[sarex] STS-118 Countdown Rehearsal Set to Begin

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468


  	*STS-118 Countdown Rehearsal Set to Begin*


Image above: From left to right are Mission specialists Alvin Drew, 
Barbara R. Morgan, Dave Williams, Rick Mastracchio, Tracy Caldwell, 
Pilot Charlie Hobaugh, and Commander Scott Kelly.
Photo credit: NASA + View Full Size Image 
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_118_crew_tcdt-lg.jpg>

<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_118_crew_tcdt-lg.jpg>
*07.16.07 - 7:45 p.m. EDT*
The seven-member crew of STS-118 arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center 
in Florida on Monday evening for the terminal countdown demonstration 
test. Often referred to as TCDT, the test is a final round of prelaunch 
training that concludes with a simulated launch countdown for the crew 
and the launch team.

Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at Launch Pad 39A early July 11 after an 
overnight rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The STS-118 
payload -- including the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage 
platform 3 -- was delivered July 8 to the pad's payload changeout room.

The STS-118 mission will be the 22nd flight to the International Space 
Station and first flight for Endeavour since 2002. Launch is targeted 
for the evening of Aug. 7.

*Mission Information*
+ STS-118 Mission Overview 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/index.html> 

+ STS-117 Mission Archive 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/main/index.html>