element of the station’s Mobile Servicing System, the Canadian-built Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator.

In addition the STS-123 astronauts delivered Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who replaced Eyharts, a European Space Agency astronaut, on the station.

Endeavour is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 7:05 p.m. EDT Wednesday.
 
Payload bay doors have been closed and latched for landing. Crew has started fluid loading however due to a broken deck at 5500 ft which is a violation of flight rules the first opp got waved off for one orbit.

Next opp into KSC is on rev 249 with a de-orbit burn at 7:33 pm EDT. This is the last opp into KSC for today. If the weather doesn't improve enough, they will try tommorow with all three landing sites actived(KSC, EDW and NOR).
 
Right now about 23 minutes from the de-orbit burn for KSC 249. Houston wants Endeavour to hold-off with any further APU actions as they're working hard with the weather situation.
 
12 minutes to TIG. Standing by for a GO/NO-GO decision on the burn.
 
Endeavour given a GO to manuever to the burn attitude. A final meeting between Entry Flight Director Richard Jones and Mission Operations Directorate representative Phil Englelauf is underway in the Space Shuttle FCR on the weather situation.

GO for de-orbirt burn!
 
PLT Greg "Box" Johnson is now activating one of the three APUs prior to the de-orbit burn.
 
Good config for the burn!
 
APU 2 up and running ahead of the burn.
 
Burn ignition!
 
Good burn no trim required! And we have sunset at KSC so this will be the 16th nightlanding at KSC.
 

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FRCS dump time is 14 seconds.
 
Orbiter Recovery Convoy is now moving into the pre-landing position at the Shuttle Landing Facility at KSC.
 
All three APUs are now up and running in the LOW PRESS mode. They're going into the NORM PRESS mode shortly. And HYD FLUID THERMAL CONDITIONING is not required today.
 
Now 39 minutes away from MLG touchdown at KSC.
 
Now 2 minutes away from Entry Interface(EI).
 
Endeavour has now passed EI.
 
Right now in a expected 7.5 minute LOS period. About 5 minutes left.
 
Current weather observation at the SLF is FEW060.
 
Right now passing over Central-America.
 
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