NASA Steps Toward Shuttle Launch

NASA is pressing ahead with launch countdown preparations at Kennedy Space Center today as the agency aims to send up shuttle Endeavour next week on a mission to outfit the International Space Station for crews of six.

With seven astronauts strapped into its crew cabin, Endeavour is scheduled to blast off from launch pad 39A at 7:55 p.m. EDT next Friday. The shuttle will dock at the station a week from Sunday and the astronauts also plan four spacewalks to repair a giant rotary wheel on the starboard end of the outpost's central truss.

Read all about the STS-126 mission and its crew in this official NASA Press Kit: STS-126 Press Kit

A more concise mission summary is here: STS-126 Mission Summary

At the launch pad today, United Space Alliance technicians are wrapping up work in the aft compartment of the orbiter. The doors to the compartment are to be put in place today, and then a leak check will be performed.

Leak checks of the shuttle's main propulsion system were completed Thursday along with ordnance installation and connections.

A faulty cockpit display was removed and replaced Thursday and the new unit will be tested today.

Call to stations for pressurization of the shuttle's hypergolic propellant systems and the main propulsion system will take place at 4 a.m. Monday.

Call to stations for the destacking of Atlantis in the Vehicle Assembly Building will take place at the same time.

The Endeavour astronauts are scheduled to arrive at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, and a standard, three-day countdown will pick up at 10 p.m. that night.

We'll have live coverage of the crew arrival, a prelaunch news conference on Wednesday, and the terminal countdown and launch starting at 2:30 p.m. EDT Friday here in The Flame Trench and at www.floridatoday.com.

Be sure to join us.

ABOUT THE IMAGES: Refresh this page to see the latest still image from live video feeds at Kennedy Space Center. Both show shuttle Endeavour cocooned by the Rotating Service Structure at Launch Complex 39A. You can also click to enlarge the images.