Endeavour's Crew aboard, hatch closed for practice

The Kennedy Space Center's launch control center is working with the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour as they run through a practice launch countdown this morning.

Endeavour's seven member flight crew climb aboard around 8AM EDT, and began a series of communications checks with LCC and Mission Control located south of Houston.

At 9:25 am, the orbiter's hatch was closed, and a series of cabin leak checks began just as they will due on their June 13 launch day. The image above was captured at 9:41 am, and shows Endeavour with her protective steel structure around her, and the threat of storms nearby.

Meanwhile, a Phase one and later phase 2 lightning warning was issued for the entire Cape Canaveral area as dark clouds associated with storms off shore began to develop.