Final Discovery crew on first workday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The crew of space shuttle Discovery spent its first full workday in space Friday, the day after blasting from Kennedy Space Center on the orbiter's last flight.

The mission's first wake-up song was beamed up from Mission Control in Houston at 6:53 a.m. EST as Discovery flew 143 miles over the Pacific west of Chile, Florida Today reported Friday.

The tune "Through Heaven's Eyes" from "The Prince of Egypt" was selected by the family of mission specialist Mike Barratt, a doctor and father of five who was enjoying his 200th day in space, the newspaper reported.

"Thanks to my crazy, wonderful family," Barratt said. "It's great to be back in space again, and I wish everybody could see what we're seeing through our eyes up here too."

The day's work was to include an inspection of the shuttle's heat shields with a camera and sensors on the end of a 50-foot boom.

On Thursday, NASA reported at least four potential strikes by pieces of insulating foam that broke away from the shuttle's external tank during launch but said they happened late during the flight when the foam hits with little relative velocity and poses little risk of damage.

Images obtained by the crew Friday will be analyzed by teams on the ground, and a closer inspection could be ordered later in the mission if any damage is found, mission managers said.