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The space shuttle Endeavour sits on launch pad 39A after rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, July 11, 2007. Endeavour is scheduled to launch on a mission to the International Space Station on August 7. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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WASHINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space
shuttle Endeavour is ready to fly, NASA managers concluded Thursday after
wrapping up the two-day flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center in
Florida.
Launch of Endeavour on the STS-118 mission is
officially scheduled for Aug. 7. The exact launch time is set at 7:02 p.m. EDT
(2302 GMT), according to NASA TV.
"On behalf of all the people that work on Endeavour,
both here and really across the country, it's a great, great feeling to have
Endeavour back on the pad," Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach said at a news
conference. "We're looking forward to a great launch."
NASA managers conduct the review two weeks prior to
each space shuttle mission. The group thoroughly evaluates all activities and
elements necessary for the safe and successful performance of shuttle mission
operations -- from the prelaunch phase through post-landing -- including the
readiness of the vehicle, flight crew and payloads.
The STS-118 will be NASA's second flight mission in
2007. As to Endeavour, this is the first flight in almost five years. The last
time Endeavour was at the launch pad was in November 2002 on a construction
mission to the International Space Station.
During the scheduled 11-day mission, Endeavour will
carry into orbit a new truss segment, SPACEHAB module and external stowage
platform 3.
NASA hopes to complete the construction of ISS before
the shuttle fleet is grounded in 2010.