NASA is continuing to monitor weather that could bring showers and lightning close to Kennedy Space Center at launch time. Space shuttle Endeavour's fifth launch attempt is planned for 6:51 p.m.
Mission managers last night elected not to change the cover on a shuttle thruster that has partially pulled away, because rain was not forecasted overnight and time was tight. It's the uppermost of the four white covers pictured above.
Rain entering the forward, down-firing thruster could be a problem because it would freeze in orbit and possibly disable the maneuvering thruster.
It is not clear how showers before launch would impact the decision to launch, but it apparently depends how much water is believed to have gotten into the thruster.
Glue holding the cover in place came loose for unknown reasons.
The issue was noted yesterday and not considered a problem for the launch, but warranted further review after a 24-hour scrub.
Meanwhile, two spaceport crews are making final preparations for launch at pad 39A. The Final Inspection Team does a final thorough inspection of each major shuttle component - the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters - looking for any evidence of ice build-up or debris that could pose a danger if it broke free during launch.
The seven crew members, dressed in fire-resistant orange suits, include representatives from NASA, United Space Alliance and Lockheed Martin Corp.
They go as high as the pad's 255-foot level and down to the mobile launcher platoform, and use devices ranging from cameras and binoculars to infrared detectors and high-definition cameras.
At the same time, the Closeout Crew has entered the "white room," the last stop for astronauts before they enter the shuttle.
Another seven-person crew, they are responsible for configuring switches in Endeavour's cockpit and performing communications checks, and helping to strap the astronauts into their seats. That process is scheduled to start around 3:30 p.m.
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