Space Shuttle Discovery Launch Live Thread 2:38 EDT (Successful launch -- Discovery in Space)

07/04/06 | Kevin Davis

[KevinDavis]

Third time the charm?

[dangerfield]

"Officials have decided against sending a repair crew to the launch pad to address the backup solid rocket booster heater circuit breaker problem. The system can work on the primary circuit breaker system. And obviously it is very warm outside today anyway."

What is this, a joke site?

[upchuck]

When they repaired the gash in the foam, what color duct tape did they use?

[BenLurkin]

Amen to that.

[socal_parrot]

No lightning in the vacinity of Floriday right now, but it looks like Vegas and South Texas are very active...


https://thunderstorm.vaisala.com/tux/jsp/explorer/explorer.jsp;jsessionid=70302576581149906327244

[NonZeroSum]

This one will be the last for the shuttle system.

Is there some basis for this unlikely prediction?

[teletech]

I pray that this flight is flawless and I pray that God guards ard keeps each of these seven brave men and women.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AMERICA!

[teletech]

ard=and

[Godebert]

"HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AMERICA!"

It's called "Independance Day".

[teletech]

It's called "Independance Day".

OK... HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY AMERICA! (cuze me, must be my Illinois upbringing)

[Zuben Elgenubi]

STS-121 Crew:

From the left are astronauts Stephanie D. Wilson, Michael E. Fossum, both mission specialists; Steven W. Lindsey, commander; Piers J. Sellers, mission specialist; Mark E. Kelly, pilot; European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany; and Lisa M. Nowak, both mission specialists.

[Renegade]

We need ANOTHER Independence Day from MEXICO!!

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Live feed
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

From FReeper Textide (thanks for the links):

Melbourne, FL Radar

Patrick AFB weather forecast

Launch Control and countdown clock

NASA TV

[John W]

In HD on HDNet-http://www.hd.net/

[Ladysmith]

Excellent link! Especially the windows media. The astronauts are getting on the bus to head to the shuttle now.

[Bean Counter]

So far so good. Countdown has reusmed at 3 hours and counting, and the crew are on their way to the pad. Looks like the weather might cooperate long enough to get 'em gone...

Let's hope it goes today, because i don't think the ET can withstand another de-tanking..

[RightWhale]

i don't think the ET can withstand another de-tanking

The foam seems hard and brittle. Probably more cracks would open up.

[cripplecreek]

I'm starting to think that I wouldn't have the patience to be an astronaut. They go through a lot to sit in the shuttle and do it all over again the next day etc.

[RightWhale]

spaceflightnow.com
1503 GMT (11:03 a.m. EDT)

The convoy has made the left turn from the crawlerway to head northward for pad 39B.

1500 GMT (11:00 a.m. EDT)

The AstroVan just passed the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building where Discovery was attached to its external tank and solid rocket boosters and the adjacent Launch Control Center. The Press Site is located across the street, and reporters have run outdoors to watch at the passing convoy. This is a launch day tradition to say farewell and good luck to the astronaut crews.

1449 GMT (10:49 a.m. EDT)

Waving small flags, commander Steve Lindsey and his six fellow crewmates just walked out of the Kennedy Space Center crew quarters to board the AstroVan for the 7-mile ride from the Industrial Area to launch pad 39B on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

---

waving flags!

[don-o]

I was ten years old when we put our first man in soace and the Mercury astronauts were my heroes. Still are. Like a lot of boys, I fantasized about going into space.

+ years later - still do.

Godspeed Discovery!

[RightWhale]

Kid in the back seat--are we there yet? are we there yet? are we there yet?

Most of training they go through in the years leading up to this is even less exciting.