Join me at NASA-TV for the launch.
The crew is strapped in and going thru checklists. The hatch is still open, but will be closed soon. Lift-off is scheduled for 10:39 EST, but NASA-TV gives you a great run-up to the main event, with explanations of main steps along the count-down path and some beautiful video of the launch.
I encourage you to get your link to the TV site going early, because when it gets close to liftoff, you may experience difficulties initiating a new link-up.
The weather looks good!
10-9-8-7-6-5-4………..
I’m a huge space fan. I hope you enjoy it as much as I will!
And good luck to the crew.
C-SPAN3 is also carrying the NASA-TV feed, just FYI. The NASA-TV webfeed is running just fine today — seems they have enough Akamai servers to handle the load.
Hey, thanks BrotherFeldspar! I didn’t know about C-SPAN3 carrying, as I only get 1 and 2 here in my town.
And of course C-SPAN3 has a webfeed too, in case the NASA-TV webfeed gets clogged. I am fortunate to have C-SPAN3 on my cable, and occasionally NASA-TV too. Have you heard whether or not they’ll be showing “rocketcam” during this launch?
Haven’t heard, but I do love it! The rocketcam video is always so cool. I would guess they’d get all the video they can get on this and subsequent launches of the shuttle. I hope they do shoot and release rocketcam this time.
Nine minutes and counting….
They just had all the systems checks: all the various “We’re go for launch” calls. Does anybody else have the chills?
Tingling… I say strap me in! I wanna go, too!
4 mins and counting!
and listen to the roar!
That was some of the most amazing stuff I’ve ever seen. The curve of the Earth below, the glow of some of the aurora, and then the tank separation. Simply astounding. Well, let me give you a virtual high-five, blueneck, then it’s back to work.
A picture-perfect launch. Hearty congratulations and warmest wishes to the Discovery crew and the NASA family.
High five! Back to business for me too.
Main-Engine cutoff, glide to orbit.
popped over here after joining in the DKos thread. glad to see this thread here. this is a day to celebrate. what a beautiful launch.
Thank you. You are NOT just another vet to me. I truly honor the service of each and every member of the armed forces, past and present, whether they agree with my politics or not.
AND what an awesome launch. It was nearly perfect in every way that I could see. It just LOOKED smooth, and from what the astronauts say, it really was an unusually smooth ride. Good for them, and for everyone.
Whenever I see one these launches, I remember the famous words on the plaque on the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, left behind on the moon: “We came in peace for all mankind”. WE MUST do all that we can to keep space a peaceful place – a place for international cooperation, not war.
Indeed. I believe developing space technology is essential for humankind. From mining in space so we can stop doing it here, to one day when we can safely clean off our planet by sending all the toxic crap into the sun.(and yes the sun could handle it, the sun could suck up the whole planet in a solar flare and not notice)
We have the technology but we do not have the will to launch superhardened containers of radioactive waste into the sun. When I was a child (in the 60’s) I thought we would have all that worked out by now, and be using nuclear power almost exclusively. I was reading too much sci-fi I guess…
Even in the sixties, scientists saw the greenhouse gases problem coming and they knew that solar, geothermal, wind and nuclear were the lesser evils. Now, I have a hard time supporting nuclear power at all, because we must not keep piling up radioactive waste here on the planet. And hate me for it if you must, but I believe that one Chernobyl every thirty or fifty years is much better than roasting us ALL to death very slowly over a few hundred years time.
Having a little trouble following. There are some serious issues with nuclear technology. Why would I hate you? Roasting under the sun would suck. All I was saying that if we could use the sun as the ultimite furnace to clean off our home, that would help quite a bit.
Sorry if I confused you there, I was speaking to the general audience. I am a little bit touchy about talking about nuclear power among progressives, as I generally favor it as a viable alternative over oil and gas burning. I realize that melt-downs and radiation leaks can be devastating and I have gotten into the habit of defending my position before it is attacked. Not directed at you, personally. I was just on a roll there and couldn’t stop when I should’ve. I agree with your idea completely. 🙂
Well, now that I’ve re-read my own comments I feel that I must clarify one more time….How do I reconcile my reluctance to support nuclear energy with my statement that I do support it? Consider the AVAILABLE alternatives – that’s how.
And, once again, sorry to have gone so far afield. I feel like I’m trampling on your great idea by inserting all this stuff here. I think you meant ALL toxics, not just radioactive waste…??
Yes. Like the toxic sludge that comes from super fund clean up sites. And I know what you mean about having trouble with nuclear energy. I like it and hate it at the same time. The alternatives are coming along, albeit not as fast as we would like. I have attended several lectures on alternative fuels, and the engineers who spoke all seemed inagreement that the technologies need further development before they become true alternatives.