* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: STS121 launch

Blobrana · L

Satellite Visible/ infra red image taken at 11:02 UT

Blobrana · L

Despite the cracks Nasa has decided to go ahead with launch preparations.

The launch is still rescheduled to 18:38 GMT (14:38 EDT) on 4th July.

Blobrana · L

Technicians discovered a 12 centimetre long, and a centimetre wide, crack in the insulating foam of the shuttle's external tank on Monday.
This puts launch plans on Tuesday afternoon into question.
The crack was found near a bracket that holds an oxygen feed line in place.
NASA scheduled an afternoon news conference to announce its plans for Tuesday's scheduled Fourth of July launch.
Marion LaNasa, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, which makes the external tanks, declined to say how long any possible repair might take.

Blobrana · L

Today's launch has been Scrubbed due to the weather conditions.

The launch has been rescheduled to 18:38 GMT (14:38 EDT) on Tuesday.

Blobrana · L

Blobrana · L

Discovery's crew is now inside the shuttle.

CDR: Steven Lindsey
Pilot: Mark Kelly
MS 1: Michael Fossum
MS 2: Lisa M. Nowak
MS 3: Stephanie Wilson
MS 4: Piers Sellers
MS 5: Thomas Reiter

Blobrana · L

Mission specialist Stephanie Wilson.

Blobrana · L

False colour IR/Visible Image taken at 14:02 UT

Blobrana · L

Weather conditions are currently "no go" due to showers coming ashore from the Atlantic Ocean

False colour IR/Visible Image taken at 13:02 UT

No technical problems are being reported in the countdown and activities are proceeding for a second attempt to launch Discovery.
Launch is scheduled at 19:26 UT