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[porthole]

I can't think of a more awesome spectacle of power the the Space Shuttle launch. Have had the privilege of seeing it twice up close (once from the closest employee viewing location).

Wednesday night the Shuttle does a rare night launch and and even rarer up the east coast flight path.

Forecast is for clear skies - hope it launches on time 

From NYC Aviation

Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to launch at 9:20 pm Wednesday evening, and the flight path will take her nearly parallel with the east coast. With clear skies forecast for Wed. night, she should be visible from the NY area around 7 or 8 minutes after lift off, in the southeast sky, low on the horizon. Discovery will be dropping her main fuel tank around 8 minutes in, 430 miles southeast of New York City, at an altitude of 65 miles while traveling nearly 18,000 mph.

[miker]

Thanks for posting Duane, for us down here in wpb at a 175 miles south of it, the night launches are a neighboorhood event, chairs n beers, folks gathered around, very cool to see even from this far away.

Kinda makes nitro methane dragsters seem a bit tame.

[porthole]

STS-119 Latest News

Countdown Proceeding Smoothly

The countdown for space shuttle Discovery's STS-119 launch resumed as planned at 4:55 a.m. EDT, and there are no significant technical issues standing in the way of tonight's liftoff. Mission Management Team will meet at 11:55 a.m. to give a "go" or "no go" to begin fueling Discovery's external tank. The preferred launch time has been adjusted by four seconds to 9:20:14 p.m.

Commander Lee Archambault will lead Discovery's crew of seven, along with Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata on mission STS-119 to the International Space Station.

The Discovery crew members are set to fly the S6 truss segment and install the final set of power-generating solar arrays to the International Space Station. The S6 truss will complete the backbone of the station and provide one-fourth of the total power needed to support a crew of six.



Image: A nearly full Moon sets as the space shuttle Discovery sits atop Launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

[porthole]

Kinda makes nitro methane dragsters seem a bit tame.

Closest thing to it I guess. Except with the shuttle you get to watch in awe for about 70 seconds instead of 4.

Like I said, I have seen two launches live, one fairly close. I would urge everyone to see at least one launch live if you have the opportunity, it is amazing.

[miker]

I was on a emissions profile team for launches in the early 90's and got paid to be inside the ropes for launches...The resonance would shake loose any bits in your lungs and sinus for sure..Beers on ice for tonight.

 

[DESERTBEAR54]

To bad we can't see it from Tucson,AZ!!! We only get to see the Space Station fly over or the 747 piggy backing the shuttle when it lands in Tucson.

[Puzzled]

My wife is in Orlando this week and is going to run over to watch the launch.

I have seen two during bike weeks, pretty cool.

[naitram]

News Alert
NASA scraps shuttle launch over fuel leak
NASA has postponed a planned Wednesday night launch of the space shuttle Discovery after discovering a fuel leak. The U.S. space agency scrapped the launch with just under seven hours to spare before the projected 9:20 p.m. ET scheduled liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

[BigLew55]

News Alert
NASA scraps shuttle launch over fuel leak
NASA has postponed a planned Wednesday night launch of the space shuttle Discovery after discovering a fuel leak. The U.S. space agency scrapped the launch with just under seven hours to spare before the projected 9:20 p.m. ET scheduled liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Maybe it will wait until I can watch!  I'll be there by the end of the week!

[Boatman]

Was in Ft Myers and you could see the shuttle on the horizon at 6:30 in the evening which was just about dark in late Jan 1999 or 00.

Would love to be up close.  The SOUND/POWER would be even more incredible to me than the sight of the launch.

[bogman]

Excellent pics there, will be on the lookout later if its illuminated by the sun and its orbit takes it over here
http://www.heavens-above.com
This is a great site, setup for your location it provides lots of information on the night sky including ISS coverage
Screenshot for 10mins ago shown for the ISS

[ice6900]

thats a great firework where can i buy one?

[Gettinold]

Scrubbed off till tomorrow night hopefully. 

[porthole]

Just heard it is now Sunday night.

[screem]

Was in Ft Myers and you could see the shuttle on the horizon at 6:30 in the evening which was just about dark in late Jan 1999 or 00.

Would love to be up close.  The SOUND/POWER would be even more incredible to me than the sight of the launch.

Ihave seen a couple launches from my lanai, here in Ft Myers...pretty cool site...definatly want to go to the Cape and see one up close