Astronauts inspect shuttle on way to space station

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Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center February 8, 2010 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The 13-day flight to the International Space Station is Endeavour's 24th mission, the 33rd shuttle flight dedicated to station assembly and one of the last five flights of the shuttle program, which is scheduled to finish in September. (Eliot J. Schechter, Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Things look good aboard the shuttle.

A few pieces of foam insulation did break off the external fuel tank during launch, but there's no indication anything hit the shuttle. A foam strike brought down Columbia in 2003.

Endeavour astronauts used a laser-tipped boom early today to check the thermal shielding on the wings and nose.

The five space station residents are excitedly awaiting the crew. In a Twitter update, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi says, "Yeah! Endeavour is on our way!"

Endeavour is delivering a new room to the space station, as well a domed compartment that contains the biggest window ever launched.

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