SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*STS-115 Crew Heads to the Launch Pad *

/ Sept. 8, 7:50 a.m. EDT (1150 UTC)/ The astronauts walked out of the Operations and Checkout Building to cheers and applause from a crowd of workers wishing them well on mission STS-115. They boarded the silver Astrovan that took them on the 20-minute trip to Launch Pad 39B. Through the White Room, located at the 195-foot level of the pad, the astronauts will enter Atlantis one by one and be strapped into their seats before going through final checks in preparation for liftoff.

NASA's Freedom Star and Liberty Star are in position in the Atlantic Ocean for launch. Both recovery ships are currently stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean to tow the solid rocket boosters back to Kennedy Space Center after they separate from the orbiter during ascent. The boosters will then be refurbished and reused for other shuttle launches.

The launch team has reported that an ECO sensor on the hydrogen side of the external tank has failed. At this time the team is pressing forward with launch preparations. Mission Management Team members are meeting to determine if they will consider launching with three working sensors or if it will be necessary to de-tank and come back tomorrow. + See ECO Sensor PowerPoint Slide http://www.nasa.gov/ppt/156987main_ET%20Project_SSP%20FRR_June272005_B-3.ppt

Launch weather remains at 70 percent "go" for launch, with the primary concern for rain within 20 miles of the Shuttle Landing Facility. No other issues are being addressed by the launch team at this time.

Follow along with the countdown: + NASA's Launch Blog http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/sts-115/launch-vlcc.html + NASA TV http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html