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.
well, that and they took pictures of the tank from the shuttle....I am sure they will get those downloaded and looked at, as well as the video....
If it's a "new" camera, how do they know it isn't something that happens all the time.
BTW: I love that camera view, hope they keep it.
All major news media links are posted on one site. FOX News, ABC, BBC, SKY News, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN and CBS:
TY That would definitely be a good view if not for the clouds.
Yes, I watched it - some of those reporters asked really asinine questions! the AP guy was really trying to make a (negative) point, but that's AP, what else do you expect?
It's about 2 blocks away from my work.
the current NASA(video)feed of the ISS flying west to east across the U.S.(passing now over Baja CA)....fantastic!
I live on a cul de sac in a suburb NW of Orlando. At launch, we all just watch TV until about 10 seconds after lift off. We then walk out to the corner of the cul de sac where the other families gather. The shuttle can be easily seen even this far inland. On a clear day, it is amazing, and on a clear night for a launch, it seems so close. The only drawback is that if it is a hazy day, it is not clearly visible. If clear and with binoculars, we can see the first stage separation and beyond.
Eileen says its the smoothest ascent any of them have felt before...
switching to orbit 2 controllers
Bookmark so I can look at it at home.
Just heard the french sounding mission control lady tell the astronauts they can go ahead and setup cameras on deck and downlink it. We'll get to see them in the orbiter in just a bit.
LOL
That is a block of ice??
Sounds like a lot of happy folks today(they all deserve it after what they've been through). BTW, I remember listening to JPL repeater out of Pasadena back in the early days of the shuttle program. In fact I still have my old Realistic radio scanner I bought just for that purpose. I was also fortunate enough to make it up to Edwards for the 1st Columbia and Challenger landing. The first Columbia landing was quite a circus.
They are having a problem with the AVIU...
Advanced Video Interface Unit
I am listening to the JPL repeater right now!
147.150
Shuttle over the Great Lakes and they have lost video signal. Can still hear them though.
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