I have a feeling telling me to start this one...

From your blog: "...science, hard work and truth." Can't think of a better motto for this event...

Right now there is no news. And no news is good news. I hope there won't be any issues with first stage loading, tower retraction and so on. And the weather is on our side.

Yeah, sorry about the erroneous weather allusion on the other thread. Was using Google News, didn't note the source, but I think now that there's some advance concern for Endeavour, not Phoenix; either the article or I mixed things up.

GO PHOENIX!!!

Don't worry.
In case weather worsens for the first launch opportunity we could skip it and proceed with the second... I don't believe that weather is the big issue for tomorrow.

I hate to say it but that's pad B with Dawn's rocket :-\

Phoenix was on the left from your viewpoint.

Why's that picture on the Phoenix home page then?

Should we also be starting a "Phoenix Post-launch News" thread?

Ben,

How many cameras have you set up for the Phoenix launch?

TTT

A bunch of pictures of Phoenix' instruments were posted on Photojournal today. There's a nice illustration of the business end of the robotic arm:
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09949

I also note that that is number 9949 on Photojournal...should just be a couple weeks before they hit 10,000

--Emily

Ignore it. Despite having a nice layout, there are so many faults with the Phoenix website.

What's the status with the rollback? I woke up a little late and can't track the latest status...

watch here
http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/phoenix/status.html

The current update is already here.

That was damn fast to 10,003 gallons. I wish I could fill up our Ford Focus that fast

Doug

... and now, waiting for LOX fill By the way did you see the last update on NASA Website? Now only 10% chance of weather prohibiting launch.

Well the weather briefing guy just said 20% - but they almost never say less than that.

Doug

... and we have LOX fill ongoing Thumbs up for successful load!

Living in California, I went to bed around 10 PM to try to get 4 hours of sleep, before getting back on the comp around 2 AM to catch the last 26 minutes of the countdown. Needless to say, there's still an hour left before launch...and I obviously couldn't get back to sleep. Too much excitement!

EDIT: Weather officer HAS IMPROVED the launch weather forecast to 90%!

Nobody can sleep right know

now performing tests on the engines

I'm in

Here in France, the Sun is high in the sky but I'm awake since 7 a.m (paris local time, GMT+2). I have sleeping a little between 7 and now...

I am watching NasaTV and all seems to be okay, no?

howdy folks....

i'm in

These 'live' threads can get a bit crazy and pointless - so for those wanting something a bit like that...

UMSF Chat

Away on time, beautifully.

Parking orbit achieved SECO done !!!

Update from spaceflightnow.com

0936 GMT (5:36 a.m. EDT)

T+plus 9 minutes, 28 seconds. SECO 1. The second stage engine cutoff has occurred, completing the motor's first firing of the day. The Delta 2 rocket and Phoenix have arrived in a preliminary orbit around Earth following launch this morning from Cape Canaveral. The vehicle will coast for more than an hour before the second stage is re-ignited.

0938 GMT (5:38 a.m. EDT)

T+plus 12 minutes. The rocket has successfully achieved a parking orbit with an apogee of 90.09 miles, perigee of 89.98 miles and inclination of 28.5 degrees. That is right on the pre-planned orbit parameters.



The second stage engine will re-start at T+plus 73 minutes. No telemetry from the rocket is expected until then.

Yep, beautiful even on my shuddery, kaleidescopic Real Player window on dialup...!

Lost count of the number of times I've heard a launch commentator say "T minus 10... 9... 8..." but it still makes me sit forward in my chair and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up...

ken, stu, folks are on chat, click doug's link above

stu come join us in the Live Chat, we're killilng time till 2nd stage restart

Third stage ignition!

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/phoenix/status.html
Signal aquired!!!

We are on our way!!!

update from spaceflightnow.com

1210 GMT (8:10 a.m. EDT)

"The launch team did a spectacular job getting us on the way," said Barry Goldstein, Phoenix project manager. "Our trajectory is still being evaluated in detail; however we are well within expected limits for a successful journey to the red planet. We are all thrilled!"

and more from space.com
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/07080..._launchday.html

Red Planet Rising: NASA's Phoenix Probe Launches Towards Mars
By Tariq Malik
and Dave Mosher
posted: 4 August 2007

This story was updated at 7:09 a.m. ET (1109 GMT)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander lit up the predawn Florida sky Saturday, launching spaceward on a mission to determine whether the planet could have once supported primitive life.

A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket launched Phoenix towards Mars at 5:26:34 a.m. EDT (0926:34 GMT) from Pad 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The three-stage booster is bound for the flat northern plains of Vastitas Borealis near the martian north pole, where it is expected to dig into and sample the region's icy soil with its eight-foot (2.4-meter) robotic arm.

Wow...Wow! WOW!!!

Strange creatures we are...getting all excited, with tears in the eyes by seing a machine rising above a pilar of flames into the skies...

May now the journey be safe!

WOW!

Yes, Go, Phoenix!

And we want an article on SpacEurope

Let's see what we can do...I could do one on how the beach looks so incredible right now...

Next Stop... !!

We have another Mars vehicle for this year... Dawn! Eh, only a flyby, but it's better than nothing

Currently there's a press conference on NASA TV. The spacecraft is in an excellent health

Some nice launch pics on here...

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/194929

Does anyone understand what the 20 minute telemetry problem was?

Was it simply a problem getting data from the receiving stations to KSC?

TTT

I noticed that there's a 9 minute NASA TV launch replay posted on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PDAGcmUdTI

Great to watch, have played it about 5 times

Guys...Please just read the Peter Smith's reaction...
A mission with a PI like this can only be...incredible...
Pure poetry!
I can't wait...

Yes, that was poetic, Rui. I'm personally impressed that Peter Smith knows something of observational astronomy...get the feeling that he's making a life-long dream come true, and that's always a wonderful thing to watch!

Couldn't agree more, there is nothing more fullfilling than to see that glow in the eyes of some people's words...
To quote you...wonderful!

Peter Smith was quite eloquent after launch. It was such a pleasure to hear his moving and poetic story of the launch and the cloud of "Phoenix Bird" rising !

His eyes were absolutely glowing

He'll be a great PI with martian tales we'll long remember

be sure to take the time and listen to a replay of Saturday's press conference

While watching the launch, the engine plume reminded me more of the Phoenix Rising.
Click to view attachment

I think Peter Smith's phoenix in the cloud trail was good too, but the plume really caught my attention.
Hopefully all these spirit's of the Phoenix flying about will bode well for the rest of the mission.

Astro0

Any link to this ?

You'll see here two pictures of the launch including what Peter Smith was saying about the trajectory throught the constellations and onward to Mars :

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/phoenix/launchgallery/