yah Go for the "Hail Mary" shot before the window closes tomorrow night.
The reason we can't launch past Saturday is officially to prevent a "conflict" with the "Russian resupply mission" this month.
Translated, that means a couple of things. First, the Russians will raise hell if we interfere with their sending another tourist to the ISS because they need the $20 Million in cash.
Next, we don't completely trust the Russian re-supply missions ever since they rammed Mir that time; so it's infinitely safer for the shuttle if it isn't anywhere near orbit when the Russians start firing projectiles toward LOE...
Just sayin...
Yeah, all that, . . . and . . . there is considerable coordination between Russian launch control and NASA. Personnel need time to jump to the next project.
spaceflightnow.com
2340 GMT (7:40 p.m. EDT)
NASA managers today cleared the shuttle Atlantis for launch Friday despite a suspect electrical generator, deciding the risk of an in-flight fuel cell shutdown that could prompt a shortened mission was not a credible threat to the thrice-delayed space station assembly flight. Liftoff time is 11:41 a.m. EDT (1541 GMT).
spaceflightnow.com1446 GMT (10:46 a.m. EDT)
T-minus 9 minutes and holding. Countdown clocks have gone into the planned 45-minute built-in hold. Today's launch remains set for 11:41 a.m. EDT. However, the failed engine cutoff sensor remains an unresolved issue right now.