NASA Readies For Shuttle Launch To International Space Station
"Everything looks good, the weather is cooperating, there are no processing issues (and) we expect a go for...a launch at 7:55 p.m. (EST)tonight," said Bill Johnson, chief of the media division at Kennedy Space Center.
There was a 70% chance weather conditions would permit the launch, according to Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Barrett, a forecaster at Cape Canaveral.
The 27th shuttle flight to the orbiting space station and the fourth and final shuttle mission for 2008 is scheduled for liftoff during a 10-minute window at launchpad 39A at Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Fla.
If the launch has to be delayed an additional 24 hours, for any reason, there would be only a 30% chance for favorable weather conditions, Cape Canaveral meteorologist Kathy Winters told reporters Thursday.
Countdown for the mission began Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. EST.
The Endeavor's mission, launching nearly 10 years to the day since a shuttle crew first began constructing the International Space Station on Nov. 20, 1998, will repair the station's power-generating solar arrays and expand its living quarters to accommodate bigger crews.
"This mission is all about home improvement," shuttle commander Chris Ferguson, 47, said Tuesday. "Home improvement inside and outside the station."
"Right now everything is going on track for (shuttle mission) STS-126 for Endeavor and looking good for a Friday night liftoff," Leinback said.
Home improvements will include two new sleeping quarters, exercise equipment, a second toilet, two new ovens to heat food, a refrigerator for food and drinks, a freezer and an oven for scientific experiments.
Endeavor will be carrying 14.5 tons of material and equipment to the Italian module Leornardo, allowing for the ISS crew to expand from three to six in 2009.
They also will be installing a system that can turn urine back into drinking water. The $250 million upgrade will allow enough recycling for a six-person ISS crew to sharply reduce the amount of water that has to be flown out from Earth.
The all-U.S. crew of five men and two women astronauts includes commander Chris Ferguson, 47, co-pilot Eric Boe, 44, and five other mission specialists including Sandra Magnus.
She will replace compatriot Greg Chamitoff as ISS Expedition 18 flight engineer. Chamitoff is scheduled to return to Earth on Endeavor in late November while Magnus was to stay on the through February 2009.
Endeavor's mission is scheduled to end Nov. 29, though NASA has said the flight could well be extended a day.
If the mission should fail to launch by Nov. 25, it would have to be postponed until January, Cain said.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 14, 2008 17:00 ET (22:00 GMT)
Publié le 14 novembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones
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