Endeavour So Far a 'Go' for a Wednesday Departure

NASA managers will conduct a final weather review at 5 a.m. before giving the final go-ahead for space shuttle Endeavour to be lifted off one last time from Cape Canaveral, this time on the back of NASAs Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

A go was given Tuesday following a morning weather briefing for the shuttle to depart at 7:15 a.m.

Weather has delayed the flight to California the past two days.

A cold front that twice delayed the start of Endeavour's ferry flight to Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, is predicted to move far enough away from the flight path to permit takeoff, NASA posted on its website.

The worst weather in the Kennedy area will be offshore to the east. Today, thunderstorms are expected over Kennedy, so the SCA/Endeavour has been moved inside the shuttle landing facility's mate-demate device for protection. The SCA will back out of the structure at 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Once in the air, the shuttle carrier takes a final passage over the Space Coast. The aircraft will fly over Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Kennedy, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and Patrick Air Force Base.

The final shuttle built, Endeavour is heading to the California Science Center in Los Angeles. If the aircraft takes off Wednesday, the shuttle is due to reach LAX on Friday.