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Space Shuttle Discovery Launch Live Thread (11:59 EDT 8/28/09)
08/27/09
| Kevin Davis
Posted on 08/27/2009 6:53:19 PM PDT by KevinDavis
This is the live thread of the Space Shuttle Discovery Launch... I figure I do it now..
TOPICS: Breaking News; Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: 1159pm28august2009; discovery; launch; nasa; shuttlediscovery; space; spaceshuttle
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To: All
The final Discovery astronaut has boarded the shuttle today. Jose Hernandez, mission specialist No. 2 and flight engineer, has now entered the hatch. He will sit in the flight deck center seat, giving an extra set of eyes to aid the commander and pilot watch displays and switches during launch and landing.
The 47-year-old, born in Stockton, California, is the son of a Mexican migrant family who worked to harvest fruits and vegetables. He earned degrees in electrical engineering and worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Johnson Space Center before becoming an astronaut. This will be his first spaceflight.
61
posted on
08/28/2009 6:18:47 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
Initialization of the Ground Launch Sequencer has been completed. This is the master computer program that will run the final nine minutes of the countdown.
62
posted on
08/28/2009 6:25:59 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: KevinDavis; All
Checking in.
“From The Halls Of Montezuma, To The Shores Of Tripoli...”
“Up We Go, Into The Wild, Blue Yonder...”
63
posted on
08/28/2009 6:40:41 PM PDT
by
JerseyJohn61
(Better Late Than Never.......sometimes over lapping is worth the effort....)
To: All
The astronauts are completing a series of radio communication checks with ground controllers.
64
posted on
08/28/2009 6:42:46 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
T-minus 90 minutes and counting. Countdown clocks continue to tick down to T-minus 20 minutes where the next hold is planned. Activities remain on track for liftoff at 11:59 p.m., weather permitting.
65
posted on
08/28/2009 6:43:54 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: Howlin; Sparko; GeronL; Lawdoc; Carlucci; Zoe Brain; callisto; scottinoc; Movemout; markman46; ...
Just about 2 hrs to go bump...
66
posted on
08/28/2009 6:45:15 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: KevinDavis
Radar's looking good!
67
posted on
08/28/2009 6:47:38 PM PDT
by
Textide
To: KevinDavis
Will it be seen along the east coast?
68
posted on
08/28/2009 6:51:55 PM PDT
by
WVKayaker
(Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. -Arthur C Clarke)
To: WVKayaker; All
69
posted on
08/28/2009 6:52:27 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
The orbiter closeout team at the launch pad is shutting Discovery’s crew module hatch for flight.
70
posted on
08/28/2009 6:52:58 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
Discovery’s hatch has been closed and locked.
71
posted on
08/28/2009 6:58:51 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: Howlin; Sparko; GeronL; Lawdoc; Carlucci; Zoe Brain; callisto; scottinoc; Movemout; markman46; ...
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A GO!!!!!
72
posted on
08/28/2009 7:01:36 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
73
posted on
08/28/2009 7:03:29 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
Just two hours remain until launch. The storm cells that has popped up around the Cape are dissipating, but weather remains the primary worry for the 11:59 p.m. EDT liftoff time.
74
posted on
08/28/2009 7:10:46 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
A weather briefing is underway for senior launch officials and the odds remain at 60 percent for conditions being acceptable at launch time due to a chance of thunderstorms and anvil clouds in the area.
The outlook includes a few clouds at 3,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet and broken clouds at 25,000 feet, 7 miles of visibility, southerly winds of 5 peaking to 10 knots, a temperature of 79 degrees F.
If the launch should slip into the weekend, there's a 70 percent chance of good weather on Saturday night and 80 percent on Sunday.
75
posted on
08/28/2009 7:11:27 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: KevinDavis
76
posted on
08/28/2009 7:11:32 PM PDT
by
Ramius
(Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
To: All
The mainline computer program for the Ground Launch Sequencer has been activated.
77
posted on
08/28/2009 7:24:00 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: Ramius
so bumped at 10:11 pm
what pisses me off about NASA?
The is the SECOND TIME I turned on NASA TV ten minutes before scheduled launch AND they are running recorded programming. Nothing about the canceled launch, no text crawl or anything. I am losing interest in watching launches when NASA can’t even realize that MANY PEOPLE will tune in 15 minutes before launch time and WOULD LOVE TO KNOW what happened instead of stupidly leaving us in the dark.
To: All
WEATHER SO FAR SO GOOD!!!
79
posted on
08/28/2009 7:26:54 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
To: All
The ground pyrotechnic initiator controllers (PICs) are scheduled to be powered up around this time in the countdown. They are used to fire the solid rocket hold-down posts, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tail service mast and external tank vent arm system pyros at liftoff and the space shuttle main engine hydrogen gas burn system prior to engine ignition.
The shuttle's two Master Events Controllers are being tested. They relay the commands from the shuttle's computers to ignite, and then separate the boosters and external tank during launch.
80
posted on
08/28/2009 7:27:54 PM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Can't Stop the Signal!)
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