posted 02-12-2008 03:54 PM               

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Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Monday, Feb. 18, as preparations move forward for the STS-123 mission. Endeavour is targeted to lift off March 11 on a 16-day mission to the International Space Station.

The first motion of the shuttle out of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building is scheduled for 7 a.m. EST. The fully assembled space shuttle, consisting of the orbiter, external tank and twin solid rocket boosters, will be mounted on a mobile launcher platform and delivered to the pad on top of a crawler transporter. The crawler will travel slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The process is expected to take approximately six hours.

NASA Television's media channel will air live coverage of Endeavour's rollout to the launch pad beginning at 6:30 a.m. Live coverage of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission will continue to air on NASA TV's public channel. Video highlights of the rollout will air on the NASA TV Video File.

The mission will deliver the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre. Five spacewalks will be conducted during the flight.

Dominic Gorie will command the mission. Gregory H. Johnson will be the pilot. Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi make up the rest of the crew. Reisman will remain on the station as a resident crew member, replacing station Flight Engineer Leopold Eyharts of the European Space Agency, who will return home on Endeavour.

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posted 02-15-2008 05:50 PM               

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NASA Updates Endeavour's Move to Launch Pad Monday

Space shuttle Endeavour's rollout to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., has been rescheduled for 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 18. Endeavour is targeted to lift off March 11 on the 16-day STS-123 mission to the International Space Station.

The first movement of the shuttle will be approximately seven hours earlier than previously scheduled. The fully assembled space shuttle, consisting of the orbiter, external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, will be mounted on a Mobile Launcher Platform and delivered to the pad on top of a crawler transporter. The crawler will travel slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The process is expected to take approximately six hours.

NASA Television's Media Channel will provide live coverage of Endeavour at the launch pad beginning at 6:30 a.m. Video highlights of the rollout will air during NASA TV Video File segments.

Weather permitting, as part of NASA's 50th anniversary activities, the Air Force Thunderbirds will fly over Endeavour at the launch pad at approximately 10:15 a.m.

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posted 02-18-2008 09:57 AM               

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Space Shuttle Endeavour Arrives at Launch Pad, Countdown Test Set

After safely reaching its launch pad Monday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the space shuttle Endeavour now awaits its next major milestone for the upcoming STS-123 mission. A full launch dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown demonstration test, is scheduled to take place at Kennedy from Feb. 23 to 25.

The shuttle arrived at the pad at approximately 4:45 a.m. EST Monday on top of a giant vehicle called the crawler-transporter. The crawler-transporter began carrying Endeavour out of Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building at 11:24 p.m. Sunday, traveling less than 1 mph during the 3.4 mile journey. Endeavour was secured and firmly on the launch pad at 6:22 a.m.

Endeavour is targeted to launch March 11 on a 16-day mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle's seven crew members will deliver the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre. Five spacewalks will be conducted during the flight.

Dominic Gorie will command the STS-123 mission. Gregory H. Johnson will be the pilot. Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi make up the rest of the crew. Reisman will remain on the station as a resident crew member, replacing station Flight Engineer Leopold Eyharts of the European Space Agency, who will return home on Endeavour. Eyharts launched to the station with the STS-122 crew Feb. 7.

The STS-123 astronauts and ground crews will participate in the terminal countdown demonstration test. The test provides each shuttle crew with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. STS-123 is the 122nd space shuttle flight, the 21st flight for shuttle Endeavour and the 25th flight to the station.

The following media events are associated with the test. All times are Eastern.

• Feb. 23 - STS-123 Crew Arrival: the astronauts will arrive at 9:45 a.m. at the Shuttle Landing Facility and make a statement. The arrival will be broadcast live on NASA Television.

• Feb. 24 - STS-123 Crew Media Q&A: the crew will take media questions at Launch Pad 39A at 9:20 a.m. The session will be carried live on NASA TV.

• Feb. 25 - STS-123 Crew Walkout Photo Opportunity: the astronauts will depart from the Operations and Checkout Building at 7:45 a.m. in their flight entry suits in preparation for the countdown demonstration test at the launch pad. The walkout will not be broadcast live, but will be part of the NASA TV Video File.

Dates and times of events are subject to change.

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posted 02-18-2008 10:02 AM               

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
Having departed the Vehicle Assembly Building at 11:24 p.m. EST Sunday night, Endeavour has arrived at Pad 39A.

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The shuttle may old, too complex, too expensive, "unsafe", it's still one hell of a good looking bird to me!

posted 02-18-2008 03:28 PM               

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flew over Kennedy Space Center in commemoration of NASA's 50th anniversary. The aircraft had flown earlier to support the Daytona 500, also celebrating its 50th anniversary, and chose to fly over Kennedy on their way to their next assignment.

posted 02-19-2008 04:35 PM               

That last one is a VERY impressive photo.

posted 02-20-2008 12:06 AM               

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Originally posted by NavySpaceFan:
The only way that picture could be better is if they were the Blue Angles.

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posted 02-20-2008 04:58 PM               

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Originally posted by NavySpaceFan:
The only way that picture could be better is if they were the Blue Angles.

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posted 02-23-2008 05:52 PM               

The crew of STS-123 arrived at Kennedy Space Center for the terminal countdown demonstration test (TCDT) on Saturday to prepare for their upcoming launch targeted for March 11. The seven astronauts arrived in T-38 jet aircraft between 10:45 and 10:58 a.m. EST.

The terminal countdown demonstration test provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training.