Astronauts aboard the US space shuttle Endeavour have unfolded a robotic arm to inspect the ship's heat shielding as they travel toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station.
After the seven astronauts soared skyward from NASA's seaside launch pad in Florida, their main priority is inspecting the ship's wings and nose for possible damage using a robotic arm.
The tedious inspection has been standard practice since the 2003 Columbia disaster, when debris from the shuttle's external fuel tank knocked a hole in its wing, causing the craft to disintegrate as it entered the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts aboard.
Endeavour's flight was NASA's first launch in nearly six months and the 124th in shuttle program history.
Just nine more launches remain before NASA is scheduled to mothball the shuttles so it can develop safer and less expensive spaceships that will return astronauts to the moon.
NASA must first complete construction of the $100bn (€78bn), space station, a project of 16 countries. Endeavour is slated to dock at the station tomorrow.
Endeavour's flight is intended to outfit the station for six full-time residents. It has been operating with half that number since assembly began a decade ago.
The shuttle carries two new sleeping compartments and a water recycling system so station crew members can purify urine and other wastewater for drinking.
