Space Shuttle Endeavour landed at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center Wednesday night after a remarkable 16 day mission. The crew of STS-123 accomplished a record five spacewalks, during which they constructed the Dextre Robotics System and installed the first module of the Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module.

The International Space Station will now receive the new Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle, or ATV, from Europe. The ATV is scheduled to dock with the station on April 3rd.

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The wonderful author and visionary, Arthur C. Clarke, who has written so many thought provoking books, has passed away at the ripe old age of 90.  My favorite, and probably his most famous is “2001: A Space Odyssey.”  I’ve always been a big fan of sci-fi, and Clarke’s books were right at the top of my list, along with H.G. Wells.

Clarke has one of those truly amazing biographies, which includes predicting a global network of communication satellites, writing an astounding amount of books and scientific articles, being knighted as Sir Arthur C. Clarke by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in 1998 for his work with science fiction, working as an underwater explorer, and finally as a recluse in Sri Lanka.

Can you imagine some of Clarke’s “future visions” of making contact with intelligent life from other planets by the year 2030, or discovering the secret of immortality by 2090?

The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation  www.clarkefoundation.org

Have you ever watched for the space shuttle, the space station, or just a satellite flying over?  There’s a real handy tool online called Skywatch, that gives you the exact times and locations where you can see orbiting spacecraft pass over your city.

What a thrill to see the sunlight gleaming off the space station’s solar panels, as it streaks across the sky. I’ve seen satellites in the night sky just by accident, when I’m out camping under dark skies, and it’s always really cool, and I just can’t wait to see it again.

Go to spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings to use Skywatch 2.0. It gives you up-to-the-minute data right from NASA’s Mission Control to project the path of the spacecraft you want to see. It’s an awesome sight, and the weather will be good for it soon.

Shuttle crew members Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman have completed the second spacewalk of Endeavour’s STS-123 mission. They worked outside the International Space Station for seven hours assembling the Canadian-built mechanical maintenance robot called Dextre.

Andrew Potter reports via Reuters Video

This is a busy time for NASA crews aboard the space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station. They’re outfitting the new Japanese Logistics Module with supplies and equipment, which is the first onboard laboratory for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The astronauts are also finishing assembly of the Canadian robotic service system, called Dextre. This shuttle mission (STS-123) will be the longest mission to the space station, because it’s a sixteen day flight. Plus there are five spacewalks planned, two of which are already completed.

Andrew Potter reports via Reuters Video:

Did you know NASA has their own YouTube Channel? Well they do, and here’s a video of the launch of space shuttle Endeavour from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, beginning the STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. www.youtube.com/user/ReelNASA

NASA’s Space Shuttle Endeavour Begins Mission to the International Space Station
(NASA NEWS RELEASE : 08-077)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour brought an early sunrise to the East Coast Tuesday, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 2:28 a.m. EDT and beginning the STS-123 mission to the International Space Station.

During the 16-day flight, Endeavour’s seven astronauts will work with the three-member space station crew and ground teams around the world to install the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency’s two-armed robotic system, known as Dextre. STS-123 is the longest shuttle mission to the station and will include a record five shuttle spacewalks at the orbiting laboratory, delivery of a new crew member to the complex and the return of another astronaut after nearly seven weeks aboard the station.

The STS-123 flight crew are: Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi.  Reisman will replace current station crew member Léopold Eyharts, who has lived on the outpost since early February.  Reisman will return to Earth on shuttle Discovery’s STS-124 mission, targeted for launch on May 25, 2008.

Endeavour’s cargo will help continue the station’s assembly. The Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section, or ELM-PS, will hold experiment samples, maintenance tools and other spare items. Dextre can be attached to the station’s robotic arm to handle smaller components typically requiring a spacewalking astronaut.  At the tip of each arm is a “hand” that consists of retractable jaws used to grip objects.

NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of Endeavour’s mission, which is the 122nd shuttle flight, the 21st for Endeavour and the 25th shuttle mission to the station.

NASA Television features live mission events, daily mission status news conferences and 24-hour commentary. NASA TV is webcast at:  www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA’s Web coverage of STS-123 includes current mission information, interactive features, and news conference images, graphics and videos. Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, also is available on the main space shuttle Web site at:  www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For information about other NASA missions and activities, visit:  www.nasa.gov