Go for launch

[jim3775]

Barring any unforseen circumstances the shuttle launch will happen today at 10:39 a.m. EDT.

[Walt Starr]

1. It's being streamed live on CSPAN3

Watching now, less than nine miunutes to go.

[kliljedahl]

24. Thank you for the heads up

Lookin' good, go Discovery!!!


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Walt Starr]

2. They've detached the arm

Looks like they're gonna launch...

[Bluzmann57]

3. I feel sorta like a little kid again

I was really into this stuff as a child, in the '60's(man am I old). I love this stuff.

[janx]

45. Yes, and they're going to

the SPACE STATION! ;-)

[janx]

4. Thank goodness for cspan.

I'm in the midst of moving and have no TV! And thanks for pointing this out.

[wookie294]

5. I can't watch it !

Yikes!

[Walt Starr]

6. Main engine start...n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

7. Watching.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

14. Incredible video.

[Walt Starr]

8. Fueling arm retracted...

[janx]

9. This is so beautiful--so unbelievable.

Every time.

[DemonFighterLives]

10. I'm ready!

:patriot:

[janx]

12. Here it goes...

!

[Walt Starr]

11. T-31 seconds...

[Walt Starr]

13. LIFTOFF!!!!1

[janx]

15. Unbelievable, isn't it? n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

22. Teary here. It's stunning and yet

I feel so conflicted about this. I love the idea of space exploration, and at the same time, I can't help but think of all the help we need here on Earth. All the money that goes into this.......

[janx]

26. Much of what we've learned so far through space exploration

has helped us here on earth. So enjoy it. It's good.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

29. Oh Janx, this live video from the shuttle is breathtaking. n/t

[janx]

33. Yes it is.

I wish I could see it on a bigger screen, but it's still fantastic.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

35. I was lucky enough to watch it on my 36" tv. Now I have to get to work!

Have a beautiful day! :hi:

[janx]

37. You too. There will probably be more video later on,

when your work is finished. :hi:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

53. Thanks Janx! Actually I work online and will probably take peeks during

the day. :bounce:

[bmcatt]

44. The reason we go to space...

"The Earth is too small a basket for mankind to put all of its eggs in." -- Robert A Heinlein

[janx]

16. 2000 miles per hour...n/t

[Bluzmann57]

20. 85 miles ne of Cape Kennedy

amazing! This is neat stuff!

[Walt Starr]

17. SRB Seperation!!!

They are past the most dangerous part...

[janx]

18. 3030 mph...

[dogday]

19. I see Miss Laura has joined us for the

flight today....

[Lannes]

21. God I hope they will be OK

30 year old technology that will be replaced with 40 year old technology when the shuttle fleet is mothballed.

I used to love NASA when I was a kid.

We could have funded a space plane that could have revolutionized commercial and space travel with some of the money that has been spent in Iraq.

Instead we are going back to the technology that they used on the Mercury program.Sad.

[janx]

23. 6,700 mph... n/t

[Walt Starr]

25. Altitude 67 miles, 6000 mph

about to cut loose the external tank...

[kliljedahl]

27. 9,200 MPH

Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Walt Starr]

28. In heads up position

they are pretty much in space, will be in orbit soon.

[janx]

30. 16,000 mph!!!

The acceleration is incredible. The thinner the air gets, the faster it goes.

[MindPilot]

31. external tank separation

we're up!

[Oreo]

32. The fuel tank separation was amazing

I don't know why they didn't put cameras there before... they would have seen the damage to Columbia right away

[wookie294]

34. I hope it doesn't crash

It would not be good if the shuttle crashed. ;-)

[jim3775]

36. There are two WB-57 high-altitude aircraft flying right now, they are...

affixed with some really fancy cameras which will hopefully get the best pictures ever seen of the shuttle in flight.

[janx]

38. WHEN will we get to see the pics? n/t

[jim3775]

40. When they land, I guess.

:shrug:

[janx]

48. I hope it's soon. n/t

[jim3775]

51. To clarify

The airplanes have video cameras installed; one of the shuttle astronauts was taking high-res still photos out of the windows as the shuttle launched.

[janx]

52. Then they should be available very soon.

I can't get enough of this, and I'm supposed to be packing for a move.

[Greylyn58]

39. Beautiful Liftoff!!!

I have to admit I was holding my breath. Whew!!!

On another note--please tell me why after all the space missions we've had and seen--why reports on any network can't have someone who will ask intelligent questions?? I flipped around to watch on the different networks and some of the talk and questions I heard were just ridiculous.

God I miss Walter Cronkite and others like him! :( Thank God for C-span 3--don't have to listen to the mindless banter.

[jim3775]

41. NASA has its own channel

NASA TV http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Some cable companies and sat carriers have it.

[DiverDave]

42. AWESOME!

I have been a spaceophile (is that a word?) since the Gemini program.
When they stepped out on the moon, my mom made sure I got to see it.
I remember the numbness I felt when the shuttle exploded, and again when it came apart.

[janx]

43. It's amazing how things have progressed, isn't it? n/t

[janx]

46. "umbilical well doors"

I love it.

[janx]

47. You can hear Eileen so clearly that her upper midwestern

accent is even obvious! Minnesota? Wisconsin?

[janx]

49. kicking because good news is hard to come by these days...

[janx]

50. The crew is going to send their photos tomorrow!

Eileen just said so. This is so wonderful.

[jim3775]

54. A chunk of debris broke loose

It didn't hit anything but the engineers are reviewing the video now.

[janx]

55. Was this on the NASA channel?

I don't think CSPAN mentioned it, but I'm away from the computer periodically as I pack.

[jim3775]

56. It was just disovered recently,

I've been looking at the video frame by frame but at the time they cut to an external shot so there was nothing to see.

It could be a paper weather cover.

[janx]

57. Thanks for posting the pic, by the way.

There must be cameras all over the craft!

[jim3775]

58. If you want some live updates go to...

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/status.html

NASA TV has a live windows media stream here

http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?sg_id=49573&id=1369081&segment=149773&s=&authid=&RegID=44330826019683550

[janx]

59. The NASA stream is incredible. Thank you. n/t