STS-124, Discovery

[Brando14100]

Who's going to watch? Obviously, I hit yes.

[sonic]

I will be working rather driving the 70 miles from work but when I lived in Florida I could see it pretty good and hear it really really good scared my once, it was that loud and we lived about 50 miles from the cape.

[Brando14100]

I will be working rather driving the 70 miles from work but when I lived in Florida I could see it pretty good and hear it really really good scared my once, it was that loud and we lived about 50 miles from the cape.

Oh yeah. That HUGE thunder sound. Never actually heard it YET! but I have to  before they retire the old space birds in 2010. Shame. If you are close enough you can feel the ground shake. It is still nothing compared to the Saturn V. There was this show on Discovery once with the host talking with some Apollo astronauts near the pad- maybe a mile or two away-He asked what it would feel like if the Saturn were there and launching. One of the astronauts grabbed hime by the shoulders and started shaking him back and forth really hard.

[tcco94]

Well ive never watched a live launch but I would love to see it. I have comcast and I dont know what channel its on...  :-?
Or can I watch it on the computer?

Let me know a site or channel
I live in California so im Pacific time so if it starts at 5 it should be about 2 around here.

Thanks  ;)

[a1]

[quote]Well ive never watched a live launch but I would love to see it. I have comcast and I dont know what channel its on...

[Brando14100]

Beat me to the link.

The loading of space shuttle Discovery's external tank with 500,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen began at 7:38 a.m. EDT, and the "topping off" of the tank's propellants will continue until launch time. All systems onboard Discovery are functioning normally.

The weather is looking promising for launch day, according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. Isolated coastal showers may be in the area during the morning hours, but a sea breeze will develop in the afternoon, clearing the coast and causing any showers to move inland. There is an 80 percent chance of favorable weather at launch time.

[Brando14100]

Fuel loading of shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank is continuing normally. As the tank fills, the engine cutoff sensors indicated a "wet" reading at 8:28 a.m. EDT. Fuel loading is now in the fast fill stage.

Discovery Launches In:

0        06     44  55
Days Hours Min Sec

[Brando14100]

The external tank of space shuttle Discovery has been loaded with about 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as the countdown toward a 5:02 p.m. EDT liftoff continues smoothly. The hydrogen fuel and its oxidizer that are in the external tank will power Discovery's three main engines during the 8 1/2-minute launch into orbit from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The twin solid rocket boosters are shipped to the space center with propellant already packed inside the cylinder segments.

Discovery Launches In:

0          05   38  35
Days Hours Min Sec

[Brando14100]

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/STS124_flash/

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shutt ... index.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shutt ... _blog.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shutt ... wn101.html

[Brando14100]

Live NASA TV is availible here:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/i ... ram=public

[Brando14100]

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/2138 ... llback.jpg

Discovery is ready to go for her 5:02 launch to the station.

[Brando14100]

Live coverage has begun on NASA TV and in the launch blog:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shutt ... _blog.html

[Brando14100]

12:20 p.m. - In their crew quarters inside Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building several miles away from Launch Pad 39A, the seven STS-124 astronauts are getting ready to climb into their orange launch-and-entry suits.

[Brando14100]

12:38 p.m. - The STS-124 crew just received a comprehensive weather briefing, covering weather at the launch site as well as alternate landing sites within the continental United States and the three transoceanic abort landing (TAL) sites. Kennedy weather remains favorable, and weather at the TAL site at Moron, Spain is currently "go." The astronauts will head to the suit-up room shortly.

[Brando14100]

12:45 p.m. - All seven astronauts are gathered now in the suit-up room, where suit technicians are helping them into their bright orange launch-and-entry suits. Historically, this is an important room: astronauts have dressed for flight in this very suit-up room since the Apollo missions.