Mission Management Team OKs Endeavour for Launch

1-day-to-shuttle-launch

Space shuttle Endeavour is ready to carry seven astronauts and a key piece of the Japanese laboratory complex to the International Space Station, said Mike Moses, chairman of the mission management team.

“We’re in really good shape to fly,” Moses said. The team carefully reviewed the spacecraft to make sure nothing was overlooked since the launch comes only a few weeks after the end of the STS-125 mission.

The countdown for Saturday morning’s launch at 7:17 continues on pace, said Launch Director Pete Nickolenko.

“We’re not tracking any issues,” Nickolenko said.

Endeavour’s crew is to install a platform to one end of the Japanese Kibo laboratory on the station. The platform will hold experiments designed to work outside the protective confines of the station.