Lights, Camera, Action!

While it won’t be a movie, you will be able to watch the Space Shuttle DIscovery blast off on Monday in the pre-dawn hours.  You should be able to tune in either in online or one of the cable news channels and watch it live.  This is the first of the last four scheduled launches of the Space Shuttle program before its retirement.  It is the last scheduled  night or pre-dawn launch.  The launch is scheduled to launch at 6:21 AM Monday morning.  I would suggest tuning in at 6 AM so as not to miss it.

Where to watch online:

• NASA TV
• Spaceflight Now (ipod/iphone too)

Last minute prep…

Discovery’s STS-131 payload canister is raised into the launch pad’s payload changeout room. Image credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

As the astronauts and crews make their last minute preparations for this Monday’s launch, Mr. B is doing much the same.  I am leaving this Thursday and heading to Florida to participate in the many activities planned as part of the launch.  Friday looks to be one of my favorite days, short of the launch, as we will be touring the Kennedy Space Center.  While you may have toured in the past like myself, I am going to get a behind the scenes tour.  I am hoping to be able to take photos and post them here on the blog.  The exciting parts of the tour will be the Vehicle Assembly Building or VAB, the Shuttle Landing Facility of SLF and a close view of the historic launchpad 39A.  I cannot wait to see these places and get to walk on some of the same ground the intrepid explorers of past and present walked on.  Saturday is an all day long educational forum with many NASA guests including astronaut(s) tied around the theme of “Women in Robotics and Engineering.”  I am looking forward to gleaning some tips to improve things here at WMS.  Sunday is a free day due to the holiday.  Monday is Launch Day!  I have to be up very early as we head to the Banana Creek viewing site around 3 AM.  The shuttle is scheduled to launch at 6:21 AM, technically a night launch, and race to the International Space Station.  It promises to be a great weekend.  Check back often for updates here and on twitter (follow @zerogguy)

STS-131 Launch

I (Mr. B.) just got invited to attend the launch of STS-131, one of the last space shuttle missions, as a guest of NASA.  It is scheduled for 5 April 2010 and is planned to be the last night launch!  I will be attending an educational forum beforehand and then view the launch from the NASA Banana Creek viewing area.  To learn more check the STS-131 page.

Liftoff!!!

Woke up early this morning to watch the last scheduled night liftoff of the Space Shuttle and I wasn’t disappointed. Although there were some concerns about weather and the initial launch was scrubbed last night due to some pesky clouds, this morning’s launch went flawlessly. Three days from now Endeavour will rendezvous with the International Space Station to begin the meat of the mission (STS-130).

Photo Credit: NASA TV and NASA.gov

What an awesome sight! (Video Replay here) If you are like me and have yet to see a launch in person, time to get planning. There are only a four remaining launches. Even if you can’t get VIP access a trip to Florida’s east coast will provide a great view. With many astronauts aboard the ISS and Endeavour tweeting we will have unprecedented updates of the mission. In fact, you are encouraged to tweet your questions to the astronauts even while they are working hard some 250 statute miles above Earth orbiting at 17,500 mph! Tweet @NASA_Astronauts, @Astro_Nicholas, @Astro_Jeff and/or @Astro_Soichi.

Endeavour’s STS-130 Mission
Commander George Zamka will lead the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Endeavour. Terry Virts will serve as the pilot. Mission Specialists are Nicholas Patrick, Robert Behnken, Stephen Robinson and Kathryn Hire. Virts will be making his first trip to space.

Shuttle Endeavour and its crew will deliver to the space station a third connecting module, the Italian-built Tranquility node and the seven-windowed cupola, which will be used as a control room for robotics. The mission will feature three spacewalks.