Discovery, Weather Looking Good For Launch!
Space Shuttle Mission: STS-119 to the ISS due for take off Sunday at 7:30 PM. Been watching NASA for a couple days for this, scrubbed twice over the past couple day’s due to a leaking gaseous hydrogen vent line. (NASA is on the EchoStar 7 bird at 119.0 west -IN THE CLEAR FTA -Circular- 12372 (R/V) 20000 for all the newbie’s that don’t know) For BUD Boys 137.0°W AMC 7 C-Band 4060 V 26664 & 72.0°W AMC 6 C-Band 4040 V 26667. Countdown / Mission Elapsed Time Clock Can Be Found Here.
Godspeed
Update: 2 Hours Now Before Launch!!
Astronauts Board Discovery
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:29:09 PM EDT
The STS-119 crew members have arrived at Launch Pad 39A and are preparing to board space shuttle Discovery. The White Room technicians are helping the astronauts with their flight gear and securing them into their assigned seats. The hatch will be closed and latched at 5:38 p.m. EDT. The countdown is going smoothly with no technical or weather issues at this time. Launch is targeted for 7:43:46 p.m.
Astronauts Seated for Launch
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:09:36 PM EDT
The seven crew members of space shuttle Discovery are checking their communications gear this evening as the countdown to launch proceeds on schedule.
The astronauts are strapped inside the shuttle, with four on the flight deck and three on the lower level of the crew compartment. Commander Lee Archambault and Pilot Tony Antonelli are seated in the front seats surrounded by the instrument panels and windows needed to control the shuttle. Steve Swanson will serve as flight engineer during ascent, so he is sitting behind and between Archambault and Antonelli. Joseph Acaba is in a seat behind Antonelli where he, too, can help out during launch.
On the lower deck, Richard Arnold is closest to the hatch. John Phillips is in the center seat and Japan's Koichi Wakata is in the right-most seat. Sandra Magnus will sit in his place during landing, after Wakata transfers to the International Space Station.
STS-119 Latest News
Technicians Latch Hatch
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:52:16 PM EDT
The closeout crew has locked Discovery's hatch and is getting ready to leave Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The astronauts inside Discovery can open the hatch quickly in an emergency, but the countdown is moving along with no technical concerns.
The crew members are going through checklists and the launch team is watching over the systems and subsystems of the shuttle as launch time nears.
Shuttle weather officer Kathy Winters has upgraded the launch forecast to 100 percent "go" for the 7:43 p.m. EDT liftoff of space shuttle Discovery.
STS-119 Latest News
Planned Hold in Countdown Begins
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:34:20 PM EDT
The countdown has entered a planned 10-minute hold at T-20 minutes.
Weather remains 100 percent "go" and there are no technical issues that would prevent an on-time launch.
The preferred liftoff time has been adjusted by two seconds to 7:43:44 p.m. EDT.
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery Countdown Enters Final Hold
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:58:54 PM EDT
Discovery's countdown has entered the last planned hold at T-9 minutes. During the 45-minute hold, the Mission Management Team, Mission Control team and Launch Control team will conduct polls and give a final "go" decision for launch.
Launch is targeted for 7:43 p.m. EDT.
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery Clears Last Planned Hold
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:34:27 PM EDT
Countdown to the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station has entered its last phase as space shuttle Discovery stands poised to blast into Florida's night sky on time. Launch is scheduled for 7:43 p.m. EDT.
In the next few minutes, the metal bridge to the shuttle, known as the crew access arm, will swivel away. Five minutes later, the "beanie cap" that funnels evaporating oxygen away from the external fuel tank will retract into the fixed service structure.
The astronauts inside Discovery are getting ready for the increased pace as well. They have rehearsed the launch numerous times in simulators at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and during a launch dress rehearsal at Kennedy.
STS-119 Latest News
LIFTOFF!
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:44:01 PM EDT
Space shuttle Discovery has cleared the launch tower! It is tracing a brilliant arc of white and orange flames through the dusky-night sky on its way to orbit.
The twin solid rocket boosters will burnout shortly and fall away as Discovery continues its climb powered by its three main engines. Once in orbit, it will take Discovery about two days to catch up to the International Space Station.
The astronauts of STS-119 are to install the last major set of solar arrays to the orbiting laboratory complex during the mission.
Japan's Koichi Wakata also will switch from the shuttle to the station crew and current station crew member Sandra Magnus will become a member of the Discovery crew.
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery in Orbit
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:19:13 PM EDT
Space shuttle Discovery launched on-time at 7:43 p.m. EDT and NASA flight managers confirmed main engine cutoff. The shuttle has reached orbit, flying at 17,500 miles per hour.
STS-119 Latest News
NASA Applauds Discovery Launch
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:01:57 PM EDT
NASA mission managers congratulated the team that successfully launched space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station on March 15 at 7:43 p.m. EDT.
NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier expressed his thanks to the teams from the NASA centers that resolved the technical issues which delayed the launch. "It was a true team effort at NASA," Gerstenmaier said. "There was a lot of critical work that needed to be done and they just did a phenomenal job."
Yukihide Hayashi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency vice president, was delighted with the launch of Discovery carrying Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata to the orbiting laboratory where he'll take his place as Expedition 18 and 19 flight engineer.
Mission Management Chairman Mike Moses remarked how smooth the launch countdown went and gave special thanks to the reusable solid rocket motor team celebrating their 100th launch since the Challenger redesign. "They’ve built a system that's working fantastic and has been working almost perfect since that day and congratulations to that team," Moses said.
NASA Launch Director Mike Leinbach talked about how smoothly the countdown went, including the minor issues that were quickly taken care of. "This was the most visually beautiful launch I've ever seen -- it was just spectacular," Leinbach said. Hundreds of people worked on the flow control valve issue, and for their hard work and long hours they received the coveted Flow Award after launch. "I'm very proud to be a part of this team," Leinbach said.
Final Edit Time 8:42 PM EDT Sunday 15 Mar 2009
Guys don’t forget to tune in from time to time in the next couple weeks to see live space walks, cargo deployments of parts of the International Space Station and the new Solar Array assembly! I will post times (Projected for March 28) of the return of Discovery in a couple weeks! :up
More Information:
NASA Website For More Information On The Shuttle & This Flight
Track The Shuttle STS-119 Here
Track The ISS (International Space Station) Here
NASA Live Tracking Here
Space Shuttle Mission: STS-119 to the ISS due for take off Sunday at 7:30 PM. Been watching NASA for a couple days for this, scrubbed twice over the past couple day’s due to a leaking gaseous hydrogen vent line. (NASA is on the EchoStar 7 bird at 119.0 west -IN THE CLEAR FTA -Circular- 12372 (R/V) 20000 for all the newbie’s that don’t know) For BUD Boys 137.0°W AMC 7 C-Band 4060 V 26664 & 72.0°W AMC 6 C-Band 4040 V 26667. Countdown / Mission Elapsed Time Clock Can Be Found Here.
Godspeed
Update: 2 Hours Now Before Launch!!
Astronauts Board Discovery
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:29:09 PM EDT
The STS-119 crew members have arrived at Launch Pad 39A and are preparing to board space shuttle Discovery. The White Room technicians are helping the astronauts with their flight gear and securing them into their assigned seats. The hatch will be closed and latched at 5:38 p.m. EDT. The countdown is going smoothly with no technical or weather issues at this time. Launch is targeted for 7:43:46 p.m.
Astronauts Seated for Launch
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:09:36 PM EDT
The seven crew members of space shuttle Discovery are checking their communications gear this evening as the countdown to launch proceeds on schedule.
The astronauts are strapped inside the shuttle, with four on the flight deck and three on the lower level of the crew compartment. Commander Lee Archambault and Pilot Tony Antonelli are seated in the front seats surrounded by the instrument panels and windows needed to control the shuttle. Steve Swanson will serve as flight engineer during ascent, so he is sitting behind and between Archambault and Antonelli. Joseph Acaba is in a seat behind Antonelli where he, too, can help out during launch.
On the lower deck, Richard Arnold is closest to the hatch. John Phillips is in the center seat and Japan's Koichi Wakata is in the right-most seat. Sandra Magnus will sit in his place during landing, after Wakata transfers to the International Space Station.
STS-119 Latest News
Technicians Latch Hatch
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:52:16 PM EDT
The closeout crew has locked Discovery's hatch and is getting ready to leave Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The astronauts inside Discovery can open the hatch quickly in an emergency, but the countdown is moving along with no technical concerns.
The crew members are going through checklists and the launch team is watching over the systems and subsystems of the shuttle as launch time nears.
Shuttle weather officer Kathy Winters has upgraded the launch forecast to 100 percent "go" for the 7:43 p.m. EDT liftoff of space shuttle Discovery.
STS-119 Latest News
Planned Hold in Countdown Begins
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:34:20 PM EDT
The countdown has entered a planned 10-minute hold at T-20 minutes.
Weather remains 100 percent "go" and there are no technical issues that would prevent an on-time launch.
The preferred liftoff time has been adjusted by two seconds to 7:43:44 p.m. EDT.
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery Countdown Enters Final Hold
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:58:54 PM EDT
Discovery's countdown has entered the last planned hold at T-9 minutes. During the 45-minute hold, the Mission Management Team, Mission Control team and Launch Control team will conduct polls and give a final "go" decision for launch.
Launch is targeted for 7:43 p.m. EDT.
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery Clears Last Planned Hold
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:34:27 PM EDT
Countdown to the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station has entered its last phase as space shuttle Discovery stands poised to blast into Florida's night sky on time. Launch is scheduled for 7:43 p.m. EDT.
In the next few minutes, the metal bridge to the shuttle, known as the crew access arm, will swivel away. Five minutes later, the "beanie cap" that funnels evaporating oxygen away from the external fuel tank will retract into the fixed service structure.
The astronauts inside Discovery are getting ready for the increased pace as well. They have rehearsed the launch numerous times in simulators at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and during a launch dress rehearsal at Kennedy.
STS-119 Latest News
LIFTOFF!
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:44:01 PM EDT
Space shuttle Discovery has cleared the launch tower! It is tracing a brilliant arc of white and orange flames through the dusky-night sky on its way to orbit.
The twin solid rocket boosters will burnout shortly and fall away as Discovery continues its climb powered by its three main engines. Once in orbit, it will take Discovery about two days to catch up to the International Space Station.
The astronauts of STS-119 are to install the last major set of solar arrays to the orbiting laboratory complex during the mission.
Japan's Koichi Wakata also will switch from the shuttle to the station crew and current station crew member Sandra Magnus will become a member of the Discovery crew.
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery in Orbit
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:19:13 PM EDT
Space shuttle Discovery launched on-time at 7:43 p.m. EDT and NASA flight managers confirmed main engine cutoff. The shuttle has reached orbit, flying at 17,500 miles per hour.
STS-119 Latest News
NASA Applauds Discovery Launch
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:01:57 PM EDT
NASA mission managers congratulated the team that successfully launched space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station on March 15 at 7:43 p.m. EDT.
NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier expressed his thanks to the teams from the NASA centers that resolved the technical issues which delayed the launch. "It was a true team effort at NASA," Gerstenmaier said. "There was a lot of critical work that needed to be done and they just did a phenomenal job."
Yukihide Hayashi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency vice president, was delighted with the launch of Discovery carrying Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata to the orbiting laboratory where he'll take his place as Expedition 18 and 19 flight engineer.
Mission Management Chairman Mike Moses remarked how smooth the launch countdown went and gave special thanks to the reusable solid rocket motor team celebrating their 100th launch since the Challenger redesign. "They’ve built a system that's working fantastic and has been working almost perfect since that day and congratulations to that team," Moses said.
NASA Launch Director Mike Leinbach talked about how smoothly the countdown went, including the minor issues that were quickly taken care of. "This was the most visually beautiful launch I've ever seen -- it was just spectacular," Leinbach said. Hundreds of people worked on the flow control valve issue, and for their hard work and long hours they received the coveted Flow Award after launch. "I'm very proud to be a part of this team," Leinbach said.
Final Edit Time 8:42 PM EDT Sunday 15 Mar 2009
Guys don’t forget to tune in from time to time in the next couple weeks to see live space walks, cargo deployments of parts of the International Space Station and the new Solar Array assembly! I will post times (Projected for March 28) of the return of Discovery in a couple weeks! :up
More Information:
NASA Website For More Information On The Shuttle & This Flight
Track The Shuttle STS-119 Here
Track The ISS (International Space Station) Here
NASA Live Tracking Here
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