But the famous clock in front of the spaceport’s press centre may struggle to get all the way down to zero.

Forecasters say showers and even storms will be over Florida’s Space Coast by the week’s end.

When it does fly, the Atlantis orbiter will be hauling more than 3.5 tonnes (8,000lb) of supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).

“I wish I had a better briefing for you,” Nasa’s shuttle weather officer Kathy Winters told reporters.

“Right now we are going with a 60% chance of KSC weather prohibiting launch due to the potential for showers and isolated thunderstorms in the area.”

Huge crowds are expected on the Space Coast to watch the 1126 local time (1526 GMT) lift-off.

The forecast is going to make for some tough decisions on their part. Do they endure the jammed roads and long queues on Friday to get into the best viewing positions, only for the launch to be postponed? Or do they stay away, hoping for a 24-hour delay and much better weather prospects.

Saturday’s forecast is better (40% chance of no-go weather conditions); Sunday’s even more so (30%)

Winters said early morning conditions on Friday might be fine, but those showers and storms were likely to pop up just around launch time.

Nasa will continue with its preparations in any case.

The start of the countdown triggers engineers to start working through a pre-planned list of final checks on the shuttle and its associated ground systems.

Nasa Test Director Jeremy Graeber said the team would get on with the job efficiently and would not be distracted by all the emotion swirling around them.

“The team gets into the mode of ‘this is launch countdown’. And that’s really the focus that everybody has, and the rest of the emotion that comes with the end of the space shuttle programme, I think will kind of roll in when launch is completed and we get past that.”

If all goes according to plan, the order to start loading nearly two million litres of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the shuttle’s external tank will go out at around 0200 local time on Friday morning. The crew will then suit up and make the drive down to the launch pad, leaving their quarters just after 0730.

Just four individuals will be flying on the mission. Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim have a busy 12 days in space ahead of them.

Their orbiter has been crammed full of stores, including a year’s worth of food for the ISS.

It should give Nasa some room to play with if the new commercial re-supply freighters that are due to replace the shuttle encounter problems with their development.

The City Beautiful topped the list thanks to a number of factors, including July 4 shows at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld , as well as fireworks shows in downtown at Lake Eola.

Others making the top 10 list, in ranked order from 2 to 10, included New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, South Florida, Denver, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Seattle and San Francisco.

Regretably Four Corners Villa has no availability for July 4th Weekend although we do have a Short Gap between July 10th and 14th.

With a combined total of 30 platinum albums, this year’s concert lineup features artists who have each led the U.S. music charts and continue to be some of the most popular names in music today. The full lineup can be viewed below.

2011 Summer Concert Series Lineup

June 11 – Go-Go’s
June 18 – Nelly
June 25 – Third Eye Blind
July 2 – Trey Songz
July 9 – Boys Like Girls
July 16 – Drake

In its third year, the Summer Concert Series has become one of Orlando’s most popular summertime events. By day, guests can enjoy world-class thrills found only at Universal Studios, such as The Simpsons Ride – featuring America’s favorite animated family – and Revenge of the Mummy – the world’s first psychological thrill ride based on the popular “Mummy” films. By night, guests can dance along to a live concert at the Music Plaza Stage in the glow of colorful LED lights from Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – Universal Orlando’s most radically-innovative roller coaster ever created.

The Summer Concert Series is included with regular park admission to Universal Studios. Guests can upgrade a one-park ticket to include Universal’s Islands of Adventure – featuring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the most spectacularly themed environment ever created.

For more information on the Summer Concert Series or special offers available to guests, please visit www.UniversalOrlando.com/Summer.

Hot N Juicy Crawfish, a specialty restaurant concept featuring a Louisiana-style Cajun and with a twist of their renowned blend seafood menu, is coming to Orlando in June 2011 looking to win the hearts and taste buds of Central Florida residents and tourists with its fresh crawfish, shrimp, crab, and oyster dishes.

Orlando is the fourth location for the fast-growing restaurant brand, which currently operates three Hot N Juicy Crawfish restaurants—two in Las Vegas and one in Washington DC—and has plans to continue opening new locations in other U.S. cities where tasteful seafood and quality service are in high demand.

A restaurant concept developed by Tim Nguyen and Laina Vo, Hot N Juicy Crawfish has risen to national fame following the popularity of its flavorsome fresh seafood—brought to its restaurants from local sources or flown in daily for the delight of customers who demand quality and freshness.

The secret behind Hot N Juicy Crawfish’s success is attributed to its exotic food seasoning and outstanding service standards, both being exceptional efforts that keep loyal patrons coming back for more.

Orlando is home to many specialty restaurant brands since the Central Florida market offers a strong culture of “foodies”—as restaurant enthusiasts are commonly known—who crave new and exciting food concepts that keep the hospitality industry thriving all year long.

Hot N Juicy Crawfish is expected to draw much attention to its featured seafood delicacies, which are prepared with a closely-guarded mix of spices that make every one of their dishes a memorable epicurean experience—complementing their original and risqué brand name.

“Orlando is known as the family tourism capital of the world with over 50 million people visiting every year,” says Quan Nguyen of Hot N Juicy Crawfish. “Now we are bringing to the city another reason to fly to Orlando and enjoy the best seafood and our signature explosion of flavor.”

The restaurant brand is no stranger to seafood connoisseurs, particularly after being featured on the Travel Channel’s ‘Man vs Food’ series, where Hot N Juicy trainer Noemy Avalos teaches host Adam Richman the right way to eat their signature crawfish, served on a bag to keep it hot and juicy down to its last bite.

Work at the new Hot N Juicy Crawfish location is well under way at Orlando’s Restaurant Row on Sand Lake Road, which features some of the most diverse international cuisine styles from a variety of premium restaurant brands, and owners Tim Nguyen, Laina Vo and their operating partner Quan Nguyen are preparing to open the doors to the public on the second week of June—just in time for the busy Summer season.

Hot N Juicy Crawfish’s new Orlando restaurant will be located at 7572 W. Sand Lake Road, near the International Drive tourist district—minutes away from Universal Studios, SeaWorld and area hotels and resorts.

The  lounge, located on the street that runs between Shrek 4-D and Monsters Cafe, will give air-conditioned comfort along with complimentary beverages and light refreshments. It will also have a charging station for cameras and cell phones.

The lounge, which will be staffed with a concierge for dining reservations and other services, will be open seven days a week.

Lounge access begins with purchases made Tuesday. To access the lounge, guests need to show their receipt (or confirmation page if purchased online) along with their AmEx card and ticket.