SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Endeavour Readies for August Launch*

Image above: In the Vehicle Assembly Building, Endeavour joins its external tank and solid rocket boosters on the mobile launcher platform. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder + Full Size Image http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/181716main_mating.jpg

*07.06.07 - 3:30 p.m. EDT* Space Shuttle Endeavour mating and launch processing operations are under way in preparation for a rollout to Launch Pad 39A, which is currently targeted for no earlier than July 10.

Weather permitting, the mission payload will be transferred to the launch pad early Saturday.

NASA is quickly gearing up for the shuttle's next visit to the International Station, targeted for an Aug. 7 launch. The mission will deliver the S5 truss to the station and will mark the first flight of Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, the teacher-turned-astronaut whose association with NASA began more than 20 years ago.

STS-118 will be the first flight for Endeavour since 2002.

+ STS-118 Mission Overview http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/index.html

+ STS-117 Mission Summary http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/sts117_overview.html | + Photos and Videos http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/multimedia/index.html