This Friday, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has scheduled the launch of space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station (ISS), the mission being set to carry equipment aimed at expanding the living quarters on the station.

The new goods will allow the ISS to essentially become "a five- bedroom, two-bath residence for six," instead of a "three-bedroom, one bathroom home for three," the US space agency NASA said.

Nevertheless, a cold front that has been reported to be nearing Florida might force NASA to postpone the blast off until after the week-end, since forecasters have revealed that the front was apt to bring rain and heavy clouds. Moreover, they have estimated that the chances of proper weather conditions were about 60 percent where Friday, November 14 was concerned, whereas the following day, these chances have been said to decrease to 40 percent.

Space shuttle Endeavour’s launch, which counts as the first one NASA has conducted since the end of May, sets out to deliver to the ISS a new bathroom, a kitchenette, two bedrooms, an exercise machine, along with a water recycling system.

In addition, it will also take a new astronaut to the space station, who will be replacing one of the three current residents on the ISS.

NASA has revealed that they hoped to expand the crew on the ISS, as well, planning to double the number of residents by June 2009.

Presently, the Administration has a time-frame that will close on November 25 during which to blast off the Endeavour. The space shuttle is now ready for launch at Launch Complex 39 Pad A at the John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida.

The mission will include four spacewalks, each expected to last more than six hours, to repair joints that allow the station's solar panels to rotate toward the sun and to install a nitrogen tank, a global positioning system and a camera outside the ISS.

One spacewalk will be devoted to removing a thermal cover from the Japanese Kibo module, which was installed on the ISS earlier this year. Astronauts will inspect Kibo's berthing mechanism to make sure it is ready to be expanded with the addition of another piece in 2009. The cover will then be reinstalled on the final spacewalk.

Endeavour astronaut Sandra Magnus will stay behind as a member of the ISS crew, and Greg Chamitoff will return to Earth with the seven- member crew after more than five months in space.

The shuttle is scheduled to undock from ISS on November 27, the day that the United States celebrates its Thanksgiving holiday. The return flight will be scheduled for landing on November 29 at Kennedy Space Centre on Cape Canaveral, Florida.