NASA's STS-128 Launch Blog

Join us here as we count down the final hours before space shuttle Discovery and the STS-128 crew lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on this mission to the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 1:36 a.m. EDT on Tuesday.

From our blog console at Kennedy's Launch Control Center, we'll take you inside the countdown as launch time approaches.

NOTE: All times are posted in Eastern.

• Weather Update
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:42:18 AM GMT+0530
  Range Weather has declared conditions are "red" for violations of the lightning rule and field mill rule in addition to the anvil cloud, cumulus cloud and flight-through-precipitation rules cited earlier. Also, in Houston, the Spaceflight Meteorology Group is tracking weather for the return-to-launch-site abort scenario that requires favorable weather at Kennedy. Return-to-launch-site weather currently is "no-go" due to rain within 20 nautical miles. They're also evaluating weather at the overseas emergency landing sites. There is observed precipitation at the Zaragoza landing site, but the Moron and Istres sites remain "go."

• Lightning Warning Issued
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:25:24 AM GMT+0530
  A "Phase 2" lightning warning has been issued for Launch Pad 39A, Vehicle Assembly Building and other areas around the launch site due to a storm cell that appeared a while ago above the pad. The forecast remains 60 percent no-go. Meanwhile, the Closeout Crew continues to prepare for launch. The hatch is closed and sealed for flight and the team members are finishing up their work in the White Room.

• Lightning Strikes Near Launch Pad 39A
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:14:59 AM GMT+0530
  There's been a lightning strike six miles east of Launch Pad 39A, where space shuttle Discovery and a crew of seven astronauts are awaiting launch at 1:36 a.m. tomorrow, less than two hours from now. Due to the lightning, the range now is "red" on three constraints: lightning, cumulus clouds and flight-through-precipitation.

• Hatch Latched for Flight; Leak Checks Begins
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:10:46 AM GMT+0530
  The Closeout Crew closed and latched space shuttle Discovery's crew access hatch and is moving on to cabin leak checks. The technicians also will seal the hatch for flight by installing a carrier panel, a custom-fit sheet of aluminum covered with tiles for thermal protection.

• Hatch Closed; Weather Now 60 Percent "No-Go"
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:07:05 AM GMT+0530
  Inside the White Room at Launch Pad 39A, members of the Closeout Crew have closed Discovery's crew hatch. Meanwhile, the weather situation continues its negative trend, with Shuttle Weather Officer alerting Launch Director Pete Nickolenko that the forecast right now calls for a 60 percent chance of weather preventing launch tonight. There are two hours left until launch time at 1:36:04 a.m., and weather and launch officials will keep monitoring the situation closely.

• Weather Update
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:55:59 AM GMT+0530
  The favorable weather pattern expected this evening is not coming to fruition. Instead of clearing out, storm cells keep popping up, including one right over the launch pad. The weather situation is being closely monitored, and we'll bring you the latest as we hear it.

• Weather Update
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:41:43 AM GMT+0530
  Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters has informed Launch Director Pete Nickolenko that the Eastern Range has gone "red," or "no-go," due to a new system forming over the launch pad. Specifically, the new weather system violates the cumulus-cloud rule and flight-through-precipitation rule. Weather officials with the 45th Weather Squadron and the Spaceflight Meteorology Group in Houston continue to keep a close eye on the weather around the launch and landing sites at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as well as emergency landing sites overseas should they be necessary.

• Comm Checks and Cabin Closeout Under Way
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:38:27 AM GMT+0530
  The next step for the crew is to complete a round of communications checks and air-to-ground voice checks between the astronauts, Launch Control Center at Kennedy and Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Meanwhile, the Closeout Crew will remove all non-flight items and finish up any additional work inside Discovery's crew module before closing the hatch.

• With Hernandez Seated, Boarding is Complete
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:31:54 AM GMT+0530
  Last to board Discovery is Mission Specialist Jose Hernandez, another first-time shuttle flier. Strapped into Seat 5, he'll sit behind the commander on the left-rear side of the flight deck. Hernandez is the first NASA astronaut to offer a bilingual Twitter account, with "tweets" in both English and Spanish.
  
  Three hours ago, he tweeted in English, "Folks this is my last tweet before I go into space! Will start to suit up in 30 minutes, listen to weather brief and head to the pad!" He followed with the same message in Spanish: "Mi ultimo tweet antes de ir al espacio! En media hora me visto, escucharemos el status del clima y rumbo a la plataforma de lanzamiento!"
  
  To read more of Hernandez's insights and updates, go to twitter.com/Astro_Jose. Now, back to the Launch Blog.
  

• Forrester Straps into Seat 3
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:18:59 AM GMT+0530
  Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester also is seated inside Discovery at this point. Forrester, a retired U.S. Army colonel, will ride into orbit in Seat 3 on the second row of the flight deck. Forrester flew previously on STS-117 along with Sturckow and Olivas.

• Olivas and Fuglesang Take Their Seats
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:16:50 AM GMT+0530
  Down on Discovery's middeck, Mission Specialist Danny Olivas is strapped into Seat 5, on the left side nearest the hatch. Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang is climbing into the center of the middeck, Seat 6. A member of the European Space Agency's astronaut corps from Sweden, Fuglesang flew aboard Discovery once before on mission STS-116.

• Ford Climbs Aboard

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:57:59 AM GMT+0530Pilot Kevin Ford is climbing into Discovery's crew module. The pilot sits beside the commander in Seat 2, on the right side of the flight deck's front row. As a former colonel in the U.S. Air Force, he's racked up 4,300 flying hours in a variety of aircraft, but STS-128 will be his first spaceflight.
• Weather Update: Green on All Constraints
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:56:50 AM GMT+0530
  Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters just advised Launch Director Pete Nickolenko that weather is now "green," or favorable, on all constraints.

• Stott Next to Strap In
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:50:31 AM GMT+0530
  Up next is rookie space flier Nicole Stott, who will serve as a mission specialist before transferring to the space station. Stott, a Florida native, is sitting on the right side of Discovery's middeck in Seat 7.

• Sturckow on Board
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:48:30 AM GMT+0530
  First aboard Discovery is STS-128 Commander Rick Sturckow. He'll sit in Seat 1, the left-front seat of the flight deck. A colonel in the U.S. Marines, Sturckow has been an astronaut since 1994 and has flown in space three times before on shuttle missions STS-88, STS-105 and STS-117. All three were International Space Station missions.

• Astronauts Arrive at Launch Pad 39A
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:36:11 AM GMT+0530
  It's time for the astronauts to start climbing aboard space shuttle Discovery. The White Room is only large enough to accommodate one or two astronauts at a time, in addition to the Closeout Crew. Before climbing through Discovery's side hatch, each astronaut is equipped with a parachute harness and a communications cap with a headset to wear under the helmet. The astronauts plug into cooling units and put on their gloves and helmets after strapping in.


STS-128 Blogger: Anna Heiney, public affairs web writer at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

• Final Inspection Complete
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:16:24 AM GMT+0530
  The Final Inspection Team has finished its survey of shuttle Discovery and Launch Pad 39A and is on its way back to the Launch Control Center to provide a report to launch management. Other than the previously reported ice formation spotted on the liquid hydrogen T-0 umbilical, the team members have not identified any other concerns. They will continue to monitor Discovery from a console in Firing Room 2.

• Discovery's Astronauts Leave for the Launch Pad
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:16:06 AM GMT+0530
  The STS-128 astronauts are on their way to the launch pad, where their ride to orbit -- space shuttle Discovery -- is poised for liftoff. As they walked to the silver Astrovan, the crew smiled and waved to the enthusiastic crowd that always gathers to offer cheer and support. The drive to the launch pad is scheduled to take about 25 minutes. To avoid overheating in their heavy suits, the astronauts can plug into cooling units at each seat.
  
  The Astrovan, a modified vintage Airstream motor home, will make two stops along the way. First, Flight Crew Operations Director and astronaut Brent Jett will leave the van and climb into a waiting car that will take him to the Shuttle Landing Facility. The van will proceed to the Launch Control Center and drop off Vehicle Integration Test Team Chief Jerry Ross and other support personnel.

• T-3 Hours and Counting
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:11:11 AM GMT+0530
  Countdown clocks are active once more, ticking toward liftoff of space shuttle Discovery at 1:36:05 a.m. Tuesday. The next built-in hold comes at T-20 minutes, when the clock will pause again for 10 minutes.
  Tonight's countdown continues to go very smoothly. Weather looks favorable at NASA's three transoceanic abort landing sites, or TAL sites, located at Zaragoza Air Base and Moron Air Base in Spain and Istres in France. There's a slight chance of showers at the prime landing site, Zaragoza; Moron and Istres both look good. NASA requires at least one of the TAL sites to be available in order to launch.
  We're standing by to see the astronauts leave their crew quarters behind and begin the drive out to the launch pad in the next few minutes.

• Ice Formation Spotted at Launch Pad 39A
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:55:10 AM GMT+0530
  The Final Inspection Team is continuing its survey out at Launch Pad 39A. The inspection lasts about 2.5 hours and begins after the external fuel tank is loaded for flight. The team has reported an ice formation on the liquid hydrogen T-0 umbilical. Measuring about 4.5 inches long, 1.5 inches wide and one quarter of an inch in thickness, the ice is a milky color and bridges across from the umbilical to the orbiter. The team has seen this before during previous launch countdowns and this latest discovery is being assessed by launch managers.

• Weather 'Shaping Up Nicely'
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:48:39 AM GMT+0530
  According to Lt. Colonel Patrick Barrett of the 45th Weather Squadron, the launch weather forecast continues to improve. Earlier, thunderstorms produced rain and lightning in various areas around the space center and just offshore. But the remaining storm cells are slowly dissipating, and the chance of favorable weather for liftoff remains at 80 percent -- good news for the STS-128 astronauts and the Kennedy launch team. "Right now, things are shaping up very nicely," Barrett said.

• Astronauts Suit Up for Liftoff
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:41:46 AM GMT+0530
  Across Kennedy Space Center, in the historic suit-up room at crew quarters, the STS-128 astronauts are all smiles as suit technicians help them climb into their bright-orange, launch-and-entry suits. Officially, this pressurized suit is called the Advanced Crew Escape Suit, or ACES. It's worn during launches and landings because it provides breathing air and an array of survival tools.
  This is the last step for the crew to finish before heading out to Launch Pad 39A at 9:46 p.m.

• Final Inspection in Progress
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:26:56 AM GMT+0530
  The Final Inspection Team is conducting a detailed survey of the space shuttle vehicle and launch pad structure. Also called the "Ice Team," the group's seven specialists began their inspection at the top of the pad's fixed service structure, and are working their way down to the surface of the mobile launcher platform. Using digital cameras, a telescope, an infrared radiometer and their own eyes, the Final Inspection Team looks for ice, frost or cracks forming on or near the shuttle's external tank.
  Darkness has settled across Kennedy Space Center. There are no technical issues being discussed by the launch control team, and the weather trend continues to improve. There are about 45 minutes left in the T-3-hour built-in hold.

• Closeout Crew Prepares for Astronauts' Arrival
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:17:33 AM GMT+0530
  Inside the environmentally controlled White Room at the end of the orbiter access arm on Launch Pad 39A, the seven-person Closeout Crew is preparing for the astronauts' arrival and boarding later tonight. Astronaut Shane Kimbrough is providing his support, and as part of the Closeout Crew, he will help the flight crew strap into their seats inside Discovery's crew module.

• Meet the STS-128 Crew
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:06:50 AM GMT+0530
  Of the seven astronauts on the STS-128 flight crew, four -- Commander Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Danny Olivas and Christer Fuglesang -- have flown on the shuttle before. Pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Jose Hernandez and Nicole Stott are making their first spaceflights. Stott will join Expedition 20 as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station, relieving astronaut Tim Kopra, who will return to Earth aboard Discovery.
  The astronauts woke up at 3 p.m. today and have had medical checks and a snack in the astronaut crew quarters, located several miles from the launch complex in Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building. They'll receive a weather briefing shortly, then begin suiting up for launch.

• Discovery, STS-128 Crew Await Early-Morning Liftoff
  Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:57:31 AM GMT+0530
  Good evening, and thanks for joining us for the countdown to launch of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 mission, the 30th flight to the International Space Station. Liftoff is set for 1:36 a.m. Tuesday from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Launch Blog comes to you from a console in Firing Room 3 at Kennedy's Launch Control Center, about three miles away from the launch pad.
  At T-3 hours and holding, all is well in the Launch Control Center, where members of the launch team are monitoring the countdown. Florida's dynamic summer weather is legendary, and although storms rolled through during the afternoon and early evening, the weather trend is improving according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. The launch forecast is holding with an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions at liftoff.
  Discovery's large external fuel tank was loaded earlier this evening with about 500,000 gallons of chilled liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. These propellants will feed the shuttle's three main engines as the vehicle speeds toward orbit. The tanking process began at 4:11 p.m. and finished at 7:14 p.m. Now in stable replenish, the tank will continue to be topped off until the final minutes of the countdown.
  It's going to be an exciting evening, so stay with us.

• Join us for Launch
  Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:23:32 AM GMT+0530
  Our live coverage of the STS-128 countdown and launch begins Monday, Aug. 24 at 8:30 p.m. EDT. Please join us!

Live Coverage Team

Blog Updates: Anna Heiney
Site Updates: Steve Siceloff
Quality Control: Rebecca Sprague
Videos/Facebook: Cheryl Mansfield
Photo Gallery: Elaine Marconi
Video Production: Aly Lee
Video Capture/Editing: Chris Chamberland,
Michael Chambers and Gianni Woods

For more information visit nasa.gov