Nov 17, 2008 8:28 am US/Eastern
Shuttle Crew Unpacks New Goodies For Space Station
Endeavour Docked With The Space Station Sunday
CAPE CANAVERAL (CBS4) ―
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Astronaut Rick Linnehan works on International Space Station during space walk, March 14, 2008
AP
It promises to be a busy day aboard the international space station as the crew from the space shuttle Endeavour and the station's resident astronauts and scientists unpack a new toilet and a contraption that purifies urine and sweat into drinkable water at the orbiting outpost.
The shuttle crew will then unload a 21 foot long cargo container nicknamed "Leonardo" and attach it to the international space station. "Leonardo" contains almost 15,000 pounds of equipment that will allow the space station to expand from three to six crew members next year.
"Things are going exceedingly well," said LeRoy Cain, chairman of the mission management team.
In addition to the extra bathroom and urine processor, Endeavour delivered an exercise machine, kitchenette and two sleeping compartments. The shuttle's crew will spend almost two weeks orbiting 220 miles above Earth at the outpost, setting up the new equipment and going on four spacewalks to clean and lubricate a solar wing-rotating joint that broke down more than a year ago.
On the ground analysts continue to review images taken during launch and right before Endeavour docked on Sunday. About 200 digital images will help NASA determine whether Endeavour sustained damage during liftoff Friday night.
Shuttle officials initially thought a narrow strip of thermal blanket was yanked off during launch, but images showed the blanket remained intact. They now think the piece of debris seen coming off Endeavour or its external fuel tank during launch likely was a piece of ice, which didn't strike the shuttle.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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