[sarex] STS-118 Crew Completes Countdown Rehearsal

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*STS-118 Crew Completes Countdown Rehearsal*

Image above: Practicing emergency egress from Launch Pad 39A, STS-118 
Mission Specialists Alvin Drew and Barbara Morgan join another crew 
member in a slidewire basket. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton + View 
Full Size Image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_07pd2000.jpg>

*07.19.07 - 4 p.m. EDT*
Led by Commander Scott Kelly, the STS-118 crew completed a full dress 
rehearsal for launch on Thursday aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. The 
simulated countdown at Launch Pad 39A concludes the terminal countdown 
demonstration test. Held at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 
test is a standard part of prelaunch training and allows the astronauts 
to try on their launch and entry suits, learn emergency procedures at 
the launch pad, and take part in a variety of familiarization activities 
and briefings.

With the test now successfully behind them, the seven astronauts will 
return to Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at Launch Pad 39A early July 11, and the 
STS-118 payload -- including the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external 
stowage platform 3 -- is secured inside the orbiter's payload bay. 
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-118 Briefing Animations 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/multimedia/sts118_anim_07102007.html>
+ STS-117 Mission Archive 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/main/index.html>