Month: July 2011

Wow! What a beautiful sight!Despite a 70% chance that it wouldn’t happen, Atlantis lifted off Earth at11:29 EDT.

 

 

As of 9:09 a.m. EDT, the weather looks good for launch. Just hope that nasty-looking storm system on the left stays where it is. You can follow along on the weather here: http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=mlb

/1020056main_weather.tiff

As we wait for launchpreparations and hope for the weather to cooperate, I’d like to share myexperience yesterday as I took a tour with the tweeps from the STS-135 tweet-up.

 

Our first stop was breathtakinglyclose to Launch Pad 39A as we watched the Rotating Service Structureroll back to reveal space shuttle Atlantis. It was such a rush to be so closeto the space shuttle!

 

I was this close! (Taken with a 300mm lens.)

 Our trusty Tweet-up leader, Stephanie Schierholz, came prepared for the elements out at the launch pad.

It’s launch day and theastronauts are donning their orange launch and entry suits and getting ready toboard space shuttle Atlantis.

The press center is teemingwith television satellite trucks and journalists from all over the world. Hereat the press center counter, I’m sitting next to representatives from theCanadian and Japanese space agencies and astronauts are walking around. It’sbetter than being backstage at a concert!

 

Astronaut Michael Massimino being interviewed by a television station.

There’s quite a downpour,along with thunder and lightning, happening now at Kennedy Space Center. Manyof the tweeps have reported that it’s hard to hear the speakers against thesound of the rain hitting the Tweet-up tent. Here in the press room, every timea camera flashes, I think it’s lightning.

 

The official weatherprognosis for tomorrow’s launch remains at a 70% chance of rainscrubbing the launch. But as @SpaceSooner (aka Ames Public Affairs SpecialistJessica Culler) says, “Maybe if it rains all the rain today, there won’tbe any left for tomorrow?”

 

Finger’s crossed!

Heavy rain hitting the pavement outside of the Press Center.

More and more members of thepress have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center today. Also arriving are”Tweeps,” Twitter users and ardent space fans, who have been invitedto the STS-135 Tweet-up. The Tweeps will tour the Vehicle Assembly Building,the Kennedy Space Center and will view the retraction of the Rotating ServiceStructure later this afternoon. You can follow the Tweepstoday via UStream: http://www.ustream.tv/NASATelevision

Tweeps spent the first hourgetting to know each other better.

 

I was also pleasantlysurprised to see Camilla SDO hobnobbing with Elmo of Sesame Street! Thesecelebrity types stick together.

Howdoes Ames contribute to the space shuttle program?

Wedon’t launch spacecraft, but we do a lot to support the shuttle program. AtAmes, we do a lot of human factors work, and pretty much every NASA rocket,shuttle, or capsule has been tested in our wind tunnels; we also have one ofthe most realistic simulators that can be configured to the shuttle cockpit totrain crews. Oh, and we develop the thermal protection systems that keepastronauts and spacecraft cool and functional, especially during reentry).

AsPete Worden, our center director, is known to say, “If you want to get to orbit,talk to the other centers. If you want to come back, come talk to Ames.” 

Wealso do some pretty amazing basic biology research that helps us learn moreabout how life in space grows and lives differently than life on Earth. Thereare all kinds of implications of that research – from curing diseases to makingmore efficient and healthful food for us all. On STS-135, Ames will have sevenpayloads onboard. More about these later….

So exciting! I arrived at Kennedy Space Center today and I just had to snap a picture of this sign:

The Press Center is abuzz with energy and I’m told that this activity will multiply by tomorrow. NASA just held a press conference on the status of the launch, and the only thing impeding the launch right now is Mother Nature. SpaceShuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters forecasts a 30 percent chance of favorableweather for Friday’s 11:26 a.m. EDT launch of spaceshuttle Atlantis. The concerns are showers and thunderstorms due to a system in the Caribbean.

I’m Cathy Weselby, public affairs officer at NASA’s Ames Research Center, and this will be the first time I’ll see a space shuttle launch live and in person. This is also the last shuttle launch ever, so I’m extra excited to be witnessing this historic event. Right now the shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to lift-off at 11:26 am EDT on Friday, July 8.

I will be blogging and posting photos of my experience leading up to and right after the STS-135 launch. Stay tuned for more information in next few days.

Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39A.
Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux