SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

DEC 7TH,2006 NASA's Launch Blog - Mission STS-116

3:58 p.m. - Firing Room 4, our newest firing room, is being used today for our launch team, and will continue to be used for the rest of the shuttle missions through 2010.

3:55 p.m. - In the dining room of the astronaut crew quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building, the STS-116 astronauts are having a snack and posing for pictures before putting on their pumpkin-colored launch and entry suits. They'll receive an updated weather briefing shortly.

Everything is going well with the countdown. All the vehicle's systems are in good shape, and the flight crew and launch team are ready for liftoff tonight at 9:35 p.m. Weather is still a concern, but every few minutes, blue sky and sunlight peek through the clouds behind today's cold front.

3:50 p.m. - The Ice Team is proceeding to the zero level.

3:45 p.m. - The STS-116 crew visited Kennedy Space Center in November to participate in the four-day terminal countdown demonstration test, culminating in a dress rehearsal for launch. + View Video (Real) + View Video (Windows)

3:42 p.m. - It's gray and overcast at Kennedy Space Center as the cold front moves through. Weather is the only concern so far today. At Launch Pad 39B, Space Shuttle Discovery stands poised for liftoff, despite the gloomy skies.

3:40 p.m. - The Ice Team has arrived at the pad's 135 foot level to continue the inspection of the external tank.

3:25 p.m. - Good afternoon, and welcome to our live coverage of the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-116 mission. Liftoff is set for 9:35 p.m. tonight, and the countdown is proceeding very smoothly, with no technical concerns.

The weather, however, is another matter: A cold front is passing through Kennedy Space Center today, and it's expected to bring low cloud ceilings, winds and possible isolated rain to the Florida spaceport. For this reason, the official forecast from the 45th Weather Squadron indicates only a 40 percent chance of favorable weather.

Further complicating matters, weather is iffy at all three of NASA's transoceanic alternative landing sites in Spain and France.

The following events took place before we activated the blog today.

At 12:30 a.m., the Rotating Service Structure was rolled back to its parked position, getting Discovery ready for tanking.

The Mission Management Team gave the go-ahead for tanking at 11:15 a.m. this morning, and fueling operations began at 11:33 a.m. with the chilldown thermal conditioning of the propellant lines and Discovery's internal plumbing. The chilldown prepares the systems for the shock of the nearly 500,000 gallons of super-cold cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants that are pumped into the external tank. The umbilical vent line provides continuous venting of the external tank during and after loading of the volatile liquid hydrogen. The vent line is disconnected from the vehicle at first motion and retracts vertically downward to a stored position.

Tanking operations are complete, and the external tank is in stable replenish as of 2:29 p.m. The tank will continue to be "topped off" for the remainder of the countdown.

Inside the astronaut crew quarters in Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building, the seven-member STS-116 crew received their "wake-up call" at 11:45 a.m. and began their preparations for launch today. They will don their flight suits and depart for the pad early this evening.

The engine cut-off (ECO) sensors in the external tank were tested during tanking, and all four are performing as expected.

The MILA tracking station here on Merritt Island, Fla. has aligned its communications antennas with the launch pad, and initial communications checks with the Air Force-controlled Eastern Range have been performed.

The Final Inspection Team (also known as the Ice Team) reached the pad at 2:48 and began its inspection of the external tank. The team's seven NASA and contractor personnel assess the integrity of the thermal insulation on the external tank. They also look for ice and frost formations on the tank, measure temperatures on various parts of the vehicle, and assess debris concerns on the vehicle and pad that could impact launch or flight safety.

During the two-hour inspection, team members take the launch pad's elevator from the surface of the mobile launcher platform up to the 255 foot level, and methodically work their way back down. Using binoculars and a telescope, the team can get a better look at hard-to-see areas. This launch marks the first use of a new ice detection machine.

The Orbiter Closeout Crew has arrived at the White Room on the end of the Orbiter Access Arm catwalk that connects to Discovery's crew module. They'll make the final preparations for the astronauts' arrival at the pad at about 6 p.m.

Again, welcome, and thanks for joining us today. Stay with us for continuing coverage.