Blue skies waiting; fluid loading has begun

The astronauts have begun fluid loading, which is drinking liquids to compensate for the fluid changes in their bodies during weightlessness. On landing gravity pulls fluids down the the lower part of the astronauts' bodies.

Commander Scott Kelly has tested the gimbals on the rocket engines that will bring the shuttle into a re-entry pattern.

"We've got some blue skies waiting for you," mission control told Endeavour Commander Scott Kelly at about 9:45 a.m. EDT, less than three hours from the shuttle's likely landing at Kennedy Space Center.

A small shower passing over KSC appeared to be dissipating.

Endeavour's payload bay doors closed about 8:40 a.m. EDT. If all goes as scheduled, the first deorbit burn would come at 11:25 a.m., with landing at 12:32 p.m. at Kennedy Space Center.

Endeavour would land from the northwest on runway 15 at KSC, which is 15,000 feet long and about 300 feet wide. The weather looks favorable today, with slight to little chance of showers. A 10-knot crosswind is expected.

Educator/Astronaut Barbara Morgan will sit on the flight deck for the ride home, where she will get a better view of re-entry than in her mid-deck seat during launch. At re-entry Endeavour would fly at a 40 degree angle of attack. As the craft enters the atmosphere, the rudder and elevons would take over steering from the thrusters.

The flight path will take the orbiter over the southern tip of central America, across the Gulf toward the Miami area.

The shuttle will use a new Global Satellite Positioning navigation system until just before landing.