Atlantis scheduled to launch today

[Chief]

We're about T-Minus 3 hours in the count and the crew is heading out to the pad to mount up. Apparently tanking went well this morning, and there has been no repeat of the problems that delayed this mission back in December...

Launched is scheduled for around 2:30 EST today, but weather could be an issue later.

Developing...

[Chief]

They have about 14 minutes left in the built-in hold at T-Minus 9 Minutes, and at this time there are no contraints against launch. It's a narrow window today though and until they are in orbit, anything goes...

Developing...

[Chief]

WOO HOO!

Atlantis is safely on orbit with the Columbus module bound for the International Space station.

Still the most compelling live TV out there...

:laugh:

[Waterbuffalo]

From reading your first message I thought... "What does he mean by getting tanked and one of the shuttles taking off..."

Reading further down, I realized that you were speaking of Atlantis taking off.. And your affliction for Nasa.

[Chief]

The shuttle Atlantis just completed her de-orbit burn, and is on the way home, scheduled for touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in about an hour. She'll land with a pretty good view of Endeavor, on the pad and ready to go on March 11th...

[Waterbuffalo]

And hopefully that dangerous orbiting shell of space debris is deader than Britney signing career...

Nice to see atlantis down for the time being and being readied for one of her last missions I think.