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Blogger update, 1:50 p.m.: The Harmony module's hatch was closed about 10 minutes ago, sealing off the vestibule connecting Leonardo to the space station. Leonardo's hatch was closed at 11 a.m.
Endeavour astronauts are preparing to depressurize the small vestibule separating the International Space Station's Harmony from the Leonardo cargo module attached to it.
That's the last step before the crew picks up the cylindrical module with the station's 57.7-foot robotic arm and returns it to the shuttle's payload bay.
Meanwhile, Russian space officials report that an antenna that failed to deploy from a Progress cargo ship after it launched this morning is now functioning properly. They are analyzing whether an automated docking can proceed Sunday, or whether a manual docking might be necessary.
The roughly three-hour move of Leonardo is scheduled to begin just after 3:30 p.m., when the arm operated by Don Pettit and Shane Kimbrough grapples the cargo module.
The module will be disconnected from the station about a half-hour later, and latched into the payload bay by about 6:20 p.m.
Leonardo, one of three Italian-built cargo containers that may be launched in a shuttle, is making its fifth flight and was the heaviest multi-purpose logistics module ever launched. About 3,500 pounds of gear is stowed inside Leonardo for the return trip - about 11,000 pounds less than when Endeavour arrived at the station. Leonardo itself weighs more than four tons, and measures 21 feet long and 15 feet in diameter.
Pettit, shown at right in the picture above (next to Expedition 18 commander Mike Fincke, center, and Endeavour mission commander Chris Ferguson), served as the loadmaster who oversaw transfer of all the cargo.
The vestibule depressurization should start at 1:15 p.m.
You can watch Leonardo's move live at The Flame Trench. Just click on the NASA TV still picture above to launch a viewer.
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