Hell no! There've been enough things held back today!

New T-0 coming, DSN has a problem...

-the other Doug

Another delay

Arrrgh!

New TO

TBD

New time...

New T-0 19:50 Zulu.

-the other Doug

lol.....this isn't going to happen today.

all the websites are oveloaded

Hats off to these Launch control guys - the job needs the patience of saints and nerves of steel.
Not to mention all the serious tech brilliance...

The later is the afternoon, the better is the time, less windy...I hope that I have a good feeling that at the 2:50 pm is the real time.

Rodolfo

Tomorrow looks like another bad day.

Wednesday's forecast:
Morning showers, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Cooler. High 63F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Let's hope we have a launch today or else we may have to wait until Thursday.

Spaceflightnow.com:
1930 GMT (2:30 p.m. EST)
A poll of the New Horizons spacecraft and ground network team was just conducted. The were no problems reported, NASA says.

NO PROBLEMS?!?!?
There is still hope!

Not to mention the preparations... and technical + safety checks!

New T-0 20:05 Zulu.. No reason given.

-the other Doug

Another delay

Another new profile into the IMU

Looks like winds are within design limits.

Go Go Go !!!

-Please!

Arrrgh !

T0 20:05

Probably the last one given today's window

Another good step :
1939 GMT (2:39 p.m. EST)

The Cape launch team has received the latest flight profile for loading into the rocket. Officials are awaiting confirmation that the profile can withstand the current upper level winds.

Closing problems step by step until ring the 2:50 pm.

Rodolfo

For those of you keeping score at home...

T:0 times attempted today (EST):

1:24
1:45
2:10
2:30
2:50
3:05

Window closes at 3:23 pm. So, they may try 3:20 if 3:05 pm doesn't work out...

This is starting to get really intense.

I prefer the shuttle/ISS windows - 5 minutes or so per day and you are done. Or Delta II's one second.

"Starting" - it's been intense for hours.
I am gonna have to go down the Pub (Bar) after this and rehydrate.


Nick

(Beer is not just for Christmas)

Upper levels are still a problem.

At least there're no fishing boats above the launch sector, here at the coast they prefer to pay the fine during 'firing season' ( Anti-Aircraft missiles )

Increasingly looking like a scrub to me. Hopefully I'm wrong...

1955 GMT (2:55 p.m. EST)

The new timeline calls for the launch team readiness poll at 2:58 p.m., resumption of the countdown at 3:01 p.m. and liftoff at 3:05 p.m. EST (2005 GMT).

I'm lucky enough to be working from home today...someone stuck in a meeting is going to want to kill me, I'm sure.

I've got NASA TV on all three televisions on the house, so in case the tension gets too much and I have to take a break and pace around, I'll never be too far away.

And I've even held off coffee this AM since I know that with any amount of caffiene in my system, it really would be unbearable.

For liftoff, of course, I plan to run down to the big 50" downstairs...

--N

Poll finished, ANOTHER new T-0 at 20:23 Zulu, all factors acceptable *including* upper-level winds.

-the other Doug

They're now going for the very end of the launch window.

-the other Doug

End of launch window. It will go then.

Weren't they acceptable for the 3:05 window acceptable too?

argh!

C'mon, let's light this candle!

I was planning to have a drop of Middleton to toast her on her way but I think I too will be settling for a few beers if it's scrubbed.

I like your idea of rehydration. You've got the advantage that, what with time zones and all, that's a socially appropriate form of rehydration. Too much more and I'll have to sneak a whisky.

--(another) Nick

Well at least we know there will not be anoher T-0 today if this one isn't used...
GO ATLAS!!!

Just when the upper level winds went green, the ground level winds picked up.

Last chance for today, folks.

I just want it to get moving -- I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon (I need to get some work done on my right knee) at 21:00 Zulu, and this is going to be cutting it a little close...

-the other Doug

How much risk is there for launching exactly on the window boundary? If something in the process takes a second or two longer, will the window be missed by a few seconds? How much margin is built into the windows, in other words...

If it's a scrub, will the launch vehicle be brought in again ?
No confirmation on any onboard webcams ?

In the last minutes of a countdown, if something takes a few seconds longer than it should, the countdown computers would probably declare it an anomaly and stop the countdown. The actual liftoff is always within a tiny fraction of a second of when it is supposed to be.

I think the answer is pretty much "none." That's the danger now, if anything creeps up once the hold is released and we start counting, its game over for the day. They've used up their buffer time waiting out the wind.

On the positive side, the Atlas V seems to be about as "turn the key and watch it go" of a rocked as we've ever built.

--Nick

Not for a 24 hour scrub.

There are none on Atlas 5.

Well no onboard cams is a pitty and during the close-up views of the launch vehicle I was trying to find the attachment point but the Atlas V really looks to slick... and now let's move away from this page 13 of the topic

Great views of the base of the launcher ... lost the count on the number of camera's around this launchpad

I think you should!
I'm not a daytime drinker myself but I think this is one time you should make an exception, and drink a toast.

Mine's a pint of Bass.

Cheers

Nick

GO!!!!

All systems go!

Nick

Go, Go, Go, Go, Go, Go, Go ..

Lovely sounds. Especially the "Redline Monitor? Go" and "Launch Director, Go" at the end.

Wow, they are really giving it their best shot today.

If the yellow line stays below the red line for the next 5 minutes, we'll be on our way...
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countd.../chan1large.jpg

We're counting... *fingers crossed*...

C'mon, wind goddess -- blow just a little more gently!

-the other Doug