The agency's three aging space shuttles are due to retire in the fall of this year. NASA plans to launch four more shuttle missions after Endeavour's current mission to complete construction of the space station. The delivery of Tranquility and its observation deck to the $100 billion space station leaves it 98 percent complete after more than 11 years of orbital construction by 16 countries. It took three spacewalks and some tricky robotic arm work to fully install them at the station. The two new additions were built for NASA by the European Space Agency and together cost nearly $409 million. Called the Cupola, the lookout features six windows arranged around a huge central portal that is 31 inches (80 cm) wide the largest space window ever built. The new lookout dome is a seven-window observation deck that is giving space station astronauts stunning panoramic views of Earth and space. NASA named it after the historic Apollo 11 lunar base and even hung a plaque with some moon rock bits from that mission inside after it was opened. It will serve as the space station's life support systems hub, robotic arm controls workstation and gymnasium. The Tranquility module is nearly 24 feet (7 meters) long and about the size of a small bus. The astronauts held their own impromptu Olympics in spaceto mark the sporting events. The shuttle flight occurred at the same time as the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. "Now's the time to prepare Endeavour to 'bring home the gold!'" "Thanks for giving station a window to the world!" Mission Control told the shuttle astronauts in their morning mail. ![]() Next Stop: EarthĮndeavour is returning to Earth to cap a 14-day mission to the International Space Station, where it delivered a phenomenal lookout dome and brand-new Tranquility module orbiting laboratory. NASA had also activated Endeavour's backup runway at the Edwards Air Force Base in California, just in case it would be needed. Rain and low clouds were expected near Endeavour's runway in Florida, but both concerns evaporated as landing time neared.
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