NASA clears space shuttle for June 13 launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- NASA has cleared space shuttle Endeavour for a June 13th launch to the international space station.

Top managers settled on the date Wednesday following a day-long flight review at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The meeting coincided with a practice countdown by the seven astronauts assigned to the mission.

If Endeavour flies on time, the mission will follow NASA's successful Hubble Space Telescope mission by just under three weeks. Endeavour will carry up the last part of Japan's science lab and a new resident for the orbiting complex. Five spacewalks are planned during the 16-day mission

When Endeavour's pulls up, the space station will have 13 people on board for the first time ever.