Space Shuttle Endeavour completed a 3.4-mile
journey to launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on
Wednesday shortly after 3 a.m. EDT.
After a one-day weather delay, Endeavour left Kennedy’s Vehicle
Assembly Building at 8:10 p.m., Tuesday, traveling at less than 1 mph
atop a massive crawler-transporter. While at the pad, the shuttle
will undergo final testing, payload installation and a “hot fire”
test of auxiliary power units. After final testing, the rotating
service structure will be moved around the vehicle to protect it from
the elements.
Endeavour is targeted to lift off Aug. 7 on an 11-day STS-118 mission
to the International Space Station. Endeavour’s crew includes
Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charlie Hobaugh and Mission Specialists
Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Barbara Morgan, Alvin Drew and
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams.
The crew is due to arrive at Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility at
approximately 7 p.m. on July 16 to participate in the Terminal
Countdown Demonstration Test, a launch dress rehearsal. Media
interested in attending should arrive at Kennedy’s press site by 5:30
p.m. for transportation to the facility.
Video file of rollout will be available on NASA Television. For NASA
TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video,
visit:
For information about the STS-118 crew and mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
