Launch Day

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Current Status: GO

Launch Date: Friday, November 14, 2008, 7:55 pm E.S.T (5 minute window)

Odds of Launch: 70 percent as of 10:41 am EST November 13, 2008

Shuttle: Endeavour (OV-105)

Mission: STS-126

Mission Length: 15 days

EVA’s: 4 (on flight days: 5,7,9,11)

Commander: Christopher J. Ferguson

Pilot: Eric A. Boe

Mission Specialists: Sandra H. Magnus, Stephen G. Bowen, Donald R. Pettit, Robert S. (Shane) Kimbrough and Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper

NOAA’s Forecast:

Today: A slight chance of showers before 8am, then a slight chance of showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.

To keep current with the news about the launch, I recommend you go to NASA’s Launch Blog which should be live around 2:30 pm E.S.T. You will need to refresh your browser to get the latest from that site, but it’s THE place to get the up to the minute stuff especially if you can’t watch NASA TV.

I will be watching the launch itself either on NASA-TV or HDNET if they have coverage.

Among many other tasks (this is going to be a very busy mission) the astronauts will: Berth, activate and check out Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Leonardo using the space station’s robotic arm,Transfer and install space station MPLM items/racks to the space station and Perform space station payload research operations tasks, sortie experiment activities and short-duration bioastronautics investigation. couple of the big priorities for this mission: deliver the first section of the Japanese-built Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency’s two-armed robotic system called Dextre
Image Credits: NASA / NOAA