Space Shuttle Discovery Launch Live Thread (11:59 EDT 8/28/09)

08/27/09 | Kevin Davis

[KevinDavis]

This is the live thread of the Space Shuttle Discovery Launch... I figure I do it now..

[True Republican Patriot]

How come Alan Shepard wasn’t billed as the First White Guy in Space? or the First English American? r the First French/English/Spanish American In Space? It stinks that Us Caucasians aren’t counted for anything with this ffirmative Action Minority Branding Jazz!

[True Republican Patriot]

Just be Happy that Banana Spyder isn’t a Muslim Terrorist or OBOZO would have his Justice Department Indicting You for Torturing a HERO!

[airborne]

DirecTV has a live NASA feed.

All systems GO at this time...

[KevinDavis]

A gorgeous sunset here in Florida as everything continues to go smoothly in the countdown for launch at 11:59 p.m. EDT. There remains optimism that the weather will be cooperative as clocks tick closer to liftoff time.

[KevinDavis]

The crew of commander Rick Sturckow, pilot Kevin Ford, mission specialists Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas, Christer Fuglesang and station-bound astronaut Nicole Stott just emerged their quarters to board the AstroVan for the ride from the Kennedy Space Center Industrial Area to launch pad 39A on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

[KevinDavis]

The AstroVan is passing 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 went outside to watch the passing convoy. This is a launch day tradition to say farewell and good luck to the astronaut crews.

[KevinDavis]

Discovery’s crew has arrived at launch pad 39A. 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.

[KevinDavis]

For other space news go to: http://www.spacetoday.net

[GeronL]

“Launch Thread, Take Three?”

[KevinDavis]

Shuttle commander Rick Sturckow, a 48-year-old Marine colonel who grew up on a ranch outside of San Diego, California, leads this voyage of Discovery. It will be his fourth spaceflight to the International Space Station, having been a pilot on STS-88 and -105 and commander on STS-117.

He is the first astronaut to board the shuttle this evening, taking the forward-left seat on the flight deck.

[KevinDavis]

Yep...

[KevinDavis]

Nicole Stott, the station-bound astronaut set to join the Expedition 21 crew living aboard the outpost, serves as Discovery's mission specialist No. 5 for the launch. The 46-year-old from Clearwater, Florida attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University before going to work as a structural design engineer at Pratt & Whitney. She then became a Kennedy Space Center worker on space shuttles and station hardware.

Once at the space station, she will exchange places with astronaut Tim Kopra, who then will return to Earth on the shuttle to conclude a month-and-a-half in space.

Stott just crawled through Discovery's hatch to take the right-hand seat on the middeck.

[KevinDavis]

Kevin Ford, a 49-year-old retired Air Force colonel from Montpelier, Indiana, will be Discovery's pilot. He was an F-15 pilot and an F-16 test pilot.

This spaceflight rookie is making his way to the flight deck's front-right seat right now.

[KevinDavis]

3 hour bump!! So far we have a go... A NIGHT WATCH!!!

[KevinDavis]

Danny Olivas, raised in El Paso, Texas, is mission specialist No. 3 and the lead spacewalker for the flight. The 43-year-old mechanical engineer was working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory when selected as an astronaut.

He will ride into orbit in the middeck's left seat.

[NormsRevenge]

Ready To Light the Night Sky!

60% chance we'll have good launch conditions.

.
NASA TV

[KevinDavis]

Three hours and counting until liftoff time. No significant technical issues are being worked in the countdown, but the weather continues to be watched. Some storms have developed to the west, southwest and south.

[KevinDavis]

Retired Army colonel and helicopter pilot Pat Forrester has boarded the space shuttle tonight to be seated in the flight deck’s aft-right seat and serve as mission specialist No. 1. He grew up in Springfield, Virginia, attended West Point and has flown in space twice before.

[KevinDavis]

A weather cell has developed to the northwest as well. After clearing up nicely, the weather situation is trending in the wrong direction right now.

[KevinDavis]

European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang, a particle physicist and avid sailor with one previous shuttle flight to his credit, is taking the center seat on the middeck for ascent. He’ll be a spacewalker on this flight as mission specialist No. 4. The 52-year-old is a native of Stockholm, Sweden.