Posted on 07/25/2005 4:24:13 PM PDT by OXENinFLA
Poised for Liftoff
Space Shuttle Discovery rests in full view on the launch pad. Image above: The rolling back of Launch Pad 39B's Rotating Service Structure reveals orbiter Discovery. + Click for larger image. Image credit: NASA/KSC
Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-114, NASA's Return to Flight mission, is set for Tuesday at 10:39 a.m. EDT.
The launch pad's Rotating Service Structure (RSS) was rolled away from Discovery at 3:38 p.m. on Monday. When in place, the giant enveloping appendage is used to install payloads into an orbiter's cargo bay and provide protection from inclement weather. With the RSS now out of the way, propellant loading is set to begin after midnight Tuesday morning with the pumping of more than 500,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen into the vehicle's orange External Tank.
The chance of Kennedy weather cooperating for the launch remains at 60 percent.
First Lady Laura Bush will join other dignitaries and VIPs at Kennedy for the Return to Flight liftoff, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced earlier today.
Right? It's a good thing I'm by myself in this office - this is cool. Our Iraqi friends are supporting this.
I didn't even know how tuned into it they were, but I shouldn't be surprised. They're pretty savvy people.
In the early 90's we were in Fla. and saw a launch of Discovery. Awesome doesn't begin to describe in. We were about 5 miles from the launch site. I can still see the liftoff and then the sound catching up. It started as a low rumble that kept growing and growing until you couldn't hear anything.
My husband's birthday is today and he's thrilled they're having the launch today just for him. LOL I taped a lot this morning so he can watch later.
Keep those prayers coming, we will get them through this...........
its probably ice....that eco friendly orange tank coating absorbs rain water, which freezes in orbit....
thanks Hillary.
Talk about the best view in the house. That external tank camera was genius, I wish they'd done that years before. Really shows you what a ride they're taking!
}:-)4
Thanks for the great shots.
SpaceflightNow.com
1517 GMT (11:17 a.m. EDT)
T+plus 38 minutes, 20 seconds. The maneuvering engines have ignited for the orbit raising burn.
"All of a sudden, I'm getting e-mails from Iraqis all excited about this."
Wonderful! thanks for letting us know, that kind of excitement and interest is a healthy sign.
We just noticed that, you could see it very plainly from the tank camera. Couldn't tell from the feed if it came from the belly of the shuttle or from the tank, probably the tank.
}:-)4
The CEV and other Space Shuttle follow-ons will put the spacecraft on top of the stack instead of hanging off to the side. They will never eliminate the falling off of stuff during launch.
My home is Houston...(I'm just not there right now..LOL) And I've been to Carlo's a couple of times. I have friends in the Clear Lake area. That place is cool and I went with a friends who work at JSC.
And that's GREAT that you met Chris Kraft! As a "manned space flight junkie" growing up, I read about Mr. Kraft in many books and magazines. ;-)
They are marveling at our success because we applaud and marvel at theirs. Thank you George Bush and all the Men and Women that sacrificed in SPace and in Afganistan and Iraq, and elsewhere.
SpaceflightNow.com
1518 GMT (11:18 a.m. EDT)
T+plus 39 minutes, 30 seconds. The twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines on the tail of Discovery have been fired successfully to propel the shuttle the rest of the way to orbit. The new orbit is 142 by 98 statute miles. The next maneuvering burn is coming up around 4 p.m. EDT to raise the orbit to 191 by 141 miles as the rendezvous continues to reach the station.
Your secret's safe with us, Allegra. :-)
And thank you for everything else you've passed halfway around the earth to us in your posts.
You aren't a Rocket Scientist - are you!?
Nah..just good old fashioned American trial and error. Once I bought a flat screen TV..it got a lot easier though..
I wonder how my subcontrator would feel if he knew I had just posted his message out for all of FR to see? ;-)
Same here :-(
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