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Station activities ramp-up as East prepares to meet West

Station crew members and personnel from around the world are preparing for an international array of hardware to reach orbit over the next few days.

Japan’s new laboratory “Kibo” will have its first section, the pressurized logistics module, installed after space shuttle Endeavour launches on March 11. Canada’s new two-armed robotic manipulator also will be in Endeavour's cargo bay.

Image above: This illustration depicts the International Space Station’s configuration after the STS-123 crew delivers and installs new hardware. Credit: NASA

Europe’s new station resupply ship, the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), is scheduled for launch Saturday at 11:03 p.m. EST. The ATV will launch on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana.

Meanwhile, the Expedition 16 crew is preparing for the arrival of Endeavour on the STS-123 mission. They are reviewing robotics procedures and tagging up with specialists on the ground.

Europe’s new Columbus laboratory is operational with the crew performing experiments and the control center in Germany is monitoring operations