STS-128 Will Land At EDW Today

NASA has decided upon a landing at Edwards AFB. Deorbit is 2347 UTC, with landing at 0053 UTC. The ground track crosses the California coast near Santa Barbara. There may be sonic booms in the area.

STS-128 First Landing Opp Waved Off

The weather forecast is "no go" today for Friday’s first landing opportunity at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If the weather cooperates for the second Kennedy landing opportunity, the deorbit burn would occur at 6:17 p.m. EDT (2217 UTC), with landing at 7:23 p.m. (2323 UTC). Weather does not look good, however.

Since weather for Edwards AFB is OK today but predicted to deteriorate tomorrow, odds are good for an Edwards landing today.

STS-128 Waved Off 1st Landing

Second opportunity an orbit later, which would lead to a landing at 8:40 PM Eastern. The weather does not look any better for this time either.

STS-128 Closes Doors

While weather does not look good for a landing at KSC today, Discovery was still given a go to close the payload bay doors. This enables an early landing if the weather somehow improves.

STS-128 Is On Orbit

3rd time is the charm. The BRV's should be heading in with the spent solid boosters any time now.

STS-128 WX Still Go

20 minutes left in the built in T-9 hold, still on schedule for a launch at 0359 UTC.

STS-128 On Schedule

The crew has entered the vehicle. Launch time remains 11:59 PM EDT (0359 UTC). Weather is, to quote NASA, "Trending in the wrong direction." Lots of popup thunderstorms, though so far none close enough to cause launch constraints.

STS-128 On Schedule

Tanking is going smoothly for tonight's launch of Discovery. Despite a rather threatening sky, the prediction is that weather will allow a 60% chance of launching. If so, the time is 11:59 PM EDT (0359 UTC).

STS-128 Launch Set for 8/28, 0359 UTC

NASA is still trying to figure out what happened with the valve during tanking. The new launch target is just before midnight Friday.

STS-128 Scrubs Again

NASA has scrubbed today's STS-128 launch for a bad valve found during tanking. No new launch target has been set, pending review of the situation.

Presumably a 24-hour turnaround would put it around 12:50 AM EDT on Thursday, but that's all speculation on my part. Nothing has been announced.

STS-128 Is Go for Tanking

Mission Management Team has decided to try, try again. Today's weather has a 70% chance of allowing launch at 1:10 AM EDT on Wednesday (0510 UTC). 10780 and 6751 kHz USB will be worth checking as we get closer.

STS-128 Scrubs

BRD just announced on 6751 USB that tonight's launch has scrubbed due to persistent bad weather. Next opportunity is 0110 EDT (0510 UTC) on Wednesday, September 26.

KSC Weather Now No-Go

Someone wasn't crossing their fingers. A storm cell has popped up right over Cape Canaveral, putting KSC on lightning alert and creating a red condition for launch.

We'll just all have to wait another couple of hours and see what happens.

Meanwhile, BRD (Booster Recovery Director) is making periodic comm checks with Freedom Star and Liberty star on 6751 USB.

Weather Now Green for STS-128 Launch

At approximately 0249 UTC, the dissipation of the thunder clouds made it possible for the meteorology office to clear all weather constraints on launch. Cross fingers, toes, and whatever else you have.

STS-128 Keeps On Truckin'

Count remains on schedule.

Both Booster Recovery Vessels, Freedom Star and Liberty Star, are now doing periodic checks with Cape Radio on 6751 kHz USB.

STS-128 Still On Schedule

The crew just left the building and boarded the shiny Airstream motor home ("Astrovan") for the trip to the pad. Lightning is go at present but the proximity of anvil-top clouds still precludes launch.

These are expected to dissipate by 1:36 AM. Weather is still predicted to be 80% favorable for launch.

I'm hearing Cape Radio on 10780 USB right this second, doing radio checks with Freedom Star. He was just sent to 6751 USB.

Freedom Star (Booster Recovery Vessel) is loud and clear on 6751, working Cape Radio which is also lima-charlie.

STS-128 Begins Tanking

Weather has permitted the fast filling of Discovery's huge external tank. Launch count remains on schedule. Check the usual frequencies such as 10780 and 5711 kHz USB for downrange and booster recovery activities.

STS-128 Count Continues

Discovery remains on schedule for a launch tonight. It's an ISS mission, so there is the usual short launch window, with a target time of 1:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time. That's 0536 UTC.

Tanking begins this afternoon, lightning permitting. Since the launch is in the middle of the night, Florida's famous summer lightning is less likely. Weather is predicted to be 80 per cent "go."

STS-128 Launch Set for 8/25, 0536 UTC

The Discovery launch target is early morning on August 25, less than a week from today.

NASA has determined after study of the foam shedding problems on the External Tank that the vehicle is safe to fly. One open issue remains, but the electronic unit involved has been replaced and tested, and the issue will most likely close on the 23rd.

This is another mission to the ISS. It will last 13 days and deliver equipment and supplies.

Participants are:

CDR: Rick Sturckow
PLT: Kevin Ford
MS: Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas, Christer Fuglesang (ESA)
ISS Crew: Nicole Stott.

Stott is replacing Tim Kopra, who is finishing his ISS mission. He will return home on Discovery.