Recent Cold Weather In Florida Has Made For Special Precautions

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers at Launch Pad 39A began loading fuel into space shuttle Endeavour's orbital maneuvering system and auxiliary power units. The process was expected to be completed Thursday.

Cold weather in Florida has been an issue as technicians continue prelaunch propellant loading on space shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A.

NASA managers weighed all options and have decided to continue working toward a Feb. 7 launch with full mission content. A decision was made to select an alternate hose design, assembled from shorter hoses that were previously certified and tested, for use aboard the station as the primary jumper.

Also, managers decided on the accelerated development of a redesigned set of hoses, based on the design that failed, for use in the event a problem arises with the new primary design. Discussions were discontinued related to partial activation of the Tranquility module.

The payload for the STS-130 mission, consisting of the Italian-built Tranquility node and its attached cupola, will be transported to the pad beginning at 0400 EST Saturday. Once there, it will be lifted and stored in the payload changeout room.

Near NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken will be immersed in the massive pool in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab to practice techniques for their first spacewalk. Meanwhile, Commander George Zamka and Pilot Terry Virts will practice shuttle landings at White Sands Space Harbor in Las Cruces, N.M., in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.

FMI: www.nasa.gov