SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*STS-118 Countdown Rehearsal Set to Begin*

Image above: Space Shuttle Endeavour stands at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley + View Full Size Image http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_07pd1831.jpg

*07.13.07 - 10 a.m. EDT* The seven-member crew of STS-118 is set to arrive at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday for the terminal countdown demonstration test. Often referred to as TCDT, the test is a final round of prelaunch training that concludes with a simulated launch countdown for the crew and the launch team.

Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at Launch Pad 39A early July 11 after an overnight rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The STS-118 payload -- including the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3 -- was delivered July 8 to the pad's payload changeout room.

The STS-118 mission will be the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and first flight for Endeavour since 2002. Launch is targeted for the evening of Aug. 7.

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

+ STS-117 Mission Archive http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/main/index.html