Excitement Builds for Next-to-Last Endeavour Space Shuttle Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- It's still a day before space shuttle Endeavour is set to soar one last time. But already, the excitement level is approaching an all-time high.

It's the next-to-last shuttle flight, as well as Endeavour's final voyage. Add to that the presence of the commander's wounded congresswoman wife, and Friday's visit by the president and his family.

Forecasters, meanwhile, were slightly more pessimistic Thursday. Still, there's a 70 percent chance of good weather for Friday's 3:47 p.m. launch.

Endeavour commander Mark Kelly is married to Gabrielle Giffords, who arrived in Cape Canaveral from Houston on Wednesday. She was shot in the head Jan. 8.

NASA officials say upwards of 700,000 people are expected to jam the area.

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The Journey of Endeavour

Photographers prepare remote controlled cameras near the space shuttle Endeavour April 28, 2011 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida as preparations are under way for an April 29 launch of Endeavour, which will be its last flight.

Stan Honda, AFP/Getty Images

AFP

The Journey of Endeavour

The space shuttle Endeavour April 28, 2011 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida as preparations are under way for an April 29 launch of Endeavour, which will be its last flight. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

The Journey of Endeavour

A photographer carries equipment for his remote controlled cameras near the space shuttle Endeavour April 28, 2011 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida as preparations are under way for an April 29 launch of Endeavour, which will be its last flight. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

The Journey of Endeavour

The space shuttle Endeavour sits on Pad 39A April 28, 2011 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida as preparations are under way for an April 29 launch of Endeavour, which will be its last flight. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

The Journey of Endeavour

The NASA logo on a protective box for a camera near the space shuttle Endeavour April 28, 2011 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida as preparations are under way for an April 29 launch of Endeavour, which will be its last flight. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

The Journey of Endeavour

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - APRIL 28: Romeo Guzman places cameras prior to tomorrow's Space Shuttle launch at the John F. Kennedy Space Center on April 28, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA continues to prepare for the last trip to orbit of Space Shuttle Endeavour launching on April 29. (Photo by Roberto Gonzalez/Getty Images)

The Journey of Endeavour

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - APRIL 28: Photographers and observers place their cameras at the base of the Space Shuttle Endeavor in advance of tomorrow's launch at the John F. Kennedy Space Center on April 28, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA continues to prepare for the last trip to orbit of Space Shuttle Endeavour launching on April 29. (Photo by Roberto Gonzalez/Getty Images)

The Journey of Endeavour