News From Space!

As we wrap up Flight Day 1, Endeavour is orbiting the Earth, en route to a Friday docking with the ISS, with 6 Americans (including Educator Astronaut Barbara Morgan) and 1 Canadian aboard. NASA reports:

Endeavour and Crew Space Station Bound

Image above: Rising from clouds of smoke and steam, Space Shuttle Endeavour roars into the early evening sky as it lifts off Launch Pad 39A. Image credit: NASA/Todd Prough

Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off Launch Pad 39A right on time for a flawless beginning to mission the STS-118. With engines and boosters roaring and spectators cheering, the space shuttle headed spaceward as it cut through the late afternoon sky over Florida’s east coast.

08.08.07 - 7:35 p.m. EDT
NASA’s Administrator and top launch managers celebrated the flawless liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour Wednesday evening as the fulfillment of a legacy.

“A launch operation doesn’t get any better than this, it can’t,” Administrator Mike Griffin said following the launch.

The flight placed seven astronauts, a space station segment and 5,800 pounds of cargo and supplies into orbit and on the way to the International Space Station. The 11-day mission calls for attachment of the space station segment, transfer of the cargo and supplies and a test of a new power transfer system. If the system works, the mission would be extended to 14 days.

Teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan will also conduct several educational programs during the flight.

Some foam was observed falling off the External Tank, but it does not appear to have damaged the Orbiter’s heat shield. Launch pics here and here. Video clips here and here. Discussion here. FD-1 Status Report here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

Endeavour is chasing the ISS. A post-launch press conference is underway. NASA reports:

Endeavour Heads to Space Station

Image above: Space shuttle Endeavour separates from its external tank moments after entering orbit. Credit: NASA

Space Shuttle Endeavour and the STS-118 crew are now en route to the International Space Station. The STS-118 crew will continue the construction of the Station with the delivery and installation of the Starboard 5 (S5) truss segment.

Endeavour launched from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 6:36 p.m. EDT Wednesday and is scheduled to dock with the station at 1:53 p.m. Friday. At the time of launch the station was flying over the northern Atlantic Ocean southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineers Oleg Kotov and Clay Anderson will continue to prepare for the arrival of their visitors.

In addition to the S5, Endeavour is delivering supplies and equipment to the station.

+ Read about the ISS Progress 26 docking
+ Read more about Expedition 15
+ View crew daily timelines

Launch video here. Pics here.

Endeavour is on orbit, on her first flight since 2002. Did anyone else tense up when they said “Go at throttle up“? NASA reports:

Endeavour Lifts Off!

Image above: Space Shuttle Endeavour during liftoff. Photo credit: NASA

08.08.07 - 6:36 p.m. EDT
Cheers and shouts can be heard throughout the Space Center as Endeavour, carrying the STS-118 crew, roars off the launch pad into the late afternoon sky to begin the 22nd mission to the International Space Station.

Mission Information
+ STS-118 Mission Overview
+ STS-118 Fact Sheet (900 Kb PDF)
+ STS-118 NASA TV Schedule
+ STS-118 Briefing Animations

Preflight pics are up at Space.com, NASA’s JSC Gallery and KSC Gallery. Discussion here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

“Liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour, expanding the International Space Station while creating a classroom in space… Morgan racing toward space on the wings of a legacy.”

Closing the hatches… NASA reports:

Crew is on Board Endeavour

Launch Date: Aug. 8
Launch Time: 6:36 p.m. EDT

Image above: Space Shuttle Endeavour with the crew on board await lift off. Photo credit: NASA

08.08.07 - 5:15 p.m. EDT
The Closeout Crew members have run into a problem with “micro” switches associated with the crew hatch. They’re going to start over by re-opening and closing the hatch once again in an effort to get a good latch and seal. The astronauts are now going through final checks inside the orbiter to prepare for their journey to the International Space Station.

There is only a 10 percent chance of weather prohibiting a liftoff at 6:36 p.m. EDT.

Preflight pics are up at the JSC Gallery and KSC Gallery. Discussion here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

Endeavour will be lifting off tomorrow on mission STS-118 to the International Space Station. Among the crew will be Barbara Morgan, who was Christa McAuliffe’s backup for the ill-fated Challenger flight. NASA reports:

Countdown Proceeds Smoothly; First Lady Calls Barbara Morgan

Launch Date: Aug. 8
Launch Time: 6:36 p.m. EDT

08.07.07 - 10:20 a.m. EDT
On the morning before the scheduled liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour on the STS-118 mission, launch officials confirmed once again that the countdown is continuing as planned and no issues have surfaced.

Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters provided an updated forecast, which has improved even further to only a 20% chance that isolated rain showers could prohibit launch on Wednesday afternoon.
+ L-1 Weather Forecast

Mission STS-118 will be the first for Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, the teacher-turned-astronaut whose association with NASA began more than 20 years ago. First Lady Laura Bush called Morgan Tuesday morning to offer congratulations “one schoolteacher to another,” and to thank her for her commitment to the space program and to education.
+ White House News Release

On Monday night, workers finished loading the reactants for the orbiter’s three power-producing fuel cells. Checks of the space shuttle main engine’s avionics and pneumatic systems are planned today, along with inspections of the external tank, activation of ground support equipment, and crew equipment stowage in the crew module. Orbiter and ground communications systems will be powered up Tuesday afternoon prior to retraction of the pad’s rotating service structure, scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. EDT.

The 22nd flight to the International Space Station, STS-118 will be the first flight for Endeavour since 2002. Launch remains on target for Aug. 8 at 6:36 p.m. EDT

Mission Information
+ STS-118 Mission Overview
+ STS-118 Fact Sheet (900 Kb PDF)
+ STS-118 NASA TV Schedule
+ STS-118 Briefing Animations

Preflight pics are up at the JSC Gallery and KSC Gallery. Discussion here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.