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Shuttle Endeavor Launch Postponed Until Monday, July 13, 6:51 EDT

by Yuliya Talmazan | July 12, 2009 at 02:14 pm

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[UPDATE -- July 12, 7:17 EDT] The launch of Space Shuttle Endeavor has been postponed to Monday, July 13, at 6:51 EDT. NASA said the launch was postponed due to bad weather. NASA TV coverage will begin at 1:30 p.m. This is the fourth delay for the Space Shuttle Endeavor Mission STS-127.

Space Shuttle Endeavor mission STS-127 is set to lift off today, Sunday, July 12, at 7:13:55 PM EDT from Kennedy Space Center, after a 24-hour-delay on Saturday. The delay was caused by multiple lightning strikes next to the launch pad on Friday, July 10, that might have interfered with shuttle’s critical systems. Today’s inspection revealed no major damage to the shuttle, so Endeavor was once again cleared for launch. Weather conditions are said to be 70% favourable for the launch to go through. According to NASA, the shuttle's crew has already been strapped in with the help of the closeout crew as of 12:51 PDT, July 12 and is ready for liftoff.

The seven astronauts to board the shuttle have had their patience tested a few times before yesterday’s delay, as Endeavour’s liftoff was called off on two occasions due to hydrogen fuel leaks in June.

The shuttle’s crew includes:

--commander Mark Polansky (3rd spaceflight)
--pilot Douglas Hurley (1st spaceflight)
--Canadian flight engineer Julie Payette (2nd spaceflight)
--mission specialist David Wolf (4th spaceflight)
--mission specialist Christopher Cassidy (1st spaceflight)
--mission specialist Thomas Marshburn (1st spaceflight)
--space station flight engineer Timothy Kopra (1st spaceflight)

The purpose of the 16-day mission is to carry out five space walks, to deliver spare parts and to replace solar batteries. The crew will deliver the last component of the Japanese part of the space station. It will also be the first time that Canada will have two astronauts -- Julie Payette and Robert Thirsk-- in space at the same time. Thirsk was flown into space by Russian space capsule in May. Finally, the arrival of Endeavour's seven membered crew will bring the total number of people aboard the ISS to unprecedented 13.

The liftoff can be viewed live via NASA TV webcast.

Mark Polansky, the mission’s commander, can be followed on Twitter. It is not known whether he will in fact tweet from aboard the International Space Station, the way Mike Massimino did during his flight aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-125) in May of this year. Massimino became the first human being to use Twitter in space. Mark Polansky's Twitter updates can be followed here. Mike Massimino's Twitter account can be accessed here.

Previous NowPublic coverage can be seen here.

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158

at 14:24 on July 12th, 2009

Good report.

I hope they make it this time.

albertacowpoke

at 15:22 on July 12th, 2009

I sure hope they get off the ground this time.

albertacowpoke

at 15:40 on July 12th, 2009

Chris Hatfield, a Canadian Astronaut, said in an interview with CBC that the reason today's launch was canceled is because a storm system approached within the safe area of the runway. Although the runway was clear and the shuttle could have launched, they have to plan for the contingency that they may have to return. The shuttle needs a runway free of storms to make this landing. Good luck to them all tomorrow.