STS-120

[DaveS]

NASA TV schedule is now listing the start time for launch and mission coverage at 6:30 am Eastern time on Oct. 23.

[DaveS]

Now that the launch has been approved for Oct. 23, here's my NASA TV events times:

October 19, Friday
12:30 p.m. - STS-120 crew arrival at SLF for launch

October 20, Saturday
10 a. m. - L-3 day Countdown Status Briefing

October 21, Sunday
10 a.m. - L-2 day Countdown Status Briefing
NET 4 p.m. - Post-Launch Readiness Review pressconference

October 22, Monday
10 a.m. - L-1 day Countdown Status Briefing

October 23, Tuesday
6:30 a.m. - Launch and mission coverage

All times are US Eastern time.

[DaveS]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-140

NASA SETS SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY PRELAUNCH EVENTS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours
for NASA's Kennedy Space Center News Center are set for the upcoming
launch of space shuttle Discovery. The STS-120 mission to the
International Space Station is set to lift off at 11:38 a.m. EDT on
Oct. 23.

On Friday, Oct. 19, the seven Discovery crew members are scheduled to
arrive at the Kennedy Space Center at 12:30 p.m. Badged media
planning to cover the event must be at Kennedy's News Center by 11
a.m. for transportation to the Shuttle Landing Facility. Commander
Pam Melroy will make a brief statement to media. NASA Television will
provide live coverage.

NASA TV also will broadcast live countdown status briefings and news
conferences Oct. 20-22. Complete listings of news briefing times and
participants as well as hours of operation for the Kennedy News
Center and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/index.html

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For the latest information about the STS-120 crew and mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

-end-

STS-120 BRIEFING & EVENTS SCHEDULE
(All time are Eastern)

All briefings are held inside the Kennedy Press Site auditorium and
will be carried live on NASA TV unless otherwise noted.

L-4 Days - Friday, Oct. 19

12:30 p.m. - STS-120 crew arrival at Shuttle Landing Facility

L-3 Days - Saturday, Oct. 20

10 a.m. - Countdown Status Briefing
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA Test Director
- Glenn Chin, STS-120 Payload Manager
- Kathy Winters, Shuttle Weather Officer

2 p.m. - Launch countdown officially begins (not on NASA TV)

L-2 Days - Sunday, Oct. 21

10 a.m. - Countdown Status Briefing
- Jeff Spaulding, NASA Test Director
- Glenn Chin, STS-120 Payload Manager
- Kathy Winters, Shuttle Weather Officer

1 p.m. (no earlier than) - STS-120 Launch Readiness News Conference
- LeRoy Cain, Launch Integration Manager, Space Shuttle Program
- Mike Leinbach, Space Shuttle Launch Director
- Alan Thirkettle, ISS Program Manager, ESA
- Mauro Piermaria, ASI ESPERIA Mission Manager
- Kathy Winters, Shuttle Weather Officer

L-1 Day - Monday, Oct. 22

10 a.m. - Countdown Status Briefing
- Steve Payne, NASA Test Director
- Kathy Winters, Shuttle Weather Officer

11:30 a.m. - Live Astronaut Webcast with Sandra Magnus

1 p.m. - Constellation Briefing
- Mark Geyer, Deputy Manager, Constellation Program
- Mark Kirasich, Deputy Manager, Orion Project
- Bob Ess, Manager, Ares 1-X Project

3 p.m. - Rotating Service Structure moves to launch position

Launch Day - Tuesday, Aug. 7

6:30 a.m. - Live launch commentary begins

Launch Day Crew Activities: (times may vary slightly)
1:30 a.m. -- Crew wakes up (not on NASA TV)
7:08 a.m. -- Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2) (not on NASA TV)
7:08 a.m. -- Astronauts don flight suits
7:48 a.m. -- Depart for launch pad
8:18 a.m. -- Arrive at white room and begin ingress
9:33 a.m. -- Close crew hatch
11:38 a.m. -- Launch

Launch + 1 hour - Post-launch News Conference
- Chris Scolese, NASA Associate Administrator
- Bill Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator for Space Operations
- LeRoy Cain, Mission Management Team
- Mike Leinbach, Space Shuttle Launch Director

[DaveS]

The Rev. 0 NASA TV schedule for the STS-120/10A mission is now available here: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/mission_schedule.html

[DaveS]

The first early launch weather forecast has been issued:

STS-120 Launch Weather Forecast
Vehicle: STS-120, Discovery
Issued: 19 October 2007/ 1130Z (0730EDT)
Valid: 23 October 2007/ 1533 - 1547Z (1133 ? 1147EDT)

Synoptic Discussion: Westerly wind flow is currently present in the low and mid-levels over Kennedy Space
Center, and the air mass is warm and moist. A sea breeze will develop this afternoon adding the trigger that will
cause afternoon thunderstorms. Saturday, a cold front will move into the area with the potential for isolated
showers and thunderstorms. This boundary will not progress very far to the south, and by Sunday, the boundary
will begin returning from the south moving through Central Florida late Sunday/early Monday. On launch day, high
pressure will be located off of the east coast of the US causing southeasterly flow over the east coast of Central
Florida, bringing a threat for coastal showers and cumulus cloud development at the onset of the east coast sea
breeze near launch time. Our primary concerns for launch day are cumulus clouds and showers. The
weather pattern remains similar the following two days as well.

Probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch: 40%
Probability of KSC weather prohibiting tanking: 10%
Primary concern(s): Cumulus clouds, showers.

Probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch for 24-hour delay 40%
Probability of KSC weather prohibiting tanking: 10%
Primary concern(s): Cumulus clouds, showers.

Probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch for 48-hour delay 30%
Probability of KSC weather prohibiting tanking: 10%
Primary concern(s): Cumulus clouds, showers.

Next forecast will be issued: 20 October 2007, 0800 EDT

[DaveS]

Space Shuttle Crew Heads for Florida

The Shuttle Training Aircraft carrying the STS-120 astronauts is headed to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  The jet departed Ellington Field in Texas at about 11:24 a.m. EDT. The crew is expected to land at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility between 1 and 1:30 p.m. Their arrival will be carried live on NASA TV.

[DaveS]

Flight crew has arrived at the SLF!

[DaveS]

NASA managers overseeing the launch preparations for STS-120 said space shuttle Discovery is ready for two weeks in space.

"All of our systems are in good shape," NASA Test Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said.

The extensive staff of engineers who conduct the countdown will report to the Launch Control Center on Saturday afternoon and the countdown will begin at 2 p.m.

The Italian-built Harmony module Discovery is carrying to the International Space Station is also in good shape, payload manager Glenn Chin said. The station segment weighs more than 31,000 pounds and will serve as a connecting point for laboratory modules from NASA and the European and Japanese space agencies.

Weather officer Kathy Winters pointed to some concerns that rain showers and clouds could interfere with Discovery's launch. She said there is a 60 percent chance of favorable weather at launch time. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:38 a.m. Tuesday.

Discovery's crew of seven astronauts arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Friday. They have been going through final checklists and preparations of their own for Tuesday's planned lift off.

Crew members Pam Melroy and George Zamka flew simulated space shuttle landings early Saturday morning aboard a Gulfstream business jet modified to mimic the flight characteristics of a gliding shuttle.

STS-120 is scheduled to return to Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility at 4:47 a.m. Nov. 6.

[DaveS]

S0007 CTS has occured on time. The countdown will begin at T-1 day, 19 hours and it is the equivalent to T-43 hours in the overall countdown which includes 28 hours of hold time.

The countdown begins approx. 70 hours before targeted lift-off time. At Launch Complex 39A the aft engine compartment has been closed out for flight and the flight doors have been installed for launch.

[DaveS]

T-43 hours and counting! S0007 ops are now in work by the launch team. Primary work will be focused on reading the launch pad facilities and Discovery for the loading of the cryogenic reactants for the three power producing fuel cells into storage spheres beneath the payload bay liner. This is scheduled to start at 11:30 am EDT tommorow with the loading of liquid oxygen.

[DaveS]

A webbased version of the KSC Pressite countdown clock can be viewed here: http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/cdt/

[DaveS]

T-27 hours and holding for 4 hours!

[DaveS]

T-27 hours and counting!

[Admin]

Briefing on NASA TV at this moment.

/Admin

[DaveS]

Briefing on NASA TV at this moment.

/Admin

Yep. Working no technical issues, tracking according to schedule on the S0007 bar chart. PRSD LO2 servicing at 11:30 am to 2 pm EDT. Picking up PRSD LH2 servicing at 2 pm through 4:30 pm EDT.

Weather on Tuesday is still 40% of KSC weather conditions prohibiting launch. Wednesday is 40% with Thursday at 30%.

Also, the L-2 MMT meeting has wrapped up far earlier than anticipated and the press conference is now scheduled for 11 am EDT, in 25 minutes.