Shuttle Endeavour STS 123 to ISS with "Dextre"

[Rick]

A US space shuttle is set to leave Earth on Tuesday carrying equipment bound for the International Space Station (ISS).

Endeavour will take the first part of a Japanese space lab to the ISS during the 16-day mission.

The seven-strong crew will install a two-armed robot designed to carry out repairs outside the orbiting spaceship.

The shuttle is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 0228am local time (0628 GMT).

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7288020.stm

[Rick]

A US space shuttle has lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, carrying astronauts and equipment bound for the International Space Station (ISS).

The shuttle launched in darkness at 0228 local time (0628 GMT). The 16-day flight is the longest shuttle mission to the ISS.

Endeavour is taking the first section of a Japanese space lab to the ISS, as construction work continues.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7288982.stm

[MarkS]

Interesting robotic arm.

So we have both Jules Verne and Endeavour up there heading for the ISS.

[Rick]

Yes, but Jules Verne is going to take a few weeks to get there, and won't arrive until after Endeavour has left.

[Rick]

Space Shuttle Endeavour this morning blasted off at 02:28 EDT (06:28 GMT) from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida for the 25th mission to the ISS, carrying the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo lab and the Canadian Space Agency's Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or "Dextre".

The 16-day mission, aka STS-123, is led by NASA astronaut Dominic Gorie, who commands a crew of six, including Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi. Johnson, Behnken and Foreman are spaceflight rookies, NASA notes.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/11/endeavour_launch/

[Rick]

"I see this as the great-grandparent of futuristic robots like R2-D2 and C-3PO," enthuses Dan Rey, from the Canadian Space Agency.

"This is a very major step forward where now we have a robot that can do human-scale tasks in the harsh conditions of space."

Rey is talking about the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator; and if that name doesn't really trip off the tongue then simply call this robot Dextre. It sounds almost human.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7293953.stm

[Rick]

The US space shuttle Endeavour has docked with the International Space Station (ISS) hundreds of miles above Southeast Asia.

The three residents of the ISS greeted the seven astronauts with hugs as they boarded the orbiting space station.

During 12 days on the ISS, the crew will unload and fit the first section of a Japanese space laboratory.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7293411.stm

[Rick]

The space station's new robot, Dextre, is fitted out and ready for duty.

In the third spacewalk of the latest shuttle mission, Endeavour astronauts Rick Linnehan and Robert Behnken fixed tools and cameras to the machine.

The robot, which is properly called the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator, will in future do much of the external work on the space station.

Dextre will now undergo a series of tests and trials before it is asked to do major tasks.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7302368.stm

[Rick]

Dextre, the mighty tonne-and-a-half space robot intended for repair and servicing tasks at the International Space Station (ISS), is now fully operational, according to reports. The 12-foot-tall mechanical maintenance man, a product of cutting-edge Canadian space robotics tech, has been fully assembled and is ready for work.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/18/dextre_canada_renown_iss_operational/

Also: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/14/endeavour_iss_astronauts_dextre_robot_arm_grapple/

[Rick]

Space Shuttle Endeavour last night undocked from the International Space Station at the end of a 12-day stay at the outpost and in anticipation of a landing tomorrow at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.

The shuttle bade farewell to the station at 20:25 EDT (00:25 Tuesday GMT) at the end of mission STS-123 which saw astronauts deliver the "Japanese Experiment Logistics Module - Pressurized Section" of the Kibo laboratory and grapple at some length with the final element of the ISS's "Mobile Servicing System" - Canada's "Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator", known to its mates as Dextre.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/25/endeavour_undocks/

...and from the BBC:

The space shuttle Endeavour has undocked from the International Space Station at the end of the longest mission of its kind to the station.

The 12-day rendezvous saw Endeavour's crew install the first part of a Japanese research laboratory and assemble a Canadian robot.

The robot will be used to handle future components delivered to the space station.

The shuttle is due to land in Florida on Wednesday.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7312016.stm

[Rick]

NASA may not be emblazoning its shuttles with Formula One-style advertising slogans, but like Hollywood it seems to be sidling towards the odd sneaky bit of product placement.

The Reg reported last year on optimistic mutterings about the idea of NASA slapping exhortations and endorsements on the virgin sides of its craft. Congressman Ken Calvert, who wanted the agency to embrace ads, may have himself a little smirk at this shot of an iPod nestling on the dashboard of the Endeavour.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/20/nasa_ipod_woo/

[Rick]

The space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew landed safely at NASA's Kennedy Space Center late Wednesday evening, ending the 16-day mission to the International Space Station.

The shuttle touched down 8:39 PM US Eastern time (12:39 AM GMT) in an unusual nighttime landing after postponing its first opportunity to de-orbit due to cloudy weather.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/27/endeavor_shuttle_landing_march_26_2008/

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7315748.stm