At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the six STS-130 astronauts continue their prelaunch dress rehearsal at Launch Pad 39A.At the pad media question-and-answer period, the crew was asked their thoughts about space shuttle Endeavour kicking off a historic last year of launches.
Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson answered by saying, "We're thinking about STS-130 every day. But it occurs to me that when we come back, the reality of what this means to the Space Shuttle Program is going to set in. And it's bittersweet -- we all love the shuttle -- and look what human beings can do!
"But the history of space travel has shown," Robinson continued, "that when one program ends the next program is even more exciting, more motivating, more compelling to go into the future than the one before it."
Other training activities today include slidewire basket evacuation procedures and review of pertinent flight data.
Also, the Tranquility payload will be loaded into space shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay today.
