It'd be nice if they can do it today.
I'm already watching.
I sure hope these guys know what they are doing.
Blue skies and partly cloudy but normal for here. Traffic is already starting...arrgh.
Anybody know what the launch time is?
NASA is working one technical problem at the moment.
From Mission Status Center at spaceflightnow.com:
1235 GMT (8:35 a.m. EDT)
Over the past few minutes, a technical problem has arisen in the countdown with the 100 amp circuit breaker that control all of the heaters on the solid rocket booster joints. A special red team is being assembled for deployment to the launch pad for troubleshooting. The circuit breaker panel is located on the mobile launch platform.
The problem has taken down the backup capability for the heaters, although the system is still operational on the primary side. NASA would like to have full redundancy and there is time in the countdown to do the repair now.
Did they fix the gash they found? I have very mixed feeling on this today....
Happy 4th...America
NASA's lucky that a law wasn't passed to ban the use of sparklers for igniting the SSMEs. Especially today when fireworks are such an issue.
Looks like a beautiful day at the Cape.
In scheduled hold at 3:00:00.
When they repaired the gash in the foam, what color duct tape did they use?
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
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AMERICA!
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.
From FReeper Textide (thanks for the links):
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..
thanks for thread Kevin!
Over here 2/3s!!!!!
TIME EVENT 07/03/06 10:52 PM Fuel cell activation 11:42 PM Pad clear of non-essential personnel 11:42 PM MCC-Houston in launch comm configuration 07/04/06 12:12 AM Booster joint heater activation 01:57 AM Final fueling preps; launch area clear 02:42 AM Begin 2-hour built-in hold 02:52 AM Safe-and-arm PIC test 03:17 AM External tank ready for fueling 03:32 AM Mission management team tanking meeting 04:42 AM Resume countdown 04:42 AM LO2, LH2 transfer line chilldown 04:52 AM Main propulsion system chill down 04:52 AM LH2 slow fill 05:22 AM LO2 slow fill 05:27 AM Engine cutoff sensors go wet 05:32 AM LO2 fast fill 05:42 AM LH2 fast fill 06:57 AM LH2 topping 07:37 AM LH2 replenish 07:42 AM LO2 replenish 07:42 AM Begin 3-hour built-in hold 07:42 AM Closeout crew to white room 07:47 AM External tank in stable replenish mode 07:57 AM Astronaut support personnel comm checks 08:27 AM Pre-ingress switch reconfig 08:59 AM Crew photo opportunity 10:08 AM Crew weather briefing 10:08 AM Astronauts begin donning pressure suits 10:42 AM Resume countdown 10:48 AM Crew departs O&C building 11:17 AM Crew ingress 12:07 PM Astronaut comm checks 12:32 PM Hatch closure 01:07 PM White room closeout 01:22 PM Begin 10-minute built-in hold 01:24 PM NASA test director countdown briefing 01:32 PM Resume countdown 01:33 PM Backup flight computer to OPS 1 01:37 PM KSC area clear to launch 01:43 PM Begin final built-in hold 01:53 PM NTD launch status verification 02:28:55 PM Resume countdown 02:30:25 PM Orbiter access arm retraction 02:32:55 PM Launch window opens 02:32:55 PM Hydraulic power sy stem (APU) start 02:33:00 PM Terminate LO2 replenish 02:33:55 PM Purge sequence 4 hydraulic test 02:33:55 PM IMUs to inertial 02:34:00 PM Aerosurface profile 02:34:25 PM Main engine steering test 02:35:00 PM LO2 tank pressurization 02:35:20 PM Fuel cells to internal reactants 02:35:25 PM Clear caution-and-warning memory 02:35:55 PM Crew closes visors 02:35:58 PM LH2 tank pressurization 02:37:05 PM SRB joint heater deactivation 02:37:24 PM Shuttle GPCs take control of countdown 02:37:34 PM SRB steering test 02:37:48 PM Main engine start (T-6.6 seconds) 02:37:55 PM SRB ignition (LAUNCH)This status report will be updated after fueling begins or as conditions warrant.