(Image credit: NASA/Glenn Benson)Įndeavor's main mission is to carry up a particle detector that aims to revolutionize astrophysics and cosmology. The AMS instrument will search for cosmic rays from the International Space Station.
Technicians examine the $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer instrument in a work stand ahead of its planned launch on NASA's space shuttle Endeavour. "It's a testimony to the entire crew's ability to stay focused, to compartmentalize and to do what they need to do." "The crew has just done a tremendous job of staying on focus and being trained and ready to go fly," NASA's associate administrator for space operations, Bill Gerstenmaier, said during a press conference last week. The spaceflyers, especially Kelly, had to call on their training to compartmentalize their feelings and focus on the mission when the job was at hand. Giffords' shooting was devastating for the close-knit crew, who pulled together to support each other in its aftermath, according to the astronauts. She traveled from her rehabilitation hospital in Houston to Florida on Wednesday. Giffords survived a January assassination attempt when a gunman opened fire on her and others outside a Tucson, Ariz., grocery store. (Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)Īnother high-profile attendee will be Kelly's wife, wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.
Johnson and Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel, Roberto Vittori and Greg Chamitoff. From left, the astronauts are Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Gregory H. The real countdown for Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for Friday afternoon, April 29, 2011. The astronauts of STS-134 came to Kennedy Space Center recently for countdown rehearsal.