KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - Space shuttle Endeavour's six astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center this evening in preparation for an early morning launch on February 7 to emark on NASA's first shuttle mission of the year and the last year of operations before the fleet is retired.
FREE VIDEOS: WATCH VIDEO: STS-130 BEHIND THE SCENES, VOLUME 2 WATCH VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT KSC FOR LAUNCH WATCH VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT KSC FOR TCDT, PART 1 WATCH VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT KSC FOR TCDT, PART 2 WATCH VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD CREW Q & A WATCH VIDEO: STS-130 CREW TRAINING VIDEO ROLL WATCH VIDEO: STS-130 MISSION OVERVIEW WATCH VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS PRACTICE LAUNCH REHEARSAL WATCH VIDEO: STS-130 BEHIND THE SCENES, VOLUME 1 WATCH VIDEO: POST-FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW NEWS CONFERENCE WATCH VIDEO: PREFLIGHT MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING WATCH VIDEO: PREFLIGHT SPACEWALK OVERVIEW BRIEFING WATCH VIDEO: PRELAUNCH CREW NEWS CONFERENCE WATCH VIDEO: PREFLIGHT VIDEO B-ROLL ALL-ACCESS SUBSCRIBERS: DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-130 BEHIND THE SCENES, VOLUME 2 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT KSC FOR LAUNCH DOWNLOAD VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT KSC FOR TCDT, PART 1 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT KSC FOR TCDT, PART 2 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD CREW Q & A DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-130 CREW TRAINING VIDEO ROLL DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-130 MISSION OVERVIEW DOWNLOAD VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS PRACTICE LAUNCH REHEARSAL DOWNLOAD VIDEO: STS-130 BEHIND THE SCENES, VOLUME 1 DOWNLOAD VIDEO: POST-FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW NEWS CONFERENCE DOWNLOAD VIDEO: PREFLIGHT MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING DOWNLOAD VIDEO: PREFLIGHT SPACEWALK OVERVIEW BRIEFING DOWNLOAD VIDEO: PRELAUNCH CREW NEWS CONFERENCE DOWNLOAD VIDEO: PREFLIGHT VIDEO B-ROLL Led by mission commander George Zamka, the astronauts flew to Kennedy Space Center this evening in one of NASA's Gulfstream aircraft instead of the usual complement of T-38 training aircraft. They touched down at the Shuttle Landing Facility around 10:10 p.m. EST. "Welcome to the STS-130 night shift," Zamka remarked to members of the media gathered to welcome the astronauts. "It's the only shift we got. If you're working STS-130, it's going to be dark outside." "It's great to be here at the Cape," Zamka said. "We've got Tranquility and Cupola loaded up in the space shuttle Endeavour on pad 39A, and this is the place for us to be." Joining Zamka on STS-130 are pilot Terry Virts and mission specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick. Endeavour's early morning liftoff is targeted for 4:39 a.m. EST, which makes it the last ever scheduled night launch for the shuttle program. The mission is the first of five flights this year - the final five space shuttle missions before the fleet is retired. Endeavour's 13-day mission will deliver and assemble the last U.S.-built modules onto the International Space Station, giving the laboratory a room with quite a view. The mission kicks off the final year of shuttle flights, with five missions planned through September. Nestled inside Endeavour's payload bay are Node 3, named "Tranquility" and the six-sided cupola, weighing over 27,000 pounds, which will allow crewmembers a 360 degree view of Earth, space and robotic arm operations. (The Spacearium / SpaceflightNews.net)
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