Table of Contents

Mission STS-123 – Daily Reports

March 26, 2008 (Flight Day 16)
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Endeavour Lands at Kennedy Space Center

Heralded by its trademark twin sonic booms, space shuttle Endeavour returned to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:39 p.m. EDT, concluding the STS-123 mission with a smooth touchdown on Runway 15.

The STS-123 crew began its mission March 11 and arrived at the International Space Station March 12. The astronauts delivered the Japanese Logistics Module – Pressurized Section (JLP), the first pressurized component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory to the station. The crew of Endeavour also delivered the final element of the station's Mobile Servicing System, the Canadian-built Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator.

Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, Robert Behnken and Mike Foreman and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman conducted five spacewalks. Three of them included tasks devoted to the assembly of Dextre and the installation of related equipment. Dextre works with the orbital outpost's Canadarm2 and resembles a human upper torso stick figure.

Other spacewalk activities included work to unberth the Japanese Logistics Module Pressurized section , installation of spare parts and tools, installation of a materials experiment, replacement of a circuit-breaker box and demonstration of a repair procedure for tiles of the shuttle's heat shield.

The spacewalkers also stowed the Orbiter Boom Sensor System, the extension of the shuttle's Canadarm, onto the station's main truss during the fifth spacewalk. The Japanese pressurized module to be launched on STS-124 is too large to accommodate the boom sensor in space shuttle Discovery's payload bay.

Astronaut Garrett Reisman officially joined the Expedition 16 crew, trading places with European Space Agency astronaut Léopold Eyharts, who returned to Earth aboard Endeavour after almost 50 days in space.

STS-123 is the 122nd shuttle mission and the 25th station assembly mission. The next mission, STS-124, is slated to launch in May.

March 25, 2008 (Flight Day 15)
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Endeavour Crew Begins Journey Home

After the STS-123 and Expedition 16 crews bid one another farewell, the hatches between the space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station closed at 5:49 p.m. EDT Monday. Then, Endeavour undocked from the station at 8:25 p.m. EDT, ending its 12-day stay at the orbital outpost.

After performing a flyaround of the orbital outpost, the shuttle crew began their journey back to Earth.

STS-123 arrived at the station March 12, delivering the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section, the first pressurized component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory, to the station. The crew of Endeavour also delivered the final element of the station's Mobile Servicing System, the Canadian-built Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator.

In addition the STS-123 astronauts delivered Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who replaced European Space Agency Astronaut Léopold Eyharts on the station. Eyharts is returning to Earth aboard Endeavour.

The astronauts also performed five spacewalks while on the station.

Endeavour is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Wednesday.

March 24, 2008 (Flight Day 14)
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Crews Begin Last Full Day Together

The crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station have begun their last full day together.

Much of the astronauts' morning will be off-duty time. Afterward, however, the crews will wrap up transfers of equipment and supplies between Endeavour and the station, and they will check out the tools needed for undocking and subsequent activities.

Later, the STS-123 and Expedition 16 crews will hold a joint crew news conference, answering questions from members of the media on Earth.

Endeavour will undock from the station at 7:56 p.m. EDT Monday and begin its journey back to Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

March 23, 2008 (Flight Day 13)
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Spacewalkers to Stow Shuttle Boom on Station

On its 13th day in orbit, the STS-123 crew is preparing for its fifth and final spacewalk, which is slated to begin at 5:23 p.m. EDT.

Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman are tasked with stowing the Orbiter Boom Sensor System on the International Space Station's S1 Truss. The Canadarm2 operators will grapple the orbiter boom, and the two spacewalkers will assemble an umbilical designed to keep the boom safe while it is stored in the harsh space environment. Then, the Canadarm2 will hand the orbiter boom system off to Behnken and Foreman, who will stow it on the truss.

The next component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory, which will be delivered on space shuttle Discovery during the STS-124 mission, is too large to accommodate the orbiter boom system in the shuttle's payload bay. Once the next element of Kibo is installed on the station, Discovery's astronauts will detach the orbiter boom left behind by space shuttle Endeavour, use it to perform tile inspections and bring it home.

With the final STS-123 spacewalk complete, flight day 14 will see the crew of Endeavour prepare for the end of their visit to the station. The orbiter will undock Monday and return to Earth Wednesday.

March 22, 2008 (Flight Day 12)
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STS-123 Crew Completes Inspection

The STS-123 crew has completed the final inspection of space shuttle Endeavour's heat shield using the shuttle's robot arm and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System. Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson, and Mission Specialist Takao Doi surveyed the orbiter's wings and nose cap to ensure that no damage had occurred to the tiles that protect Endeavour from the heat of reentry.

The Expedition 16 and STS-123 crews are spending the remainder of their day configuring tools and reviewing procedures for the flight's final spacewalk.

Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman will begin that spacewalk at 5:23 p.m. EDT Saturday. Their tasks include stowing the inspection boom on the station's S1 Truss, where it will be picked up by the STS-124 crew aboard space shuttle Discovery, set to launch in May.

March 21, 2008 (Flight Day 11)
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Endeavour Crew Tests Repair Method, Prepares for Inspection

Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman completed the fourth STS-123 spacewalk at 12:28 a.m. EDT, spending six hours and 24 minutes on the excursion. The two shuttle crew members replaced a failed circuit breaker on the station's truss.

With Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan coordinating their activities from inside the orbiting complex, the spacewalkers also tested a repair method for damaged heat resistant tiles on the space shuttle. The sample tiles will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on the ground.

Endeavour's crew performed a final inspection of the orbiter's heat shield tiles Friday using the Orbiter Boom Sensor System.

Behnken and Foreman were scheduled to begin the mission's fifth and final spacewalk Saturday at 5:23 p.m. Among other tasks, they will stow the orbiter inspection boom on the station's main truss to be retrieved by the crew of Discovery on STS-124, the next space shuttle mission.

March 20, 2008 (Flight Day 10)
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Astronauts Prepare for Fourth Spacewalk

The crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station got some off-duty time at the beginning of their 10th day in orbit. They also spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and participated in interviews with U.S. media.

The astronauts spent the remainder of their day configuring tools for the fourth STS-123 spacewalk and reviewing spacewalk procedures.

They also prepared for the primary task of that spacewalk, which is the test of a heat shield repair method. Once the test is complete, the sample tiles will be returned to Earth to undergo extensive testing on the ground.

Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken and Mike Foreman are slated to begin the mission's fourth spacewalk at 6:28 p.m. EDT.

Endeavour and the STS-123 crew delivered the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section to the station. The JLP is the first component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew also brought the Canadian-built Dextre, the final element of the station's Mobile Servicing System, to the orbital outpost.

March 19, 2008 (Flight Day 9)
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Dextre Moved to Destiny Lab, Crew Enjoys Time Off

In a day highlighted by robotics activity, the Canadian-built Dextre was attached to a power and data grapple fixture located on the U.S. laboratory Destiny. The new robotic system is the final element of the International Space Station's Canadian Mobile Servicing System.

Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman finished assembling Dextre Sunday during the second spacewalk of STS-123.

Canadarm2, the International Space Station's robot arm, grabbed the pallet that secured Dextre during its journey to the orbital outpost and returned the pallet to space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay for the trip back to Earth.

The station and shuttle crews also prepared hardware to be used in a shuttle tile repair test on the next spacewalk, and they got some much needed off duty time.

Foreman and Mission Specialist Robert Behnken are slated to begin the mission's fourth spacewalk at 6:28 p.m. Thursday. The two will perform tasks that include the shuttle tile repair test and change out of a circuit breaker on the station.

March 18, 2008 (Flight Day 8)
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Dextre Outfitted and Ready for Activation

With the completion of the third STS-123 spacewalk, Dextre has been outfitted with the tools for its work. The International Space Station's Canadarm2 grabbed Dextre and moved it into an overnight parking position. The new robotic system will be activated on a power and data grapple fixture located on the U.S. laboratory Destiny on flight day nine.

Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Robert L. Behnken completed the third spacewalk of the STS-123 mission at 1:44 a.m. EDT. The excursion lasted six hours and 53 minutes.

With Mission Specialist Mike Foreman coordinating spacewalk activities from inside the orbiting complex, Linnehan and Behnken installed a spare parts platform and tool handling assembly for Dextre. Among other tasks, they also checked out and calibrated Dextre's end effector and attached critical spare parts to an external stowage platform.

They were unable to attach a materials science experiment to the Columbus module, but may have another opportunity later in the mission.

Space shuttle Endeavour Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman operated the station's Canadarm2 during the spacewalk.

Behnken and Foreman are slated to begin the mission's fourth spacewalk at 6:28 p.m. Thursday. The two will perform tasks that include a shuttle tile repair test and change out of a circuit breaker on the station.

March 17, 2008 (Flight Day 7)
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Astronauts Work on the Japanese Logistics Module Pressurized section and Dextre

The space shuttle Endeavour and International Space Station crews continued outfitting the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, transferring supplies and equipment into it from Endeavour, as well as configuring racks inside the module.

The Japanese Logistics Module Pressurized Section is the first pressurized component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the newest component of the station. The crews tested the brakes in the Dextre robotic system's arms.

Dextre is the final element of the International Space Station's Mobile Servicing System. Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman assembled Dextre Sunday during the second spacewalk of STS-123.

Astronaut Linnehan and Mission Specialist Robert Behnken are sheduled to begin the third spacewalk of the mission at 7:23 p.m. EDT Monday.

March 16, 2008 (Flight Day 6)
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Crew Assembles Dextre During Second Spacewalk

Dextre, the final element of the International Space Station's Canadian Mobile Servicing System, was put together today during the second spacewalk of STS-123. Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan and Mike Foreman completed their 7-hour, 8-minute orbital stroll Sunday at 2:57 a.m. EDT.

The two spacewalkers assembled Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), a task that included attaching its two arms.

Designed for station maintenance and service, Dextre is capable of sensing forces and movement of objects it is manipulating. It can automatically compensate for those forces and movements to ensure an object is moved smoothly.

Throughout the day, the station and shuttle crew members continued outfitting the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section. This module is the first pressurized component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the newest component of the station.

March 15, 2008 (Flight Day 5)
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Astronauts enter the Japanese Logistics Module pressurized section, prepare for spacewalk and Dextre is successfully activated

The STS-123 and Expedition 16 crews spent time outfitting the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, transferring supplies and equipment into it from space shuttle Endeavour. Marking the beginning of Japan's scientific work aboard the station, Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi were the first to enter the new module.

The JLP is the first component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory.

Operating Canadarm2, the station's robot arm, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Léopold Eyharts grabbed the shuttle's boom sensor and handed it off to Endeavour's robot arm in preparation for stowage on the station's S1 truss later in the mission.

The station's arm operators grappled the Canadian-built Dextre Friday at 9:59 p.m. EDT. Canadarm2 successfully powered up Dextre 11 minutes later.

When Dextre was removed from Endeavour's cargo bay after the shuttle docked to the station, ground teams ran into problems routing power to the pallet on which the robot is being assembled. The teams tried troubleshooting the problem with a software patch early Friday morning, but were not successful.

Initial attempts to route power to Dextre had not been successful Thursday after its unassembled components were temporarily parked on the station's truss in a pallet structure.

STS-123 Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman spent the night in the station's Quest Airlock in preparation for the second spacewalk of the mission, Saturday. Linnehan and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman completed the mission's first spacewalk early Friday morning.

March 14, 2008 (Flight Day 4)
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STS-123 Completes First Spacewalk and installs Japanese Logistics Module and Dextre's pallett structure on the space station

The crews of space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station completed a busy day with a spacewalk and the installation of the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section - on the station.

Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman completed the first spacewalk of the STS-123 mission at 4:19 a.m. EDT. The excursion lasted seven hours, one minute.

The two spacewalkers prepared the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section - for removal from Space Shuttle Endeavour's payload bay. They also opened a camera System on top of the Harmony module. The system provides live video to assist with docking spacecraft and modules together.

Additionally, the astronauts installed the Orbital Replacement Unit tool change out mechanisms on the Canadian-built Dextre, the final element of the station's Mobile Servicing System.

Commander Dom Gorie and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi used the shuttle's Canadarm to move the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, the first component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory, to its place on the orbital outpost, completing the task at 4:06 a.m.

Initial attempts to route power to Dextre were not successful Thursday after its unassembled components were temporarily parked on the station's truss in a pallet structure.

Flight controllers plan to grapple Dextre with the station's Canadarm2 around 11 p.m. today. With Dextre grappled to the Canadarm2, the cabling path in the Dextre transport cradle that is believed to be causing communications interference will not be in the loop. It is expected that normal communications will then be established.

Linnehan and Mission Specialist Michael Foreman will exit the orbital complex Saturday at 8:23 p.m. to perform the second STS-123 spacewalk. Their primary goal is to assemble Dextre.

March 13, 2008 (Flight Day 3)
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Rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station

About an hour before docking, which occurred at 11:49 p.m. EDT Wednesday, STS-123 Commander Dominic Gorie guided the shuttle through a back-flip maneuver, giving the Space station Expedition 16 crew the opportunity to take pictures of the orbiter's protective heat-resistant tiles. These photos were sent to NASA engineers on Earth for analysis.

The STS-123 and Expedition 16 crews opened the hatches between Endeavour and the station at 1:36 a.m. The astronauts then spent time preparing for the first of five scheduled STS-123 spacewalks, which Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman will begin at 9:23 p.m. Thursday.

Shortly after Endeavour's arrival at the station, Reisman traded places with Flight Engineer Léopold Eyharts, a European Space Agency astronaut, to join the Expedition 16 crew. Eyharts will return to Earth aboard Endeavour.

In addition, the STS-123 crew will prepare for the installation of the Canadian-built Dextre – the final element of the station's Mobile Servicing System – and the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section, which is the first component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory.

March 12, 2008 (Flight Day 2)
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Rendezvous preparations and Heat Shield Inspection

Circling the globe aboard space shuttle Endeavour, the STS-123 crew members have completed their first full day in space. The astronauts inspected the orbiter's heat shield and prepared for their arrival at the International Space Station tonight at 11:25 p.m. EDT.

Crew members used the shuttle's Canadarm and Orbiter Boom Sensor System to check out the underside of Endeavour and the leading edges of its wings. The purpose of this inspection was to ensure that, during the vehicle's climb to orbit, no damage occurred to the tiles that protect Endeavour from the heat of reentry.

Endeavour's crew also extended the Orbiter Docking System Ring and checked out rendezvous tools in preparation for their arrival at the station.

The STS-123 astronauts checked out spacesuits they will use during the mission's five scheduled spacewalks at the station. Three of these will include tasks devoted to assembly of Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency's newest contribution to the station and the final element of its Mobile Servicing System, and installation of related equipment. The spacewalkers also will work to unberth from Endeavour's payload bay the Japanese Logistics Module – Pressurized Section, the first element of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory.

Other spacewalk activities include the installation of spare parts, tools and a materials experiment, as well as the replacement of a circuit-breaker box and demonstration of a repair procedure for tiles of the shuttle's heat shield.

March 11, 2008 (Flight Day 1)
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Blast-off of Dextre, Canada's Two-armed Robot, to the International Space Station

Dextre, Canada's latest contribution to the robotics systems on the International Space Station, was launched aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour at 02:28 a.m. EDT from the Kennedy Space Center.

This historic mission STS-123 completes the Mobile Servicing System, which includes the Canadarm2 and the Mobile Base System.

The two-armed specialized robot is to play a critical role in operations and maintenance outside the Space Station.

It can remove and replace components that require precise handling, reducing the amount of time that astronauts must spend outside the Station and leaving them more time to perform scientific experiments aboard the space laboratory.

Like the Canadarm2 and the Mobile Base System, Dextre can be controlled from a workstation inside the space station or by controllers on the ground in mission control centres in Houston, Texas and at Canadian Space Agency headquarters in Longueuil, Quebec.

Astronauts, cosmonauts, and controllers are trained to operate the Mobile Servicing System's elements at the Agency's simulation facilities in Longueuil.

Mission STS-123 Overview
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With the launch of mission STS-123, Space Shuttle Endeavour flies its 25th assembly mission to the International Space Station.

The mission is scheduled to last 16 days with the possible addition of one or two days.

The mission's primary objectives are to:

• deliver the Canadian-designed two-armed robot called "Dextre" to the Space Station
• supply the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) to the International Space Station. JEM is the first component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to the Space Station.
• take NASA Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman to the Station and bring European Space Agency astronaut Léopold Eyharts back to Earth

The primary challenges are the five spacewalks in which astronauts will

• assemble Dextre and install it on the exterior of the International Space Station
• attach the first component of the Japanese Experiment Module to the Station

Dextre is the third and final component of the Mobile Servicing System developed by Canada for the International Space Station. It complements the mobile base and the robotic arm Canadarm2 already installed and operating on the Station. (Image: CSA)

The sophisticated, two-armed Canadian robot Dextre is designed to perform exterior construction and service tasks on the International Space Station.

It is part of the Mobile Servicing System contributed by Canada.

On this mission, Dextre is to be assembled in orbit with the crew putting it through a series of tests. Dextre is to carry out a lot of the fine manipulation work for maintenance outside the Space Station, reducing the number of spacewalks required.

The Japanese manned space experiment facility known as "KIBO" is the largest module on the Space Station.

Going up with STS-123 is the first component, the Experimental Logistics Module Pressurized Section.

It provides on-orbit storage for experiment materials, maintenance tools, and supplies for the second unit, the Pressurized Module, slated for delivery to the Station later in 2008.

With two experiment areas—one pressurized and one exposed to the vacuum of space—JEM is a space facility for technology and science experiments in research and development for fields such as space medicine, biology, biotechnology, Earth observation, and communications.