Feb. 8 Launch STS-130: Crew Begins Unloading New Progress

ISS022-E-045468 -- The Expedition 22 crew

Image above: The Expedition 22 crew poses for a crew portrait inside the Harmony Node. In the front, from left, are Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Maxim Suraev. In the back are Flight Engineers T.J. Creamer, Oleg Kotov and Soichi Noguchi. Credit: NASA

Space shuttle Endeavour's launch attempt has been scrubbed due to a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. Managers officially have scheduled the next launch attempt for Monday, Feb. 8 at 4:14 a.m. EST.

A new Russian cargo craft arrived to replenish the International Space Station Thursday. After two days in orbit the ISS Progress 36 docked to the aft end of the Zvezda service module at 11:26 p.m. EST. For the first time there are now four docked Russian vehicles attached to the orbiting laboratory -- two Soyuz TMA vehicles and two Progress vehicles.

Transfer activities continued as Commander Jeff Williams packed up gear for return to Earth aboard Endeavour when the shuttle crew completes its mission and returns home. Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer worked on the Oxygen Generation System replacing some equipment.

Cosmonauts Maxim Suraev and Oleg Kotov worked in the Russian segment of the station. Suraev deactivated the new Progress and monitored its air. Kotov transferred Russian gear and experiments from Progress to other parts of the station.

Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi checked out software for upcoming robotics work with the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2. Noguchi also participated in packing up gear for return on Endeavour and closed out a Protein Crystal Growth experiment in the Kibo laboratory module.

Williams and Creamer recently relayed their appreciation to all those supporting their mission and the launch of Endeavour on STS-130.

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