SCI/TECH: NASA Counts Down for Shuttle Launch

The official countdown for the launch of the space shuttle Discovery has begun, the clock started at Sunday evening, with NASA aiming for a 3:51 p.m. EDT Wednesday lift-off.
Dispite the Hurricane Dennis has been downgraded to tropical storm, there is still a 30% chance that weather may prevent launch. The forecast for Thursday and Friday, in case of a delay, remains 60 percent "go" both days.



There is still much debate about the changed culture at NASA, and more importantly the safety of the Shuttle, but I hope everything will go at planned on Wednesday.

This time, fortunately, space camera's will be making photo's of the shuttle's exterior to search for missing tiles.

For those of you interested; You can watch the launch live via webcast (NASA-TV): www.nasa.gov...


Related News Links:
www.cnn.com
www.nasa.gov
www.spaceflightnow.com
www.air-attack.com

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Back to space!
Leave last 3 Shuttles in Space?

[edit on 7-11-2005 by Zion Mainframe]

I hope everything goes off without a hitch.

I've been waiting for this day, as well as many others, for what seems like an eternity.

Good luck NASA and God bless the souls of our fallen astronauts.

Discovery was damaged on the launch pad today as a window covering fell off and damaged heat tiles in the tail section of the craft. NASA says that they think they'll be able to fix the problem without delaying the mission. News conference scheduled at 7:30 PM EDT.

Link: www.nydailynews.com...

[edit on 7/12/2005 by djohnsto77]

Holy Cow! A window cover falls off the Shuttle and everyone says it's okay now that they replaced the broken tiles. What's going to happen when the thing begins to shake everything within a five-mile radius?

I'm hoping for the best, but when things just start falling off, I'm beginning to wonder about the flight-worthiness of these things.

www.ourtimelines.com...

In the 2 1/2 years since Columbia plummeted from the sky in a cascade of flames and halted U.S. space travel, NASA has stripped its fuel tanks of excess foam insulation and added launch-surveillance cameras.

It's toughened up the spacecraft and cracked down on know-it-all managers. It's created a laser-tipped boom to scour the shuttles' thermal skin for cracks and developed bandages for these ominous sores.




It's done everything it can to make the shuttles safer.

Yet even after all this -- an overhaul exceeding $1 billion -- the space shuttle is still vulnerable, unpredictable, dangerous, unforgiving.

That's not the claim of critics.

It's NASA's.

www.courierpress.com...

NASA Vehicle Manager Stephanie Stillson holds a carrier panel similar to the one damaged Tuesday on the Space Shuttle Discovery at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Tuesday, July 12, 2005. Stillson said thermal tiles that were damaged when a window cover fell had been repaired and would not delay the Wednesday launch of the Discovery. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes, POOL)

abcnews.go.com...

[edit on 2005/7/13 by GradyPhilpott]

As was pointed out by a reporter tonight, this is the begining of the end of the Space Shuttle. If they get 15 missions out of it before they retire it that'll be a lot, but it's not certain to get even close to that many. I'm going to be crossing my fingers this whole mission, especially after hearing about the damaged tile. NASA says it's already repaired, they were able to unscrew the damaged portion and put a new tile in place. You'd think they'd be a LITTLE more cautious after Columbia.

Why they pick Friday 13th ?

Originally posted by XPhiles
Why they pick Friday 13th ?

It's Wednesday the 13th, not Friday...

I sure am glad to see that NASA's getting back on track with the Shuttle Launch. I sure hope that NASA builds a newer, better shuttle with better safety features in order to replace Columbia, and hopefully one to replace Challenger. Nonetheless only two major accidents out of hundreds of missions isn't a bad ratio.

But back on topic I hope this mission goes well. And Godspeed to the men and women who're putting their lives on the line in the name of progress for these missions.

I was watching my local news and not really paying attention but they talked about the NASA shuttle being on the 13th day, 13th hour and a bunch of other 13s associated with the launch. I wasn't paying attention but if someone digs I'm sure they can get the numerology.

Does anyone know what British time it will be?

lol I'm way, way off... It's fixed now... I reformatted the computer a few weeks ago, my clock on the computer is on the year Friday 13 2001.

I was thinking wow this week went by fast

[edit on 13-7-2005 by XPhiles]

Originally posted by RebelSaint
13th hour

It's scheduled to launch at 3:51 PM (15:51) where did you get 13th hour from?

edit: That's US Eastern Daylight Saving Time, so in Britain it would be 8:51 PM

[edit on 7/13/2005 by djohnsto77]

Apollo 13 was the one that had all the 13s involved with it. They entered the moons gravity on the 13th, the numbers for launch added up to 13 etc.

Can't wait for this uncle lives right on the water

The astronauts are being loaded onto the orbiter now, but the weather looks so-so...let's hope it works out, they only have a five minute launch window today.

FYI ..Watch NASA tv live if you have a good internet connection and see the launch for yourself. Currently loading up the crew.

www.nasa.gov...




[edit on 13-7-2005 by dbates]

I really love this. I didn't even know that The Comets were still around.

I think everyone should be able to appreciate this tribute to Deep Impact.

cc.jpl.nasa.gov...

Low fuel indicator problem...launch scrubbed for today

Launch Scrapped!!!!!

breakings news headline on MSNBC
NASA calls off shuttle launch because of a faulty fuel-tank sensor


[edit on 7-13-2005 by worldwatcher]

Bummer anyway it looked so old school...... They need a better system and something different than the shuttle.

Was fun watching the number 3 guy, he was the busiest it seem.