Dag 7 (25-8) Launch update 2: Brandstofklep probleem voor Discovery (NO launch !)

Launch update (van John)

Vanavond naar het eten bij Outback op 't gemakje in de stromende regen (Orlando) naar Cape Canaveral gereden (+/- 125 km) voor een tweede poging om de lancering bij te wonen.Wat nog niet bekend was toen we gingen was dat er een probleem was met een brandstofklep.aan het weer had het niet gelegen want toen we naar een uur en een kwartier aankwamen bij KSC (Kennedy Space Center) was het helder en mooi weer.Helaas geen launch maar we blijven goede moed houden dat we het mee gaan maken.Hopelijk word er snel een nieuwe datum vastgesteld.
Hier 't persbericht van een paar minuten geleden.

NASA target Friday morning for next launch attempt

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER - After scrubbing Wednesday morning's launch of the space shuttle Discovery because of a fuel-valve problem Tuesday, NASA officials said the issue might have been a false instrument reading, and if so the space shuttle could blast off Friday.The Wednesday-morning scheduled launch of the space shuttle Discovery was scrubbed because NASA launch-preparation crews were getting mixed readings early Tuesday evening about whether a hydrogen fuel valve closed properly.NASA pre-launch manager Mike Moses and launch director Pete Nicolenko said the team suspects the problem was caused by false instrumentation readings, brought on by the super-cold temperatures of the fuel. In order to test that assumption, NASA will have to drain and purge the external fuel tank, Moses said -- and that requires a two-day delay. If they're right, they could get the tank refilled and the Discovery could be ready to launch shortly after midnight Friday, Moses said.If they're wrong, and the valve really did stick, crews could replace it without moving the shuttle off the launch pad, but it would take several days with all the testing involved, and NASA engineers were uncertain tonight whether NASA would have time to launch Discovery before the current launch window closes next Monday."Our quick look is probably not," Moses said.Friday NASA has two launch options. The first is just after midnight, between 12:17 and 12:22 a.m. The second is just before midnight, 11:59 p.m.NASA would have one more launch option Monday. If that is missed, the mission might have to wait until October, Moses said.This 13-day mission is essentially a supplies and equipment delivery run for NASA to the international space station.This mission, STS-128, was initially postponed minutes before a Tuesday-morning launch due to stormy weather. On Tuesday evening it was scrubbed again, but before crew of seven astronauts, led by Commander Rick Sturckow and including former Central Florida resident Nicole Stott, had not yet donned their space suits or traveled to the launch pad before the launch was scrubbed.

De rest van onze avonturen in Florida vandaag volgen nog.