• Watch NASA TV
Endeavour’s heat shield inspection under way

The STS-123 crew members began their inspection of space shuttle Endeavour’s heat shield at 9:00 p.m. EDT.

Using Endeavour’s robotic arm and an attached boom extension, the astronauts are checking the spacecraft’s underside, nose cap and leading edges of the wings as well as hard to reach shuttle surfaces.

The purpose of this inspection is to ensure that, during the vehicle’s climb to orbit, no damage occurred to the tiles that protect Endeavour from the heat of reentry. Over the next few days, engineers and flight controllers will analyze the data collected by the STS-123 crew.

Image above: Space shuttle Endeavour soars into orbit to start the STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Endeavour’s crew also is slated to extend the Orbiter Docking System Ring at 5:08 a.m. Wednesday. They will also check out tools the astronauts will use to rendezvous and link up with the station. Docking is set for 11:25 p.m. Wednesday.

The flight is commanded by Dominic Gorie with Gregory H. Johnson serving as Pilot. The crew also includes Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken KE5GGX, Mike Foreman, Garrett Reisman KE5HAE and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi.

The STS-123 astronauts also are checking out spacesuits they will use during the mission’s five scheduled spacewalks at the station. The main goals of these spacewalks are assembly of Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency’s newest contribution to the station and the final element of its Mobile Servicing System, and preparation of the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section (JLP) for connection to the station. The JLP is the first element of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory.