Watch Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-134 LIVE

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Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-134

Friday, April 29, 2011

Post Time 11:26am CDT

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Image above: The sun breaks through the morning clouds as Shuttle Endeavour awaits liftoff on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Photo credit: NASA/KSC

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Launch Date: TODAY - April 29th
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Endeavour

- LAST MISSION -
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 2:47pm CDT

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STS-134 Mission Description: Space Shuttle Endeavour will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) and the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station. This is the LAST FLIGHT EVER of Space Shuttle Endeavour...

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Endeavour's Launch on Target for 2:47pm CDT

Friday, April 29, 2011

09:32am CDT

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Space Shuttle Endeavour's external tank is fully loaded with more than 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in preparation for today's 2:47pm CDT launch. Tanking operations began at 5:22am and concluded at 8:24am.

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Forecasters continue to predict a 70 percent chance of favorable weather for today's launch. The only concerns are low cloud ceilings and high crosswinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility at time of liftoff.

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Again... Endeavour is still on target for a 2:47pm CDT Launch.

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Post UPDATE:

12:01pm CDT

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Sorry Gang...

* Launch Postponed *

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Engineers and Managers to Assess APU Issue

12:14pm CDT

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Shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach stated that Endeavour's launch will be no earlier than Monday at 1:33pm CDT. Engineers need that time to troubleshoot an issue that resulted in today’s launch scrub.

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During today’s countdown, engineers detected a failure in one of two heater circuits associated with Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) 1. Heaters are required to keep the APUs’ hydrazine from freezing on orbit. Attempts to activate the heater were not successful and engineers now believe the problem might be associated with a Load Control Assembly, which is a switchbox, located in the aft end of Endeavour, or an electrical short in the wires leading into or out of the switchbox.

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Endeavour’s external tank will be drained, technicians will enter Endeavour’s aft compartment overnight and by tomorrow afternoon, will put in a platform to gain access to the avionics bay where the Load Control Assembly is located. Once there, they will assess whether they need to remove and replace the switchbox, or fix an electrical wiring short.

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Because of this, Leinbach said there will be a minimum 72-hour scrub turnaround.

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Engineers and managers will meet this afternoon to further refine their troubleshooting plan. NASA has scheduled a news conference at 4 p.m. to discuss today’s scrub and the plan.

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STS-134 Image Gallery

* View Gallery *.

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STS-130: Interactive Mission Timeline

Click HERE or on above image to view

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Safe Flight to the Crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-134...

And God Speed to NASA in getting them all up there and back... safe and sound.

AubreyJ.........

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