[sarex] Endeavour Marches Toward Launch

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468


  	*Endeavour Marches Toward Launch*
*Launch Date:* Aug. 7
*Launch Time:* 7:02 p.m. EDT

STS-118 crew members get a close look at the payloads installed in Space 
Shuttle Endeavour.
Image above: STS-118 crew members get a close look at the payloads 
installed in Space Shuttle Endeavour. Seen in the foreground are Mission 
Specialists Dave Williams (center), who represents the Canadian Space 
Agency, and Tracy Caldwell (right). Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton
+ View Full Size Image 
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_07pd2030.jpg>

*07.27.07 - 4:20 p.m. EDT*
Space Shuttle Endeavour is ready to fly, NASA managers concluded July 26 
after wrapping up the two-day flight readiness review at Kennedy Space 
Center in Florida. Launch of Endeavour on the STS-118 mission is 
officially set for Aug. 7.

"On behalf of all the people that work on Endeavour, both here and 
really across the country, it's a great, great feeling to have Endeavour 
back on the pad," said Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach. "We're 
looking forward to a great launch."

Launch preparations continue at Launch Pad 39A. Hypergolic propellant 
has been loaded into the solid rocket booster hydraulic power units, as 
well as Endeavour's orbital maneuvering system, forward reaction control 
system and auxiliary power units. The suits to be worn on the mission's 
spacewalks have been stowed, and flight crew equipment and supplies are 
being loaded into the crew cabin. Payload closeouts include camera tests 
on the shuttle's robotic arm and orbiter boom sensor system.

The 22nd flight to the International Space Station, STS-118 will be the 
first flight for Endeavour since 2002, and the first mission for Mission 
Specialist Barbara Morgan, the teacher-turned-astronaut whose 
association with NASA began more than 20 years ago.

*Mission Information*
+ STS-118 Mission Overview 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/index.html>
+ STS-118 Fact Sheet (900 Kb PDF) 
<http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/182903main_STS118%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf>
+ 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>