Space Shuttle to Blast Off to ISS

The space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, June 13, 2009. The launch will take place 7:17 AM Eastern Time. After a journey of two days, the crew of seven will join six other astronauts at the International Space Station. Once they arrive at the ISS, it will be the first time that 13 people have been on a spacecraft at one time.

When they are on the ISS, the space shuttle crew will assist with the assembly of Japan's Kibo science laboratory.

Mark Polansky, mission commander, Douglas Hurley, pilot, Julie Payette of the Canadian Space Agency, who operates robot arms, and NASA astronauts Christopher Cassidy, Tim Kopra, Tom Marshburn and David Wolf will make up the shuttle crew.

When Payette arrives at the station she will meet Canadian flight engineer Bob Thirst. It will be the first time that two Canadians have been in space at the same time.

There is a 90 percent chance of favorable weather on the expected launch date. If the Endeavour does not lift off by Monday June 15, the mission will have to be delayed until July. Otherwise, it will conflict with the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter later that week.

After this mission, the Endeavour will take seven more trips to the ISS to help complete the construction of the station. The ISS is now 81 percent complete.