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Endeavour to make 6th attempt at liftoff Wednesday

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-15 15:29

BEIJING -- NASA plans to try the sixth time early Wednesday evening to launch space shuttle Endeavour with seven astronauts on board, media reports said.

NASA has cancelled the launch of Endeavour for the fifth time Monday due to thunderstorms near the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Space shuttle Endeavour is pictured after mission managers scrubbed another launch attempt at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida July 13, 2009. Lightning strikes and thunderstorms near the seaside launch pad forced NASA on Monday to delay yet again the launch of shuttle Endeavour on a mission to the International Space Station. [Agencies]

The mission was postponed three times by thunderstorms and two times by hydrogen gas leaks.

Related readings: Thunderstorms delay 5th launch Leak fixed, Endeavour ready for liftoff Launch of space shuttle postponed Endeavour on track for launch

NASA hopes the weather would finally cooperate Wednesday. Forecast shows the odds of good weather on Wednesday evening is 60 percent.

If the shuttle's sixth launch attempt failed, it would set the record.

The shuttle must be launched by Wednesday or it will have to wait for a Russian supply run to the International Space Station.

The mission of Endeavour is to deliver spare parts to the space station and a last segment of the Japanese Kibo lab.