Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports periodically and is the source for information regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and payloads. If you are a member of the media and would like further information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/index.html

Mission: STS-117 - 21st International Space Station Flight (13A) - S3/S4 Truss Segment Solar Arrays
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: No earlier than March 16, 2007
Launch Pad: 39A
Crew: Sturckow, Archambault, Reilly, Swanson, Forrester and Olivas
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Final vehicle closeouts are under way in preparation for technicians to move Atlantis to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Feb. 7. This week, the payload bay was cleaned and the doors were closed. The doors will be cycled one last time and the payload bay doors will be closed for flight next week.

The external tank scheduled to fly with Atlantis, designated ET-124, is in the checkout cell in the Vehicle Assembly Building for final processing prior to being mated to the solid rocket boosters in high bay 1. Space Shuttle Program managers will hold a review on Jan. 16 to determine the readiness to mate the tank with the boosters. Once the review is complete and the "go ahead" has been given, the tank will be attached on Jan. 19.

Mission: STS-118 - 22nd International Space Station Flight (13A.1) - S5 Truss Segment
Vehicle: Endeavour (OV-105)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2
Launch Date: No earlier than June 28, 2007
Launch Pad: 39A
Crew: Kelly, Hobaugh, Williams, Morgan, Mastracchio, Caldwell and Anderson
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Endeavour remains in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, and technicians continue preparing the vehicle for its first launch in just over four years. The vehicle has undergone an extensive modification period, including the addition of all of the return-to-flight safety upgrades added to both Discovery and Atlantis.

This week, technicians installed the left-hand orbiter maneuvering system pod on the vehicle and they are now performing interface verification. Main propulsion system leak, functional and electrical checkout was successfully completed. Water spray boiler checkout and servicing began Thursday and will continue today.

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