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good morning thank you for joining us

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here at nasa's kennedy space center in

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florida for space shuttle discovery's

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sts-133 l minus two countdown status

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briefing joining me today is steve payne

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nasa test director good morning and

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kathy winters shuttle weather officer

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good morning

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we'll hear from our panelists and then

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take questions steve thank you kennedy

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well i'm always happy to be here to give

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you status on the progress of our launch

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countdown much has happened since last

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time we spoke

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over the last few months the team has

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been very busy affecting repairs of the

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external tank and making it stronger

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than ever

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we've also resolved our problem with our

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hydrogen vent system leak and are now

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ready to fly again discovery's poised to

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lift off on thursday afternoon bound for

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the international space station to do

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what she does best

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this will be her 39th and final flight

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she's going to be carrying the permanent

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multi-purpose module and the express

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logistics carrier to the international

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space station

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with her visit to the station she will

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join five other spacecraft from

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international partners the htv-2

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the atv2

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progress and soyuz modules this is what

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the iss was meant to be a truly

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international orbiting orbiting

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laboratory

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our launch countdown is proceeding

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smoothly and is on schedule we're

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working only one minor issue we have a

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slight internal leakage on a reaction

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control system regulator however we've

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seen this condition before it is well

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within acceptable limits and we're going

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to accept it for flight it should be

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waived here shortly

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our call to stations took place

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yesterday at 2 30 p.m

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and we have now completed check on

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configuration of avionic systems we've

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completed preparations for fuel cell

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reactant loading and have cleared our

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pad

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we completed our

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pyrotechnic systems and range safety

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systems checks and they were successful

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and we're scheduled to begin purging the

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mid-body with inert gas shortly in

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preparation for the reactant loading

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which should begin at around 12 30 this

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afternoon

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we should be loading through about 6 pm

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tonight at which point we'll reopen the

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pad and go into a four hour offload

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period where we'll take off

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approximately 120 pounds of liquid

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oxygen

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we'll also begin initial ground systems

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preparations for external tank loading

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on thursday morning

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at three o'clock on wednesday morning

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we'll begin main engine powerup and

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avionics checkout as well as check out

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of the engine pneumatics and health

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monitoring systems

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during the day we'll begin removal of

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ground instrumentation and other

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miscellaneous equipment not required at

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the pad for launch

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our t-minus 11 hold begins at 11 o'clock

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on wednesday

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during that time we'll begin retracting

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access platforms the engine support

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platforms or orbital weather protection

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uh conducting inspections of the

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external tank and taking closeout

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photography

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checkout of the orbiter and ground

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communications network is planned for

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wednesday afternoon at 2 30.

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our final flight crew equipment stowage

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begins at 4 o'clock on wednesday

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afternoon where they install the mid

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deck experiments and other perishable

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items

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our rotating service structure is

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scheduled to be retracted at 8 o'clock

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eight pm on wednesday evening

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at which point we'll begin our final

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crew module stowage for for

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load and perform our ascent switch list

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starting about 9 30 verifying all switch

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positions for launch

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the countdown clock should resume its

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count at t minus 11 hours on thursday

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morning at 25 minutes after midnight

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at which point we'll begin our final

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loading preparations activate fuel cells

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and begin clearing the pad just after

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two o'clock in the morning on thursday

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we plan to begin tanking on thursday

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morning at 7 25 a.m and that should take

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coincident with the end of our tanking

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we have our atv ii docking which should

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take place at about 10 45 in the morning

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just after we send our final inspection

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teams and close our crews to the pad

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if all is successful with atv will

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continue through us a launch on thursday

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the flight crew will arrive at the pad

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for ingress at about 1 30 pm our launch

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window is standard for an iss mission

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it's about 10 minutes long we typically

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target the middle of the window wind

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opens at 16 45 4 45 pm

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middle of the window sometime just after

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4 50 pm

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we have flight day three opportunities

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on our first day on thursday

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every other day after that every odd day

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on the calendar is flight day three and

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flight day four opportunities

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that would add about three minutes to

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our launch window should we choose to

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use those opportunities

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we have

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available opportunities up to march 6th

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at which point we run into a constraint

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with our dual docked operations with

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soyuz

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that may have some flexibility at it

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because we're considering an operation

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on orbit uh where we're going to go try

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to photograph all the all the vehicles

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out there at the same time

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get a family picture and see some

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interesting imagery we've never seen at

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the space station before

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so that constraint might be relaxed and

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we may get another couple of days at the

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end of that if need be

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we have some range constraints there are

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two other rockets that are going to be

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launching in and near to us there's the

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atlas 5 which launches march 4th

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and there's range reconfiguration the

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day prior for that

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and the day after

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there's also a delta iv which launches

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on march 11th and it has range

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reconfiguration days on either side as

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well

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so we would get our first three attempts

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fairly easy we could work on the 27th if

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we needed it we'd have to negotiate with

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our other rockets on the range if we

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needed additional days

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we have three in a row available if we

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needed to for the 24th fifth and sixth

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and then we'd have to work each other

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option as it came we have no beta angle

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concerns until april 7th so that's not

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an issue for us

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we have a ample pad hold time with eight

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days of liquid hydrogen and nine days of

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liquid oxygen available to us

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because we have the offload we don't

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have the 48 hour turnaround with top off

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we can just do a standard 48 hour

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turnaround

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it should be an 11 day plus one

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contingency day should we choose

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to take the opportunity to do the fly

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around with a soyuz vehicle that would

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add a plus one day to the mission and it

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would give us some constraints on our

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launch day because of that

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our end of mission is currently planned

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for ksc at about 12 44 eastern on monday

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at the moment everything's going well

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with a countdown i can tell you my own

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opinion but uh we all take immense pride

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in the work and the accomplishments of

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the team and of this vehicle and we're

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all looking forward to a successful

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launch on thursday

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thank you thank you steve kathy

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well weather does look very favorable

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for the next few days coming up into

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launch um we do have a high pressure

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ridge that's built in the upper levels

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over the gulf of mexico and florida with

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that that's blocking a lot of the

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frontal

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boundaries that come in and they just

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mainly stay to the north and we may get

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the dry end of a front for example

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tomorrow you won't really notice it too

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much we'll get a dry

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frontal passage and the winds will just

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shift around to the north so overall

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really no significant weather

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expected through launch day if we happen

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to delay a day or two then we start

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getting a concern that one of the fronts

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will come into the area as the upper

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level ridge does break down some and

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that could cause concern for showers

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within 20 nautical miles and a ceiling

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low cloud ceiling

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chance of kc weather prohibiting launch

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just a slight concern for a shower in

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the area or a low cloud ceiling

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looking at our satellite picture you can

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see there is a pleasant weather over

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florida we did have some fog this

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morning that tends to happen when we get

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into this situation

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but overall the weather is good and is

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going to remain good all the way through

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all of our pre-launch processing and

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into launch day

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and going into our tanking forecast then

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for tanking there's just a chance that

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we could get some isolated coastal

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showers in the morning due to we'll be

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in a southeast flow there'll be a high

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pressure ridge off to our northeast

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putting us in a southeast low and

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sometimes we get some convergent bands

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off of the bahamas when this occurs

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that's not expected though to violate

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any constraints we aren't expecting any

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lightning so with that we have a zero

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percent chance of ksc weather

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prohibiting tanking

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now as we get to launch those showers

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tend to dissipate in the afternoon as

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the air temperature warms up and so with

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that weather does look favorable for

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launch with just scattered skies winds

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from the southeast 14 peaking at 20

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knots a little bit gusty but well within

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the constraints i'm going right up the

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runway also for rtls there

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temperature around 73 degrees and just a

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20 chance of kc weather prohibiting

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launch

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for srb recovery it's just going to be a

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little bit bumpy out there due to the

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winds being a little bit strong from the

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southeast 12 gusts into 18 knots so we

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do expect seas to be about five to six

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feet but again this is no constraint for

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srb recovery

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spaceflight meteorology group is

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forecasting some concerns at the abort

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landing sites in the u.s

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we do have edwards air force base winds

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expected to gust up to 30 knots this is

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a

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dust visibility coming down due to

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the wind kicking up some dust out there

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but the wind the winds are within

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constraints

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and for our tile weather forecast we do

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have a good towel site we have a couple

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actually zaragoza and marone

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we do have concern space light

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meteorology group is forecasting winds

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being a bit gusty there at estrus

282
00:09:23,829 --> 00:09:22,480
gusting up to 28 knots

283
00:09:27,430 --> 00:09:23,839
and with that that is a headwind

284
00:09:29,590 --> 00:09:27,440
constraint of 27 knots

285
00:09:31,269 --> 00:09:29,600
if we happen to delay 24 hours we start

286
00:09:32,949 --> 00:09:31,279
to become more concerned about showers

287
00:09:35,350 --> 00:09:32,959
in the area due to that front that's

288
00:09:37,350 --> 00:09:35,360
going to be moving into northern florida

289
00:09:39,269 --> 00:09:37,360
still overall it's not too bad but just

290
00:09:42,310 --> 00:09:39,279
additional concerns bumps our number up

291
00:09:44,389 --> 00:09:42,320
to a 30 percent chance of ksc weather

292
00:09:45,910 --> 00:09:44,399
prohibiting launch primary concern being

293
00:09:47,670 --> 00:09:45,920
showers within 20 nautical miles of the

294
00:09:49,990 --> 00:09:47,680
shuttle landing facility and a low cloud

295
00:09:51,670 --> 00:09:50,000
ceiling

296
00:09:52,949 --> 00:09:51,680
abort landing sites are still having

297
00:09:54,790 --> 00:09:52,959
some bad weather out there that's really

298
00:09:57,269 --> 00:09:54,800
expected to last into or the early

299
00:09:58,630 --> 00:09:57,279
portion of next week as our long wave

300
00:10:00,389 --> 00:09:58,640
weather pattern pretty much stays the

301
00:10:03,430 --> 00:10:00,399
same until that time and so with edwards

302
00:10:05,190 --> 00:10:03,440
again winds gusting up to 29 knots

303
00:10:06,949 --> 00:10:05,200
and this is a again a headwind

304
00:10:08,870 --> 00:10:06,959
constraint and a tailwind constraint

305
00:10:10,790 --> 00:10:08,880
also for northrop field we do again have

306
00:10:12,550 --> 00:10:10,800
visibility coming down due to

307
00:10:14,310 --> 00:10:12,560
the windy weather kicking up

308
00:10:17,269 --> 00:10:14,320
some sand and dust and with that we also

309
00:10:19,750 --> 00:10:17,279
have a crosswind constraint violation of

310
00:10:22,150 --> 00:10:19,760
26 knots so the crosswind would be 23

311
00:10:23,990 --> 00:10:22,160
knot component

312
00:10:26,069 --> 00:10:24,000
and for towel sites weather looks great

313
00:10:28,389 --> 00:10:26,079
on second day at the tile sites all

314
00:10:31,750 --> 00:10:28,399
three tile sites are forecast by space

315
00:10:34,389 --> 00:10:31,760
space flight meteorology group to be go

316
00:10:35,750 --> 00:10:34,399
if we happen to delay 48 hours this is

317
00:10:37,990 --> 00:10:35,760
where the frontal boundary does move

318
00:10:39,670 --> 00:10:38,000
into the central florida area possibly

319
00:10:41,269 --> 00:10:39,680
passing just to our south and if that

320
00:10:43,030 --> 00:10:41,279
occurs it's really mainly passing

321
00:10:45,509 --> 00:10:43,040
through only at the surface

322
00:10:47,750 --> 00:10:45,519
the fronts come in at a tilt if you will

323
00:10:49,670 --> 00:10:47,760
and so the entire front really isn't

324
00:10:51,750 --> 00:10:49,680
through our area yet when this occurs we

325
00:10:53,509 --> 00:10:51,760
tend to get low cloud ceilings so our

326
00:10:55,190 --> 00:10:53,519
primary concern if we happen to delay to

327
00:10:57,430 --> 00:10:55,200
saturday would be a ceiling at around

328
00:10:58,630 --> 00:10:57,440
5000 feet and it would really depend on

329
00:11:00,870 --> 00:10:58,640
the thickness of the ceiling at that

330
00:11:02,870 --> 00:11:00,880
point and if that's a violation and

331
00:11:05,350 --> 00:11:02,880
anything below 5000 would also be an

332
00:11:07,350 --> 00:11:05,360
rtls violation we also are concerned

333
00:11:09,269 --> 00:11:07,360
just the chance of showers in the area

334
00:11:11,430 --> 00:11:09,279
as well so with that we did increase the

335
00:11:14,710 --> 00:11:11,440
probability on this day of ksc weather

336
00:11:16,069 --> 00:11:14,720
prohibiting launch to 40 percent

337
00:11:17,990 --> 00:11:16,079
spaceflight meteorology groups still

338
00:11:19,910 --> 00:11:18,000
forecasting pretty bad conditions out

339
00:11:22,710 --> 00:11:19,920
there at the abort landing sites out

340
00:11:24,550 --> 00:11:22,720
west with a ceiling at edwards at 4 000

341
00:11:26,870 --> 00:11:24,560
feet still wind concerns and still

342
00:11:29,269 --> 00:11:26,880
concerns for showers within 30 nautical

343
00:11:30,949 --> 00:11:29,279
miles and again also at northrop field

344
00:11:32,790 --> 00:11:30,959
again windy weather violating

345
00:11:34,550 --> 00:11:32,800
constraints and also the visibility

346
00:11:36,310 --> 00:11:34,560
coming down due to the sand and dust in

347
00:11:38,630 --> 00:11:36,320
the area

348
00:11:40,550 --> 00:11:38,640
so overall the first day for launch

349
00:11:41,990 --> 00:11:40,560
weather is our oh excuse me i'm sorry i

350
00:11:43,910 --> 00:11:42,000
forgot to brief day three on the tile

351
00:11:45,750 --> 00:11:43,920
sites if we happen to delay 48 hours we

352
00:11:47,509 --> 00:11:45,760
do have two good towel sites both at

353
00:11:49,509 --> 00:11:47,519
zaragosa and marone with estrus just

354
00:11:51,350 --> 00:11:49,519
having a concern there due to a frontal

355
00:11:53,829 --> 00:11:51,360
boundary in the area of showers within

356
00:11:55,509 --> 00:11:53,839
20 nautical miles

357
00:11:57,430 --> 00:11:55,519
so overall weather does look good on

358
00:11:59,350 --> 00:11:57,440
launch day 20 chance of kc weather

359
00:12:01,030 --> 00:11:59,360
prohibiting launch if we happen to delay

360
00:12:02,389 --> 00:12:01,040
a day or two then we start just to get

361
00:12:04,949 --> 00:12:02,399
more concerned about weather due to a

362
00:12:07,030 --> 00:12:04,959
frontal boundary coming into the area

363
00:12:08,629 --> 00:12:07,040
that's all you have thank you we'll now

364
00:12:09,990 --> 00:12:08,639
take questions when the microphone comes

365
00:12:11,190 --> 00:12:10,000
your way please state your name

366
00:12:12,389 --> 00:12:11,200
affiliation and to whom you're

367
00:12:14,949 --> 00:12:12,399
addressing your question we'll start

368
00:12:17,910 --> 00:12:14,959
with marcia marcia done associated press

369
00:12:19,910 --> 00:12:17,920
for steve for the final inspection team

370
00:12:21,269 --> 00:12:19,920
um are you sending extra people out

371
00:12:22,310 --> 00:12:21,279
doing anything

372
00:12:25,190 --> 00:12:22,320
extra

373
00:12:26,790 --> 00:12:25,200
because of the potential for cracks even

374
00:12:28,870 --> 00:12:26,800
though you believe you fixed all that

375
00:12:30,949 --> 00:12:28,880
problem uh we're sending the same size

376
00:12:32,470 --> 00:12:30,959
team uh what they're doing differently

377
00:12:35,430 --> 00:12:32,480
is that they're going to specifically

378
00:12:37,110 --> 00:12:35,440
take pictures of our locks in lh2 flange

379
00:12:39,269 --> 00:12:37,120
area to make sure that

380
00:12:41,430 --> 00:12:39,279
we've have good imagery of everything we

381
00:12:42,790 --> 00:12:41,440
have a good long hard look at it and we

382
00:12:44,790 --> 00:12:42,800
can send it back and have the team look

383
00:12:46,470 --> 00:12:44,800
at it before we go

384
00:12:48,470 --> 00:12:46,480
we don't expect any problems it's

385
00:12:50,870 --> 00:12:48,480
stronger than it was when it was new

386
00:12:52,310 --> 00:12:50,880
but just in case

387
00:12:53,350 --> 00:12:52,320
and another question for you you

388
00:12:55,910 --> 00:12:53,360
mentioned you might have some

389
00:12:58,150 --> 00:12:55,920
flexibility beyond march 6 depending on

390
00:12:59,350 --> 00:12:58,160
because of the soyuz fly around and i

391
00:13:01,670 --> 00:12:59,360
i'm not sure i understand the

392
00:13:03,590 --> 00:13:01,680
relationship between those two events in

393
00:13:05,110 --> 00:13:03,600
the past we have not really wanted to be

394
00:13:06,550 --> 00:13:05,120
flying other vehicles around when the

395
00:13:07,509 --> 00:13:06,560
when the shuttle was parked at the

396
00:13:09,750 --> 00:13:07,519
station

397
00:13:12,310 --> 00:13:09,760
because there are some some concerns

398
00:13:14,150 --> 00:13:12,320
about the plume impingement uh on the on

399
00:13:16,230 --> 00:13:14,160
the vehicle's windows because of the

400
00:13:18,310 --> 00:13:16,240
unique configuration we're in this time

401
00:13:19,590 --> 00:13:18,320
our the htv vehicle is parked right in

402
00:13:21,269 --> 00:13:19,600
front of the window so it's protecting

403
00:13:22,389 --> 00:13:21,279
it from any plume that the soyuz might

404
00:13:23,910 --> 00:13:22,399
generate

405
00:13:26,389 --> 00:13:23,920
so the plan they've come up with is very

406
00:13:28,389 --> 00:13:26,399
benign it protects us from the concerns

407
00:13:29,670 --> 00:13:28,399
we had and

408
00:13:31,910 --> 00:13:29,680
given that

409
00:13:33,750 --> 00:13:31,920
we're not quite as concerned

410
00:13:35,670 --> 00:13:33,760
about launching with another vehicle up

411
00:13:37,110 --> 00:13:35,680
there that may be coming or going

412
00:13:38,949 --> 00:13:37,120
so we have a little bit of flexibility

413
00:13:41,110 --> 00:13:38,959
where we normally wouldn't go

414
00:13:43,030 --> 00:13:41,120
if we choose to do this we may have a

415
00:13:44,949 --> 00:13:43,040
couple of days extra flexibility that we

416
00:13:46,230 --> 00:13:44,959
didn't have in the past

417
00:13:48,230 --> 00:13:46,240
and it's because of the configuration

418
00:13:51,590 --> 00:13:48,240
we're in

419
00:13:55,269 --> 00:13:53,990
stephen young with spaceflightnow.com

420
00:13:57,189 --> 00:13:55,279
for steve could you just go into a

421
00:13:59,269 --> 00:13:57,199
little more detail about the regulator

422
00:14:01,030 --> 00:13:59,279
issue you mentioned and why that can be

423
00:14:03,269 --> 00:14:01,040
waived

424
00:14:05,670 --> 00:14:03,279
we have a number of redundant systems in

425
00:14:07,110 --> 00:14:05,680
our reaction control system uh we have a

426
00:14:08,629 --> 00:14:07,120
helium tank that pressurizes our

427
00:14:11,110 --> 00:14:08,639
propellant tanks

428
00:14:13,269 --> 00:14:11,120
uh it is fed through two separate legs

429
00:14:16,389 --> 00:14:13,279
each of which has redundant uh

430
00:14:18,389 --> 00:14:16,399
regulators that can adjust the pressure

431
00:14:21,030 --> 00:14:18,399
one regulator on one leg has got a

432
00:14:22,310 --> 00:14:21,040
slight leak which means that uh instead

433
00:14:23,269 --> 00:14:22,320
of shutting off completely like it

434
00:14:26,230 --> 00:14:23,279
should

435
00:14:28,550 --> 00:14:26,240
uh a slight amount of helium is going

436
00:14:29,829 --> 00:14:28,560
into the propellant tank and adding a

437
00:14:31,990 --> 00:14:29,839
little more pressure in there than we

438
00:14:33,350 --> 00:14:32,000
typically would like

439
00:14:35,189 --> 00:14:33,360
what we generally do is just shut off

440
00:14:37,030 --> 00:14:35,199
that leg we isolate it and it doesn't

441
00:14:39,030 --> 00:14:37,040
leak anymore and we're okay

442
00:14:40,629 --> 00:14:39,040
there are a number if we went if we had

443
00:14:42,150 --> 00:14:40,639
further issues or further actions we

444
00:14:44,389 --> 00:14:42,160
could take if we needed to

445
00:14:46,230 --> 00:14:44,399
but in this case we've seen it before

446
00:14:48,150 --> 00:14:46,240
it's because of the way we test our

447
00:14:49,670 --> 00:14:48,160
equipment at the launch pad

448
00:14:51,189 --> 00:14:49,680
we do one in the orbiter processing

449
00:14:52,790 --> 00:14:51,199
facility where it operates just like it

450
00:14:54,949 --> 00:14:52,800
does on orbit and it passed with flying

451
00:14:56,230 --> 00:14:54,959
colors it always does that

452
00:14:58,069 --> 00:14:56,240
at the pad because of the way we

453
00:15:00,069 --> 00:14:58,079
pressurize our tanks and we approach the

454
00:15:02,470 --> 00:15:00,079
the lock up pressure very gently it

455
00:15:04,550 --> 00:15:02,480
doesn't always seat all the way

456
00:15:06,389 --> 00:15:04,560
uh as soon as we light them up the

457
00:15:07,990 --> 00:15:06,399
pressure increases and it seals so it's

458
00:15:09,189 --> 00:15:08,000
not a problem once we're on orbit

459
00:15:11,269 --> 00:15:09,199
typically what we'll do is we'll just

460
00:15:13,509 --> 00:15:11,279
open it back up just before launch and

461
00:15:15,269 --> 00:15:13,519
we're fine and we had that back in

462
00:15:17,430 --> 00:15:15,279
sts-116

463
00:15:18,710 --> 00:15:17,440
with a larger leak rate and we accepted

464
00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:18,720
it because we had a workaround that was

465
00:15:22,310 --> 00:15:20,880
good

466
00:15:26,470 --> 00:15:22,320
james

467
00:15:28,710 --> 00:15:26,480
could those conus sites keep you

468
00:15:29,910 --> 00:15:28,720
grounded if if they're

469
00:15:32,790 --> 00:15:29,920
no go on

470
00:15:34,389 --> 00:15:32,800
on whether no the aoa sites support once

471
00:15:36,310 --> 00:15:34,399
around sites are

472
00:15:37,910 --> 00:15:36,320
deemed highly desirable but not

473
00:15:39,430 --> 00:15:37,920
mandatory there are very few very

474
00:15:40,629 --> 00:15:39,440
limited situations in which you wouldn't

475
00:15:43,189 --> 00:15:40,639
need them as mandatory and they're

476
00:15:44,870 --> 00:15:43,199
generally for low inclination orbits

477
00:15:46,790 --> 00:15:44,880
first space station we're very high

478
00:15:48,550 --> 00:15:46,800
inclination it doesn't apply so that one

479
00:15:50,790 --> 00:15:48,560
flight rule that could have possibly

480
00:15:52,550 --> 00:15:50,800
affected us does not apply in this case

481
00:15:55,030 --> 00:15:52,560
so it's just highly desirable but we

482
00:15:56,470 --> 00:15:55,040
have other alternatives okay thanks and

483
00:15:57,990 --> 00:15:56,480
uh we're just wondering if you had any

484
00:15:59,189 --> 00:15:58,000
sense of the

485
00:16:00,949 --> 00:15:59,199
the kind of crowds that we're going to

486
00:16:04,069 --> 00:16:00,959
see in the interest and this being the

487
00:16:05,749 --> 00:16:04,079
first last flight uh we expect of one of

488
00:16:06,829 --> 00:16:05,759
the orbiters it's pretty good prime time

489
00:16:09,829 --> 00:16:06,839
sort of

490
00:16:11,509 --> 00:16:09,839
uh launch timing um what do you think

491
00:16:13,749 --> 00:16:11,519
kind of is going to be the

492
00:16:15,269 --> 00:16:13,759
the scene in the community and as well

493
00:16:17,829 --> 00:16:15,279
kathy i don't know if you could sort of

494
00:16:20,629 --> 00:16:17,839
give a sense of uh if things hold up the

495
00:16:23,590 --> 00:16:20,639
way they look now kind of what what

496
00:16:25,030 --> 00:16:23,600
what the crowds will get to see uh

497
00:16:26,710 --> 00:16:25,040
in terms of well

498
00:16:28,470 --> 00:16:26,720
clouds or whatever yeah i can tell you

499
00:16:29,829 --> 00:16:28,480
it's generated a lot of interest in the

500
00:16:31,749 --> 00:16:29,839
last few missions people are starting to

501
00:16:33,430 --> 00:16:31,759
realize that they either see one now or

502
00:16:34,710 --> 00:16:33,440
they don't get to see one at all

503
00:16:36,550 --> 00:16:34,720
so we've had some pretty good crowds

504
00:16:38,550 --> 00:16:36,560
come in the last couple of times

505
00:16:40,310 --> 00:16:38,560
we expect an equally large crowd coming

506
00:16:41,670 --> 00:16:40,320
to see this one there's been a lot of

507
00:16:42,389 --> 00:16:41,680
interest a lot of people trying to come

508
00:16:43,590 --> 00:16:42,399
out

509
00:16:45,910 --> 00:16:43,600
it ought to be a good show it's a good

510
00:16:47,910 --> 00:16:45,920
time of day it's an excellent vehicle

511
00:16:50,870 --> 00:16:47,920
and it's always impressive to watch so

512
00:16:52,949 --> 00:16:50,880
i'm sure we'll have a full house

513
00:16:54,389 --> 00:16:52,959
and weather-wise just maybe in the

514
00:16:55,990 --> 00:16:54,399
morning if that people come out early

515
00:16:57,269 --> 00:16:56,000
might see an isolated coastal shower and

516
00:16:58,389 --> 00:16:57,279
then by the afternoon those will start

517
00:17:00,470 --> 00:16:58,399
clearing up and it'll be sort of one of

518
00:17:01,430 --> 00:17:00,480
those fair weather cumulus cloud type

519
00:17:03,350 --> 00:17:01,440
days

520
00:17:06,230 --> 00:17:03,360
so it should be pretty sunny and pretty

521
00:17:13,429 --> 00:17:08,710
are there any further questions

522
00:17:17,669 --> 00:17:15,350
um denise ciao with space.com just a

523
00:17:18,949 --> 00:17:17,679
clarification actually the regulator

524
00:17:21,829 --> 00:17:18,959
leak was that found this morning at the

525
00:17:22,870 --> 00:17:21,839
pad no that was found on

526
00:17:26,949 --> 00:17:22,880
sunday

527
00:17:28,950 --> 00:17:26,959
our our pressurization for our helium

528
00:17:30,310 --> 00:17:28,960
tanks that was a very slight leak at

529
00:17:31,990 --> 00:17:30,320
that point we'd been watching it to see

530
00:17:33,350 --> 00:17:32,000
what it did trying to isolate which one

531
00:17:34,870 --> 00:17:33,360
it was and so we could shut down the

532
00:17:36,630 --> 00:17:34,880
appropriate leg it just takes some time

533
00:17:39,350 --> 00:17:36,640
because it's very slight

534
00:17:43,110 --> 00:17:39,360
and also um what's the crew up to today

535
00:17:44,390 --> 00:17:43,120
important what is the crew up to today

536
00:17:46,470 --> 00:17:44,400
i didn't look at the crew schedule i'm

537
00:17:48,950 --> 00:17:46,480
not really sure at the moment but we can

538
00:17:51,350 --> 00:17:48,960
get you that

539
00:17:56,310 --> 00:17:51,360
are there any other questions

540
00:17:59,029 --> 00:17:57,669
thanks again james in florida today

541
00:18:00,470 --> 00:17:59,039
steve it's

542
00:18:01,830 --> 00:18:00,480
been quite a while now since we had a

543
00:18:03,669 --> 00:18:01,840
launch

544
00:18:05,270 --> 00:18:03,679
a couple temps and tanking tests in

545
00:18:07,430 --> 00:18:05,280
between but um

546
00:18:09,270 --> 00:18:07,440
just wondered if is there any sense of

547
00:18:10,950 --> 00:18:09,280
shaking off some rust among the launch

548
00:18:12,470 --> 00:18:10,960
teams or or

549
00:18:15,590 --> 00:18:12,480
is this just sort of

550
00:18:17,510 --> 00:18:15,600
feel like any other countdown

551
00:18:19,590 --> 00:18:17,520
well we have because it's been a while

552
00:18:22,070 --> 00:18:19,600
we've done a lot of extra training over

553
00:18:23,430 --> 00:18:22,080
the summer and over the winter months

554
00:18:26,070 --> 00:18:23,440
we've added a lot of launch countdown

555
00:18:28,310 --> 00:18:26,080
simulations so the team can exercise and

556
00:18:29,909 --> 00:18:28,320
keep their skills sharp so that we took

557
00:18:31,270 --> 00:18:29,919
that into account so

558
00:18:33,830 --> 00:18:31,280
from what i've seen everybody's on the

559
00:18:35,190 --> 00:18:33,840
ball we have our tanking test we did we

560
00:18:36,470 --> 00:18:35,200
have our november launch attempt so

561
00:18:38,870 --> 00:18:36,480
people have been doing countdown or

562
00:18:40,870 --> 00:18:38,880
countdown like activities for the last

563
00:18:42,230 --> 00:18:40,880
few months anyway and the first thing we

564
00:18:43,430 --> 00:18:42,240
did when we came back after the new year

565
00:18:45,110 --> 00:18:43,440
is going to a launch countdown

566
00:18:46,789 --> 00:18:45,120
simulation to make sure that everybody

567
00:18:49,270 --> 00:18:46,799
was up to speed and we're pretty

568
00:18:50,950 --> 00:18:49,280
confident the team's ready

569
00:18:52,230 --> 00:18:50,960
and finally i just wondered if you could

570
00:18:54,630 --> 00:18:52,240
speak a little bit to

571
00:18:55,909 --> 00:18:54,640
the significance of the mission um in

572
00:18:57,909 --> 00:18:55,919
terms of the payloads that you're

573
00:19:00,789 --> 00:18:57,919
bringing up and the pmm and

574
00:19:03,909 --> 00:19:00,799
um just how that's going to help

575
00:19:05,669 --> 00:19:03,919
posture the station long term

576
00:19:08,070 --> 00:19:05,679
i don't have my payload guy here today

577
00:19:10,310 --> 00:19:08,080
but he will be here tomorrow uh in in

578
00:19:12,710 --> 00:19:10,320
very broad terms and since i'm not the

579
00:19:14,310 --> 00:19:12,720
the payload person the the pmm is going

580
00:19:15,750 --> 00:19:14,320
to give us a whole lot more uh square

581
00:19:17,909 --> 00:19:15,760
footage out on station that we can use

582
00:19:19,909 --> 00:19:17,919
for storage and other needs as as

583
00:19:21,350 --> 00:19:19,919
required it's a good module that adds

584
00:19:22,870 --> 00:19:21,360
quite a bit of space

585
00:19:24,950 --> 00:19:22,880
and the spaces that are premium up there

586
00:19:26,870 --> 00:19:24,960
so it's a good thing to have

587
00:19:28,710 --> 00:19:26,880
the express logistics carrier is going

588
00:19:29,990 --> 00:19:28,720
to take up some radiator panels that we

589
00:19:31,830 --> 00:19:30,000
will have for

590
00:19:33,750 --> 00:19:31,840
future need if we had to replace

591
00:19:36,150 --> 00:19:33,760
radiators the place for the spares to be

592
00:19:38,630 --> 00:19:36,160
is up on station so the really big stuff

593
00:19:39,590 --> 00:19:38,640
we need to take up while we can so those

594
00:19:41,669 --> 00:19:39,600
are going to add to it and we'll give

595
00:19:43,669 --> 00:19:41,679
them some storage space in others

596
00:19:44,710 --> 00:19:43,679
plus there are a number of miscellaneous

597
00:19:46,630 --> 00:19:44,720
experiments that they're going to be

598
00:19:48,870 --> 00:19:46,640
taking up and down

599
00:19:51,350 --> 00:19:48,880
bringing back and some mid deck

600
00:19:52,950 --> 00:19:51,360
experiments we're taking along the way

601
00:19:54,310 --> 00:19:52,960
i would hope scott will brief you

602
00:19:56,150 --> 00:19:54,320
tomorrow and all that with with more

603
00:19:58,150 --> 00:19:56,160
detail

604
00:20:00,390 --> 00:19:58,160
as far as the flight crew goes i believe

605
00:20:02,710 --> 00:20:00,400
today they have their

606
00:20:04,390 --> 00:20:02,720
ingress procedure review and they're

607
00:20:07,270 --> 00:20:04,400
doing their sta runs they're going to be

608
00:20:08,470 --> 00:20:07,280
practicing their landings at the slf

609
00:20:11,590 --> 00:20:08,480
okay

610
00:20:16,789 --> 00:20:13,470
that will conclude today's

611
00:20:18,470 --> 00:20:16,799
sts-133 l minus 10 l minus 2 countdown

612
00:20:20,310 --> 00:20:18,480
status briefing our next shuttle

613
00:20:22,070 --> 00:20:20,320
briefing will be tomorrow live on nasa

614
00:20:25,029 --> 00:20:22,080
television with the pre-launch news

615
00:20:27,510 --> 00:20:25,039
conference which is 11 a.m eastern time