Endeavour Ready For Its Final Flight
The Space Shuttle Endeavour is set for its final mission in Florida. Nasa has been preparing everything for Endeavour's Final mission.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA has fueled space shuttle Endeavour and resumed the countdown clock in preparation for a Monday morning liftoff for the next-to-last flight of the shuttle fleet. Even with a few scattered clouds over the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, current weather conditions are “green.”
The mission commander is Mark Kelly, the astronaut husband of wounded Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who's back for the second launch attempt.
"Who's ready for the best show on Earth? Giffords' staff said in a Twitter update hours before liftoff.
Kelly and his five crewmates waved, gave a thumbs-up and shook their fists in the air as they headed to the launch pad in the pre-dawn hours. Liftoff is slated for 8:56 a.m.
NASA is confident an electrical problem that grounded the mission more than two weeks ago had been fixed. But things haven't gone flawlessly: Just two hours before launch time, an old patch on a thermal tile near the cockpit hatch came out. Technicians repaired it, and preparations continued.
Built in 1987, Space Shuttle Endeavour is the sixth member of the fleet -- and rapidly approaching the final leg of its incredible journey. Here, a retrospective of past missions.
A Space Shuttle's Final Endeavour
Built in 1987, Space Shuttle Endeavour is the fifth member of the fleet -- and rapidly approaching the final leg of its incredible journey. Here, a retrospective of past missions.
The astronauts posed for a group picture at the launch pad early Monday morning, before climbing into Endeavour.
"Took my last shower for a few weeks," reported astronaut Mike Fincke in a tweet. "The flight docs gave a good look-over. My only issue: too much boyish enthusiasm. (No known cure)."
Endeavour is bound for the International Space Station one last time before heading to retirement at a Los Angeles museum. The shuttle's experienced, all-male crew will deliver and install a $2 billion particle physics experiment during the 16-day flight, as well as spare station parts.
What do you think about the final mission of this space shuttle??
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