Posted on 06/07/2007 6:37:21 PM PDT by KevinDavis
his is the official live thread for the Space Shuttle Atlantis.. The shuttle is suppose to launch at 7:38 PM EST.
Mission updates can be found at Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch Updates
If you can't view the launch on Cable or Satellite you can go to the Nasa site to view launch live.
AD ASTRA!!
You are about to launch.
Allow? Disallow?
.Very overcast here Clearwater area. Sometimes we can see from here.....sometimes not.
Later, alligators.
Leni
I thought you meant pantload...
spaceflightnow.com
2330:34 GMT (7:30:34 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 7 minutes, 30 seconds. The Ground Launch Sequencer has started pulling the orbiter access arm away from the crew hatch on the port side of the vehicle. The arm was the passage way for the astronauts to board Atlantis a few hours ago. The arm can be re-extended very quickly should the need arise later in the countdown.
2330:04 GMT (7:30:04 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 8 minutes and counting. Pilot Lee Archambault has flipped the switches in the cockpit of Atlantis to directly connect the three onboard fuel cells with the essential power buses. Also, the stored program commands have been issued to the orbiter.
Who left the door open???
pantload
lol.. That’ll work.
spaceflightnow.com
2332:04 GMT (7:32:04 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 6 minutes. Pilot Lee Archambault has been asked by the orbiter test conductor to pre-start the orbiter Auxiliary Power Units. This procedure readies the three APU’s for their activation after the countdown passes T-minus 5 minutes.
Cool picture.
4:30
Built in Rosie hold in effect, please.
3 good APUs. whew!
spaceflightnow.com
2333:04 GMT (7:33:04 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 5 minutes. The “go” has been given for for Auxiliary Power Unit start. Pilot Lee Archambault is now flipping three switches in Atlantis’ cockpit to start each of the three APU’s. The units, located in the aft compartment of Atlantis, provide the pressure needed to power the hydraulic systems of the shuttle. The units will be used during the launch and landing phases of the mission for such events as moving the orbiter’s aerosurfaces, gimbaling the main engine nozzles and deploying the landing gear.
Over the course of the next minute, the orbiter’s heaters will be configured for launch by commander Rick Sturckow, the fuel valve heaters on the main engines will be turned off in preparation for engine ignition at T-6.6 seconds and the external tank and solid rocket booster safe and arm devices will be armed.
2332:34 GMT (7:32:34 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 5 minutes, 30 seconds. APU pre-start is complete and the units are ready for activation. The orbiters flight data recorders have gone into the record mode to collect measurements of shuttle systems performance during flight.
Running out the door to my front yard to watch the Shuttle lift-off
I’m watching iton the Dish Network NASA Channel.
T - 3 minutes====
steering checks of engines under way.. cool.
Those steering checks shots were cool!
spaceflightnow.com
2334:34 GMT (7:34:34 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. The main engine nozzles now being moved through a computer controlled test pattern to demonstrate their readiness to support guidance control during launch today.
7:29 p.m. - The countdown is at T-9 minutes and counting. As the count resumes, the GLS will be in control of all critical space shuttle launch operations and there are several milestones before launch at 7:38. They include:
At T-16 seconds, the launch pad’s water sound suppression system begins flooding the mobile launcher platform with 300,000 gallons of water. The system protects the shuttle and its payload from any damage caused by energy generated during launch.
At T-10 seconds, flares ignite under Atlantis’ three main engines to burn away any residual hydrogen that may have collected near the main engine nozzles.
At T-6.6 seconds, the main engines will begin firing in anticipation of liftoff.
7:28 p.m. - The orbiter’s “black boxes” are now in the recording mode and will continue to collect data about the performance of the shuttle systems during the flight.
7:24 p.m. - Launch Director Mike Leinbach is performing the poll to determine a “go/no-go” for launch. The team is a go! He wished the Atlantis crew members good luck and Godspeed.
7:14 p.m. - The countdown clock is holding at T-9 minutes. The final prelaunch polls soon will be taking place.
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