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Space Shuttle Endeavour to Launch Tonight- Live Thread [2:28am early Tues]
Space.com ^ | March 10, 2008 | Dave Mosher

Posted on 03/10/2008 9:13:27 AM PDT by RobFromGa

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To: RobFromGa

Yes it will.....Titusville is a very good location to view.


21 posted on 03/10/2008 12:02:49 PM PDT by Guenevere (If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.)
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To: RobFromGa

For those interested, the following link is a video (not very good video) of a launch seen from Savannah in December 2006.

Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI-CAbRBiQI


22 posted on 03/10/2008 1:21:30 PM PDT by Conan the Librarian (The Best in Life is to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and the Dewey Decimal System)
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To: Conan the Librarian

spaceflightnow.cMONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008
2103 GMT (5:03 p.m. EDT)

The Mission Management Team has given a “go” to begin fueling space shuttle Endeavour for tonight’s launch. Engineers in Firing Room 4 will start the three-hour fueling process shortly.

The coundown has just resumed ticking after the two-hour planned hold at the T-minus 6 hour mark. The next scheduled hold occurs at T-minus 3 hours.

Liftoff is targeted for precisely 2:28:14 a.m. EDT.


Precision is the word for this mission. Hope rides with them.


23 posted on 03/10/2008 2:18:54 PM PDT by RightWhale (Clam down! avoid ataque de nervosa)
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To: Conan the Librarian

spaceflightnow.com
MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008
2114 GMT (5:14 p.m. EDT)

FUELING UNDERWAY. The filling of space shuttle Endeavour’s external fuel tank with a half-million gallons of supercold propellants has begun at launch pad 39A.

The tanking operation commenced with the chilldown thermal conditioning process at 5:04 p.m.


The process is moving right along.


24 posted on 03/10/2008 2:38:10 PM PDT by RightWhale (Clam down! avoid ataque de nervosa)
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To: RightWhale

Thanks ‘Whale!


25 posted on 03/10/2008 3:19:17 PM PDT by RobFromGa (It's the Spending, Stupid! (not the method of collection))
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To: RobFromGa

spaceflightnow.com
MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008
2215 GMT (6:15 p.m. EDT)

The liquid hydrogen low-level engine cutoff sensors in the bottom of the external tank have undergone initial testing today after they were submerged by propellant during the first hour of fueling. The launch team sent commands to test the health of the sensors and a NASA spokesman says the expected readings were received from the sensors, indicating all four are working properly.


This was a major problem in the previous shuttle launch, much delay.


26 posted on 03/10/2008 3:24:42 PM PDT by RightWhale (Clam down! avoid ataque de nervosa)
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To: RobFromGa

I’ll be staying up late and making popcorn! Night launches are truly awe-inspiring. :-)


27 posted on 03/10/2008 4:31:07 PM PDT by Digital Sniper (Hello, "Undocumented Immigrant." I'm an "Undocumented Border Patrol Agent.")
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To: RightWhale
This was a major problem in the previous shuttle launch, much delay.

Yup. Fuel cut-off sensors issues are one quick way to put a countdown on indefinite delay. Missing the launch window does that, too.

28 posted on 03/10/2008 4:32:04 PM PDT by Digital Sniper (Hello, "Undocumented Immigrant." I'm an "Undocumented Border Patrol Agent.")
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To: Digital Sniper

spaceflightnow.com
MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008
2320 GMT (7:20 p.m. EDT)

The three-hour loading of the external tank is in the final phases now. All has gone well during this evening’s fueling of Endeavour, NASA says.

2250 GMT (6:50 p.m. EDT)

The schedule for Endeavour’s seven astronauts tonight began with their wakeup call at 5:30 p.m., breakfast at 6 p.m. and final medical exams at 6:30 p.m.

They’ll gather in the crew quarters dining room at 8:55 p.m. for the traditional pre-launch photo, then receive a weather briefing at 9:58 p.m., begin suiting up at 10:08 p.m. and head for the launch pad at 10:38 p.m.


Justin Ray is the reporter of these updates. Been doing a fine job for several years.


29 posted on 03/10/2008 4:35:37 PM PDT by RightWhale (Clam down! avoid ataque de nervosa)
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To: Digital Sniper

spaceflightnow.com
If Endeavour departs the orbiting complex on time, Jules Verne will begin moving toward the station on March 27, setting up for the first of two “demo days” to showcase the craft’s ability to autonomously fly in close proximity to the outpost.


For those who are wondering, the Jules Verne will wait until the Endeavor is done with its mission and then begin its own docking procedure with the ISS.


30 posted on 03/10/2008 4:41:32 PM PDT by RightWhale (Clam down! avoid ataque de nervosa)
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To: Digital Sniper
Me too.

I sit on the beach with a radio, when it is time I run in the house and watch the lift-off then go back out and watch the light show...night is the best!

Vibrations and shaking windows don't come for a couple of minutes!

South of the Cape so the length of viewing is based on the angle of the flight and the cloud cover. Last daytime shot was soon above clouds and not seen again from here.

Setting alarm now!

31 posted on 03/10/2008 5:46:11 PM PDT by 3D-JOY
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To: RightWhale

LOOKING GOOD!

0335 GMT (11:35 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Japanese astronaut Takao Doi serves as mission specialist No. 3 on Endeavour’s STS-123 flight. He just entered the orbiter to take the center seat on the middeck.

Read his biography here.

0334 GMT (11:34 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Rookie astronaut Bob Behnken is mission specialist No. 1 for Endeavour. He is climbing to the flight deck’s aft-right seat.

Read his biography here.

0328 GMT (11:28 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Three hours and counting until liftoff time.

0324 GMT (11:24 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Rick Linnehan just entered the orbiter to take the middeck’s left seat. The veteran of two Spacelab missions in 1996 and 1998, plus the most recent Hubble Space Telescope servicing flight in 2002, is mission specialist No. 4 for STS-123.

Read his biography here.

0322 GMT (11:22 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Greg Johnson, an Air Force colonel and the rookie astronaut pilot of Endeavour, is making his way to the flight deck’s front-right seat.

Read his biography here.

0313 GMT (11:13 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Station-bound crewmember Garrett Reisman, a rookie NASA astronaut, has boarded Endeavour to take the middeck’s right-side seat. He will move aboard the station for an extended stay as part of the Expedition crew, replacing European astronaut Leopold Eyharts.

Read his biography here.

0309 GMT (11:09 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Commander Dom Gorie is the first astronaut to board the shuttle. He is taking the forward-left seat on the flight deck.

The retired Navy captain has flown three previous shuttle missions — as pilot of STS-91 to the Russian space station Mir in 1998 and the STS-99 shuttle radar mapping mission in 2000 and commander of STS-108 to the International Space Station in 2001. Read his biography here.

0256 GMT (10:56 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Endeavour’s crew arrived at launch pad 39A at 10:56 p.m. The AstroVan came to a stop on the pad surface near the Fixed Service Structure tower elevator that will take the seven-man crew to the 195-foot level to begin boarding the shuttle.

0249 GMT (10:49 p.m. EDT Mon.)

The AstroVan is passing the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building where Endeavour 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 went outside to watch at the passing convoy. This is a launch day tradition to say farewell and good luck to the astronaut crews.

0239 GMT (10:39 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Commander Dom Gorie, the crew includes pilot Greg Johnson, mission specialists Bob Behnken, Mike Foreman, Takao Doi, Rick Linnehan and station-bound crewmember Garrett Reisman just departed the Kennedy Space Center crew quarters to board the AstroVan for the 20-minute ride from the Industrial Area to launch pad 39A on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.


32 posted on 03/10/2008 8:41:19 PM PDT by RobFromGa (It's the Spending, Stupid! (not the method of collection))
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T -20 Minutes to Launch.

On scheduled ten minute hold. Clearing White Room and Assembly of all personnel.

Looks like a GO for 01:29 launch.

33 posted on 03/10/2008 10:15:39 PM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)
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To: RobFromGa

Just passed the 20 minute hold...on schedule for 2:28am EDT (11:28pm PDT) launch.


T-20 minutes and counting
Transition the orbiter’s onboard computers to launch configuration Start fuel cell thermal conditioning Close orbiter cabin vent valves Transition backup flight system to launch configuration

T-9 minutes and holding
This is the final built-in hold, and varies in length depending on the mission.
The Launch Director, Mission Management Team and Shuttle Test Director poll their teams for a go/no go for launch

T-9 minutes and counting
Start automatic ground launch sequencer Retract orbiter access arm (T-7 minutes, 30 seconds) Start auxiliary power units (T-5 minutes, 0 seconds) Arm solid rocket booster range safety safe and arm devices (T-5 minutes, 0 seconds) Start orbiter aerosurface profile test, followed by main engine gimbal profile test (T-3 minutes, 55 seconds) Retract gaseous oxygen vent arm, or “beanie cap”
(T-2 minutes, 55 seconds) Crew members close and lock their visors
(T-2 minutes, 0 seconds) Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power
(T-50 seconds) Ground launch sequencer is go for auto sequence start (T-31 seconds) Activate launch pad sound suppression system
(T-16 seconds) Activate main engine hydrogen burnoff system
(T-10 seconds) Main engine start (T-6.6 seconds)
T-0
Solid rocket booster ignition and liftoff!


34 posted on 03/10/2008 10:29:19 PM PDT by Drago
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To: Drago

Now at T -9 Hold for 45 Minutes.


35 posted on 03/10/2008 10:35:14 PM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)
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To: RobFromGa

NASA-TV audio/video link reminder:

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


36 posted on 03/10/2008 10:39:07 PM PDT by Drago
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Little over 10 minutes to launch...PING!!


37 posted on 03/10/2008 11:16:19 PM PDT by Drago
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T-9 and counting PING!!

Alternate thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1983678/posts


38 posted on 03/10/2008 11:19:42 PM PDT by Drago
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To: Drago
Been watching on Shooseandwatch Nasa TV. Beautiful feed and streaming tonight.

God speed the crew.

prisoner6

39 posted on 03/10/2008 11:21:45 PM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts hold the country together as the loose screws of the Left fall out.)
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To: prisoner6

Thanks for the tip on “http://www.chooseandwatch.com/";


40 posted on 03/10/2008 11:23:59 PM PDT by Drago
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