STS-115 Launch

[Lucas]

The Space Shuttle Atlantis is now on the pad!

 

[spaceshuttle]

well, only a week and an hour to go until they intend to launch...

 

[Reed Goodwin]

Wow, I didn't realize they were going to launch so soon, That's cool.
Reed

 

[fyrfytr310]

I love this!

"There are only 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don't."

Who wants to take bets on the length of delays this go around?

 

[dwmzmm]

Hope they don't do the launch on the 26th of August, as I'll be at
JSC assisting the NASA/Houston Rocket Club in the REMAX Ballunar Festival that weekend...(yes, I want to be able to follow
the launch live as it happens!)

 

[Lucas]

Originally posted by fyrfytr310

Who wants to take bets on the length of delays this go around?

Atleast once

 

[Lucas]

Originally posted by dwmzmm
Hope they don't do the launch on the 26th of August, as I'll be at
JSC assisting the NASA/Houston Rocket Club in the REMAX Ballunar Festival that weekend...(yes, I want to be able to follow
the launch live as it happens!)

If it does not launch on the 26th for me I am out of luck... probably... I have school from then on.

 

[dwmzmm]

Originally posted by Lucas
If it does not launch on the 26th for me I am out of luck... probably... I have school from then on.

I just checked the NASA website and it's shooting for next Sunday
(August 27) around 4:30 PM, so maybe we'll both be in luck...

 

[dwmzmm]

Originally posted by dwmzmm
I just checked the NASA website and it's shooting for next Sunday
(August 27) around 4:30 PM, so maybe we'll both be in luck...

That should be 4:30 PM EDT...

 

[Lucas]

If it is schedualed for that late all week then I will be in luck.

 

[by basher]

Wake me when they begin useful missions again. In the mean time, let's watch Mercury-Gemini-Apollo reruns.

 

[brianc]

Local (Central Florida) news stations are reporting lightning struck
the launch structure this afternoon. So far, it appears Atlantis
and the supporting hardware are OK- the lightning protection
built into the pad did it's job. No announced delays yet.

Apparently lightning also struck during the STS-121 prep work
last month.

Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to grow into a Cat-2 hurricane
as it moves from over Cuba and into the Gulf early next week.
It doesn't look like it will affect the launch, but NASA is concerned
the storm may turn towards Houston. A sound bite from the NASA
press conference today said 'If we have to evacuate the MCC, then
we cannot complete the ISS docked misson....'

EDIT- found some more online here- https://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts115/060825postmmt/

 

[Donaldsrockets]

I'm sure there will be at least one delay, whether it be a weather, technical (foam), or other issue.

I don't think a single space shuttle mission launched on the very first attempt.

 

[dwmzmm]

From what I'm seeing on the NASA website, the launch for 3:30 PM (CDT) launch is still GO. We'll find out for sure in less than
two days...

 

[sunward]

CNN headline :
"NASA delays scheduled Sunday launch of Atlantis for at least 24 hours after lightning struck the launch pad"

update:
from Nasa:
"NASA managers have decided to postpone the launch of the shuttle Atlantis by a day to give engineers more time to evaluate Friday's lightning strike at the launch pad. The next launch attempt is at 4:04 p.m. EDT on Monday, Aug. 28. "

 

[spaceshuttle]

Originally posted by sunward
CNN headline :
"NASA delays scheduled Sunday launch of Atlantis for at least 24 hours after lightning struck the launch pad"

update:
from Nasa:
"NASA managers have decided to postpone the launch of the shuttle Atlantis by a day to give engineers more time to evaluate Friday's lightning strike at the launch pad. The next launch attempt is at 4:04 p.m. EDT on Monday, Aug. 28. "

a press conference on NASAtv is fixing to come on...

 

[Reed Goodwin]

come on, one more delay. If it happens on Monday I will be in class and won't be able to see it. Let's hear it for a Tuesday launch!
Reed

EDIT: wait, if they delay it just a bit, it might work out. I get out at 4:20...
Reed

 

[brianc]

From spaceflightnow.com...

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 2006
1923 GMT (3:23 p.m. EDT)

Technicians performing launch pad inspections this morning reported smelling a charred odor near the liquid hydrogen vent arm that extends from the service tower to the backside of the external tank. Engineers will be inspecting all of the wiring and circuitry to verify the pyrotechnics that fire at liftoff to separate the arm from the shuttle weren't harmed in the lightning strike.

 

[Lucas]

Ya that cant be good.... I wouldent want to fly it for a week or so if I was in charge. A day seems a little short to launch it after people smell burned stuff near a hydrogen vent arm unless they can for sure locate the smell and check everything out... still only 24 hours for all those tests...

 

[brianc]

Here's a pic (we all know now much TRF loves pix) of the strike.

https://www.local6.com/2006/0826/9741741_320X240.jpg

 

[Lucas]

Wow that hting is huge. Ya I took a screen shot from the video NASA showed of the strike in the press conferense it is at a better angle. i will post it later

 

[Reed Goodwin]

Originally posted by Lucas
Wow that hting is huge. Ya I took a screen shot from the video NASA showed of the strike in the press conferense it is at a better angle. i will post it later

You mena like this: https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/155966main_115_lightning2.jpg or this: https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/155964main_115_lightning1.jpg
Reed

 

[Donaldsrockets]

I don't mind this delay, otherwise I would have been on my way to work at the time of the launch.

 

[dwmzmm]

Word this afternoon is that the Shuttle flight might be delayed
again as NASA engineers may need more time to assess the
possible damage of the lightening strike a few days ago. Plus
the fact that Hurricane Ernesto may require the stack to be rolled
back to the VAB. Stay tuned....

 

[Delta-IV]

Latest from Nasa, source Floridatoday.com:

"NASA officials plan to wait until early Monday to decide whether to try to launch shuttle Atlantis on Tuesday or move the spaceship back to safe haven in its assembly building as Hurricane Ernesto approaches Florida.

Mission managers will meet at 7 a.m. Monday to determine a course of action.

The shuttle has been cleared in terms of any problems related to a lightning strike at the pad on Friday afternoon. But a significant change in the projected direction of the storm would be required before NASA could press ahead with tentative plans to launch Tuesday."

Hope she goes on Tuesday! I fly to the west coast on Wednesday. I try never to miss a launch.

 

[roadkill]

Launch scrubbed as of 7:38 am EDT,
shuttle being immediately prepared to trip back to barn...

 

[Lucas]

Yeah that's to bad. I guess it will give them a chance to test more systemes after the lightning strike though. Anyway I have school, so hopefully it will launch on a weekend now.

 

[kenobi65]

Yeah, the latest forecast path for Ernesto has it cranking right up the east coast of Florida (though there's still a fair amount of uncertainty):

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at5+shtml/144607.shtml?3day

Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[spaceshuttle]

mid-way through the route, STS-115's Atlantis heads back to the pad! since the hurricane is curving more westward, NASA ruled that it's still safe to keep him at the pad! GO ATLANTIS!

 

[kenobi65]

"Whaddya mean, turn this thing around?!?"