Astronauts prepare for first space walk of mission

AFP, Washington

Astronauts from the US space shuttle Endeavour prepared for their first spacewalk of the mission Saturday aimed at completing a Japanese space laboratory at the International Space Station.
During their first full day in space, the Endeavour crew inspected the spacesuits that they will use during the five spacewalks planned during the mission.
The seven-person crew, including six Americans and one Canadian also tested rendezvous equipment, installed a camera for the orbiter docking system and extended the docking ring that sits on top the system.
The Endeavour mission aims to help fulfill "Japan's hope for an out-of-this-world space laboratory," as the shuttle delivers state-of-the-art equipment to conduct experiments in the vacuum of space, according to NASA.
Earlier Friday the shuttle successfully docked at the space station amid questions about the integrity of the shuttle's heat shield.
During the delicate docking maneuver the two space vehicles approached each other at 28,000 kilometers (17,398 miles) per hour, giving Commander Mark Polansky a margin of error of 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) to complete the procedure, NASA said.
The entry of Endeavour's crew aboard the ISS brought the number of astronauts inside the orbiting space station to a record 13.
As the shuttle approached the ISS, Polansky photographed the underside of the Endeavour to discover whether Wednesday's takeoff caused any damage to the shuttle's heat shield.
During the launch, which came after five failed take off attempts since June 13, debris could be seen peeling away from the shuttle external rocket booster and then striking the spacecraft.