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 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

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.

Tough luck COLBRET, you’ll need to wait (at least) one more day.

Space shuttle Discovery is ready for liftoff on the STS-128 mission - Photo Source: NASA TV