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Update: See the mission details and more launch pictures in my STS-129 Space Shuttle Atlantis post.

The milestones of STS-129 Space Shuttle Atlantis launch (reverse order):

~ 19:37:43 GMT @ T+09:45 – Nominal MECO, OMS-1 not required.

- 19:36:31 GMT @ T+08:33 – External Tank (ET) separation.

External Tank (ET) Separation - Source: NASA TV

- 19:36:20 GMT @ T+08:22 -  The Main Engine Cut-off (MECO), zero thrust (at T+08:35). Atlantis has reach the planned orbit and is schedule to dock with the International Space Station on Flight Day 3.

- 19:35:13 GMT @ T+07:05 – Single engine press 104 – Atlantis can now reach planned orbit on a single engine at 104.5% throttle in case of two main engine failure.

- 19:35:05 GMT @ T+06:57 – Nominal shut down plan. Go for the plus X, and go for the pitch – The shuttle has can reach the planned elliptical orbit (before circularization) and without no a correction by the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) is necessary (OMS-1 not required). After the External Tank (ET) separation (SEP) the orbiter’s Reaction Control System (RCS) will execute a negative Z (in the direction up through the roof) translation maneuver to move the orbiter away from the ET. The “go for the pitch” refers to the ET Photo maneuver, which is a pitch around of the orbiter that allows the crew to take pictures of the tank out of the overhead windows.

- 19:34:48 GMT @ T+06:40 – Press to MECO (Main Engine Cut-off) and Single Engine Zaragoza 104 – Atlantis can now reach planned orbit in case of a single SSME failure and the Zaragoza TAL site on a single engine at 104.5% throttle.

- 19:33:33 GMT @ T+05:25 – Single Engine OPS-3 – Atlantis could now reach the designated TAL site with a single engine at Full Power Level (FPL), i.e 109% throttle, should two of the SSME’s fail.

- 19:32:57 GMT @ T+04:49 – Press to ATO select Zaragoza – Atlantis could now reach a safe 195 by 157 km orbit with two Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) throttled at Typical Mission Power Level (104.5%) in case of a single SSME failure. Should one of the engines fail the crew could execute the Abort To Orbit (ATO) maneuver (in case of TAL abort, the landing facility in Zaragoza, Spain would be used).

- 19:31:58 GMT @ T+03:50 – Negative Return – Atlantis has used too much fuel and is traveling too fast, too high and is too far to return to the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for a potential Return To Launch Site (RTLS) abort.

- 19:30:33 GMT @ T+02:25 – 2 engine Moron. Atlantis can now reach the Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) site in Moron in the case of a single engine failure.

- 19:30:12 GMT @ T+02:04 – Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) separation. Atlantis is at the altitude of 45 km, 40 km down range from the KSC, traveling at 5800 km/h (Mach 4).

Solid Rocket Booster (SBR) Separation - Source: NASA TV

~19:28:53 GMT @ ~T+00:45 – The shuttle passed Mach 1 while the engines were throttling down before Max-Q (the point of the greatest dynamic pressure)

Space Shuttle Atlantis moments after the liftoff completing the Roll Maneuver - Source: NASA TV

- 19:28:08 GMT @ T-00:00 – Lift-off. Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) ignition and lift-off of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-129 (ISS assembly flight ULF3) mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Solid Rocket Booster Ignition and Liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis - Source: NASA TV

- 19:28:01 GMT @ T-00:06.6 (and 06.48, 06.36) – The three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) start.

Space Shuttle Main Engines start - Source: NASA TV

- 19:27:59 GMT @ T-00:09 – The hydrogen burn-off system begins to eliminate free hydrogen exhausted into the main engine nozzles during the start sequence to prevent small, but potentially dangerous, explosions when the main engines ignite.

The hydrogen burn-off system begins to eliminate free hydrogen exhausted into the main engine nozzles - Source: NASA TV

- 19:27:53 GMT @ T-00:15 – The Sound Suppression Water System has been activated to protect Atlantis and the launch pad from acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and Mobile Launcher Platform during launch.

The Sound Suppression Water System has been activated to protect Atlantis and the launch pad from acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and Mobile Launcher Platform during launch - Source: NASA TV

- 19:27:37 GMT @ T-00:31 – Auto-sequence start. Atlantis’s on-board computers have primary control of all vehicle’s critical functions.

- 19:19:10 GMT: The countdown clock resumes at T-9min and counting.

- 17:32 GMT: Shuttle Atlantis’ hatch has been closed and latched for flight, the six STS-129 astronauts are strapped into their seats

- 15:59 GMT: The countdown clock resumes at T-3hr and counting.

The countdown clock resumes at T-3hrs - Source: NASA TV

- 15:39 GMT: The STS-129 crew leaves the crew quarters at the Operations and Checkout Building and board the Astrovan to head to the Pad 39A.

STS-129 crew members, from left, Robert Satcher, Mike Foreman, Randy Bresnik, Leland Melvin, Pilot Barry Wilmore, and Mission Commander Charlie Hobaugh stop and pose for a photograph before getting into the Astrovan and heading to launch pad 39A at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 - Source: NASA/Bill Ingalls

- 15:33 GMT: Final inspection team is on the pad looking for ice & frost buildup on the External Tank

- 12:51 GMT: The shuttle tanking went into a stable replenish and the countdown entered a 2.5 hour long inbuilt hold at T-3 hours.

- 11:50 GMT: The liquid hydrogen tanking has reached 98% and will transition from fast-full to top-off at 2700 l per minute.

- 10:42 GMT: Liquid oxygen tanking changes to fast-fill mode at almost 6,000 l per minute. Liquid hydrogen is also in fast-fill phase adding almost 32,000 liters every minute into the external tank (ET)

- 10:33 GMT: Launch teams began liquid oxygen tanking in the slow-fill phase adding 1,200 liters every minute.

- 10:03 GMT: Fueling of the External Tank began with liquid hydrogen (at 20K) started in the slow-fill mode and the liquid oxygen (at 90.188 K) will follow at 10:33 GMT.

Update 3: Official Ares I-X launch video:

Update 2: Ares I-X launch video:

Update 1: NASA has issued the following press release regarding the launch or Ares I-X

Today at 15:30 UTC, NASA launched Ares I-X from launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ares I-X is the first test flight of the Ares I launch system – part of NASA’s Constellation program to developer spacecraft and booster vehicles to replace the Space Shuttle and send astronauts back to the Moon and possibly to Mars.

The first launch attempt yesterday was scrubbed due to weather rule violations and, at one moment, a cargo ship which ventured into the splash down and debris fallout area. The weather today was not much better at first, with what seemed to be a never-ending violation of the triboelectrification rule, but about 15:20 UTC, NASA launch weather officer, Kathy Winters, declared the weather green for the launch attempt at 15:30.

Ares I-X ignition - Source: SpaceVidCast/NASA TV

Ares I-X liftoff - Source: SpaceVidCast/NASA TV

Prandtl-Glauert Singularity as Ares I-X reaches Mach 1 - Source: SpaceVidCast/NASA T

At about T+2 minutes and 04 seconds after the liftoff, the first stage have separated properly and continued coasting upward to an altitude of about 39.6 km before beginning its descent. The top part of the Ares 1-X rocket, called the upper stage and Orion crew module simulator, continued on an uncontrolled trajectory and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

Ares I-X First Stage Separation - Source: SpaceVidCast/NASA TV

STS-128 launch ascent flight control team video replay:

STS-128 launch from T-9 minutes to the Main Engine Cut-off (MECO):

Detailed launch time line between T-31s and MECO is available in my launch post.

For Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-128 17A) launch photos visit my twitter feed gallery

Information about out about visible ISS and shuttle passes at your location is available from heavens-above.

The ground track of ISS with its current position - The dashed part of the orbit path shows where the satellite is in the earth's shadow, and the full part is where it is sunlit - Source: Heavens-Above.com

The ground track of Space Shuttle Discovery with its current position - The dashed part of the orbit path shows where the orbiter is in the earth's shadow, and the full part is where it is sunlit - Source: Heavens-Above.com

Update 3 STS-128 launch ascent flight control team video replay:

Update 2

Viewed from the Banana River Viewing Site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery arcs through a cloud-brushed sky, lighted by the trail of fire after launch on the STS-128 mission - Photo Credit: NASA/Ben Cooper

Update 1: NASA Kennedy YouTube channel now has the launch video in SD.

Discovery's External Tank with the Moon in the background - Image Source: NASA TV

03:59:06 UTC @ T-00:31 – Auto-sequence start. Discovery’s on-board computers have primary control of all vehicle’s critical functions.

03:59:22 UTC @ T-00:15 – The Sound Suppression Water System has been activated to protect Discovery and the launch pad from acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and Mobile Launcher Platform during launch.

Sound Suppression Water System has been activated - Source: NASA TV

03:59:28 UTC @ T-00:09 – The hydrogen burn-off system begins to eliminate free hydrogen exhausted into the main engine nozzles during the start sequence to prevent small, but potentially dangerous, explosions when the main engines ignite.

The hydrogen burn-off system activated - Source: NASA TV

03:59:30 UTC @ T-00:06.6 (and 06.48, 06.36) – The three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) start.

Space Shuttle Main Engines start - Source: NASA TV

Solid Rocket Boosters ignition - Source: NASA TV

03:59:37 UTC @ T-00:00 – Lift-off. Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) ignition and lift-off of the Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 17A mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This is Discovery’s 37th flight overall and the 30th mission to the ISS. The seven crew members of STS-128, commanded by NASA veteran Frederick W. Sturckow (STS-88, STS-105, STS-117), will stay in space 12 days 18 hours and 9 minutes and are scheduled land at the Kennedy Space Center at 23:09 UTC on September 10. Mission Specialists John “Danny” Olivas, Christer Fuglesang and Nicole Stott will combined for total of 19.5 hours during 3 planned spacewalks (EVA) on flight days 5, 7 and 9.

Space Shuttle Discovery liftoff - Source: NASA TV

~04:00:22 UTC @ ~T+00:45 – The shuttle passed Mach 1 while the engines were throttling down before Max-Q (the point of the greatest dynamic pressure)

04:01:40 UTC @ T+02:03 – Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) separation. Discovery is at the altitude of 45 km, 40 km down range from the KSC, traveling at 5800 km/h (Mach 4).

04:02:07 UTC @ T+02:30 – 2 engine Moron. Discovery can now reach the Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) site in Moron in the case of a single engine failure.

04:03:30 UTC @ T+03:53 – Negative Return – Discovery has used too much fuel and is traveling too fast, too high and is too far to return to the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for a potential Return To Launch Site (RTLS) abort.

04:04:32 UTC @ T+04:55 – Press to ATO select Istres – Discovery could now reach a safe 195 by 157 km orbit with two Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) throttled at Typical Mission Power Level (104.5%) in case of a single SSME failure. Should one of the engines fail the crew could execute the Abort To Orbit (ATO) maneuver (in case of TAL abort, the landing facility in Istres, France would be used).

04:05:03 UTC @ T+05:26 – Single Engine OPS-3 – Discovery could now reach the designated TAL site with a single engine at Full Power Level (FPL), i.e 109% throttle, should two of the SSME’s fail.

04:05:48 UTC @ T+06:11 – Press to MECO (Main Engine Cut-off) and Single Engine Istres 104 – Discovery can now reach planned orbit in case of a single SSME failure and the Istres TAL site on a single engine at 104.5% throttle.

~04:06:34 UTC @ T+06:57 – Nominal shut down plan. Go for the plus X, no go for the pitch – The shuttle has reach the planned elliptical orbit (before circularization) and no correction by the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) is necessary (OMS-1 not required). After the External Tank (ET) separation (SEP) the orbiter’s Reaction Control System (RCS) will execute a negative Z (in the direction up through the roof) translation maneuver to move the orbiter away from the ET. The “no go for the pitch” refers to the ET Photo maneuver, which is a pitch around of the orbiter that allows the crew to take pictures of the tank out of the overhead windows. Because of the time of the launch, at ET SEP the orbiter will be in the darkness of the Earth’s shadow so ET photography would not yield useful data.

04:06:46 UTC @ T+07:09 – Single engine press 104 – Discovery can now reach planned orbit on a single engine at 104.5% throttle in case of two main engine failure.

04:08:01 UTC @ T+08:24 -  The Main Engine Cut-off (MECO), zero thrust (at T+08:35). Discovery has reach the planned orbit and is schedule to dock with the International Space Station on Flight Day 4.

04:08:01 UTC @ T+08:35 – External Tank (ET) separation.

External Tank separation - Source: NASA TV

~04:09:22 UTC @ T+09:45 – Nominal MECO, OMS-1 not required.

Seated are NASA astronauts Rick Sturckow (right), commander; and Kevin Ford, pilot. From the left (standing) are astronauts Jose Hernandez, John “Danny” Olivas, Nicole Stott, European Space Agency’s Christer Fuglesang and Patrick Forrester - Photo Source: NASA

STS-128 is the first spaceflight for the shuttle pilot Kevin Ford, the flight engineer for launch and landing Jose Hernandez and the flight engineer for Expedition 20 and 21  Nicole Stott who will take the place of Astronaut Time Kopra aboard the station until her return home in November aboard STS-129.

The STS-128 mission will deliver to the station the Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (Leonardo), whose main purpose is to assist with establishing a six-man crew capacity by providing extra supplies and equipment to the station, and the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC) with Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA).

The Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, so named for comedian Stephen Colbert, will be transferred to the station on flight day 5 and set up after Discovery undocks from the station. Stephen Colbert himself, recorded a message for NASA (watch the video below)…

Every mission carries out Detailed Test Objectives (DTO’s). STS-128 has 5 planned DTO’s. One of them, the Boundary Transition Layer, will be the second phase of an experiment commenced on STS-119 in March this year.

Boundary Layer Transition is a process occurring during the shuttle re-entry as the smooth air flow along the shuttle’s heat shield becomes turbulent. The experiment will measure the heat difference between the air flow using sensors (thermometers) installed in particular tiles on the shield. A protuberance tile with a quarter inch (0.9cm) “speed bump” has been installed on Discovery’s heat shield. The tile will intentionally disrupt the smooth air flow and allow data gathering at Mach 18 during the re-entry.

Space Shuttle During Re-Entry - Source: NASA

24/7 coverage of the STS-128 mission will be available on NASA TV. You can also follow the Space Shuttle Discovery and the ISS in real time through NASA’s real time tracking. Information about out about visible ISS passes at your location is available from heavens-above.

The ground track of ISS with its current position - The dashed part of the orbit path shows where the satellite is in the earth's shadow, and the full part is where it is sunlit - Source: Heavens-Above.com

The next mission to the ISS will be STS-129 planned to launch on November 12 at 21:11 UTC. The Space Shuttle Atlantis will deliver two large External Logistics Carriers holding various instruments for the station.

Discovery next flight is scheduled for March 18, 2010. The STS-131 mission (assembly flight 19A) will deliver the the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. The mission will also attach a spare ammonia tank assembly outside the station and return a European experiment that has been outside the Columbus module.

Space shuttle Discovery is poised for liftoff on the STS-128 mission. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

At 22:52 UTC another launch attempt of the Space Shuttle Discovery has been scrubbed after the fill-and-drain valve inside space shuttle Discovery’s aft compartment developed a problem during the External Tank (ET) tanking. STS-128 Flight Director Pete Nikolenko gave the order to stop the taking of ET with liquid hydrogen after the fill-and-drain value failed to close when instructed. The valve is actually two valves in series, one outboard and one inboard. Both need to be closed for the flight, but if they malfunction in the closed state, NASA would not be able to drain the tank (after a scrub or a delay).

Although the next launch windows open on Thursday at 04:42:49 UTC (with preferred launch time at 04:47:49) and on Friday at 04:17:07 UTC (launch targeted for 04:22:07), the date and time of the next launch attempt are currently unknown. NASA engineers need to first gather data and to determine whether there was an actual problem with the valve itself or a faulty indicator was the culprit tonight.

Space Shuttle Discovery on the Launch Pad 39-A as the liquid oxygen starts to flow into the External Tank - Image Source: NASA TV

Update: Despite several launch windows with favorable ISS orbit alignment in the following days, Discovery’s last day to attempt the launch before mid-October is August 31 (at 03:11:21 UTC). Once the August 31 window closes (at 03:16:21 UTC) Discovery wouldn’t be able to undock before the Japanese and Russion missions arrive at the ISS.

After a successful launch from the KSC at 22:03:10 UTC on July 15, the  Space Shuttle Endeavour is now playing a catch-up with the International Space Station (ISS) where it is planned to dock on Friday at around 18:00 UTC.

Today the crew was awaken at 12:03 UTC to the sounds of “These Are Days” by the 10,000 Maniacs played especially for astronaut Tim Kopra. Shortly afterward, the crew commenced routine in-orbit procedures with the unberthing of the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) via the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), to examine Endeavour’s wing and nose cap, before heading to the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) Pods to check for any tile damage.

At 16:58 UTC, the crew is scheduled to perform Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Checkout to ensure that their system providing environmental protection, life support, and communications during extra-vehicular activity (EVA) will function properly. Next, the STS-127 astronauts will conduct the Rendezvous Tool Checkout, examine the Centerline Camera Installation and the Orbiter Docking System (ODS) Ring Extension. Finally, the crew is scheduled to go to sleep at 03:03 UTC and wake up at 11:03 UTC on Friday to being preparations for the docking with the ISS.

The ground track of Space Shuttle Endeavour - STS127 with its current position - The dashed part of the orbit path shows where the satellite is in the earth's shadow, and the full part is where it is sunlit - Source: Heavens-Above.com

The ground track of ISS with its current position - The dashed part of the orbit path shows where the satellite is in the earth's shadow, and the full part is where it is sunlit - Source: Heavens-Above.com

Follow the mission via commander Mark Polansky twitter updates. Coverage of the STS-127 mission is available on NASA TV [updated NASA TV schedule is available here]. Space Shuttle Endeavour and the ISS real time position data is @ NASA’s real time tracking. Information about out about visible ISS passes at your location is available from heavens-above.