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Feb 5th '10, 05:44 PM
<p><img style="display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px" src="http://i.space.com/images/100106-sts130-pad-rollout-01.jpg" align="left" border="0" /><a name="beginstory">CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's space shuttle Endeavour is ready for its Sunday launch to the International Space Station – a planned predawn liftoff that is expected to be the last time an orbiter lifts off in darkness.</a> <p>The weather forecast is pristine for Endeavour's upcoming launch from a seaside pad here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff is set for 4:39 a.m. EST (0939 GMT), with an 80 percent chance of good weather. </p> <p>"We're in really good shape," said Mike Moses, NASA's shuttle integration manager, in a morning briefing. "Everybody is ready to go."</p> <p>Endeavour's launch is the first of NASA's five </p> <a href="http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/100105-shuttle-era-ending.html">final shuttle missions</a> before the space agency retires its aging, three-orbiter fleet later this year. </p> <p>The shuttle will launch six astronauts on a <a href="http://www.space.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=SP_100203_sts130-overview">13-day mission</a> to deliver a new room and observation portal to the International Space Station. It is the last major assembly job for the $100 billion space station, which has been under construction since 1998. </p> <p>"Every launch is a little bittersweet because it's one closer to the end," Moses said. </p> <p>The new room, called Tranquility, will house station robotic arm controls, life support systems and exercise gear. It will also include the Cupola, a new seven-window observation portal launching on Endeavour that promises to give astronauts stunning views of the Earth and space.</p> <p>Sunday's predawn launch is also expected to be the last time a space shuttle <a href="http://www.space.com/spacewatch/spot-the-night-shuttle-launch-100205.html">will blast off in darkness</a>. Weather permitting, it is expected to be visible from much of the eastern United States.</p> <p></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/nasa-shuttle-go-launch-100205.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+spaceheadlines+%28SPACE.com+H eadline+Feed%29">SPACE.com -- Space Shuttle Endeavour 'Go' for Sunday Launch</a></p> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6214430959664794120-9217049235783423248?l=ooedbone.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><br />