Spaceflight Now



The Mission




Orbiter: Discovery
Mission: STS-116
Launch: Dec. 9, 2006
Time: 8:47 p.m. EST
Site: Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Landing: Dec. 22 @ 5:32 p.m. EST
Site: Shuttle Landing Facility, KSC

Mission Status Center

Master Flight Plan

STS-116 Quick-Look

Shuttle Launch Schedule

Earlier Stories

Docking Timeline

Launch Windows Chart

Countdown Timeline

NASA TV Schedule

Ascent Trajectory

Crew Background

Key Mission Personnel

Shuttle Flight History

Launch/Landing Chart

Manned Spaceflights

Current Demographics

Projected Demographics

Spacewalk Statistics

STS-115 Archive

STS-121 Archive

STS-114 Archive



NewsAlert



Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop.

Enter your e-mail address:

Privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose.



Launch weather forecast
Posted: December 6, 2006

 Forecast for Thursday, December 7

Issued: Wednesday, December 6
Launch Weather Officer: Kathy Winters, 45th Weather Squadron

Synoptic Discussion: "A cold front will move through Central Florida Thursday causing isolated showers and significant cloud cover through the launch window. The probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch increased to 60 percent due to the significant low-level moisture expected with the front. High pressure behind the front will migrate over the Eastern US, increasing the pressure gradient over Central Florida causing launch wind and Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) crosswind concerns.

"Our primary concern for launch day is a low cloud ceiling."

Clouds: Stratus few at 1,500 feet with tops at 2,500 feet and 1/8ths sky coverage; Stratus broken at 3,000 feet with tops at 4,000 feet and 5/8ths sky coverage; Altostratus broken at 6,000 feet with tops at 8,000 feet and 5/8ths sky coverage; and Cirrus broken at 20,000 feet with tops at 22,000 feet and 5/8ths sky coverage

Visibility: 7 miles

Launch Pad Winds: North-northwesterly from 340 degrees at 15 gusting to 22 knots

Temperature: 58 degrees F

Relative Humidity: 77 percent

Weather: None

Probability of Violating Weather Constraints: 60 percent

Concerns: Low cloud ceiling

 

 Times of note

Thursday's launch window: 9:31-9:41 p.m. EST
Thursday's target liftoff time: 9:35:45 p.m. EST

Friday's launch window: 9:08-9:18 p.m. EST
Friday's target liftoff time: 9:13:13 p.m. EST

Saturday's launch window: 8:42-8:52 p.m. EST
Saturday's target liftoff time: 8:47:31 p.m. EST

 

 Forecast for 24-hour delay

Friday's Probability of Violating Constraints: 70 percent
Concerns: Low cloud ceiling, isolated showers, winds at launch pad 39B and crosswinds at Shuttle Landing Facility

 

 Forecast for 48-hour delay

Saturday's Probability of Violating Constraints: 60 percent
Concerns: Low cloud ceiling, isolated showers, winds at launch pad 39B and crosswinds at Shuttle Landing Facility

 


STS-134 Patch

Free shipping to U.S. addresses!

The final planned flight of space shuttle Endeavour is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-134. Available in our store!
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Final Shuttle Mission Patch

Free shipping to U.S. addresses!

The crew emblem for the final space shuttle mission is now available in our store. Get this piece of history!
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Apollo Collage
This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.
 U.S. STORE

STS-133 Patch

Free shipping to U.S. addresses!

The final planned flight of space shuttle Discovery is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-133. Available in our store!
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Anniversary Shuttle Patch

Free shipping to U.S. addresses!

This embroidered patch commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Program. The design features the space shuttle Columbia's historic maiden flight of April 12, 1981.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Mercury anniversary

Free shipping to U.S. addresses!


Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Alan Shephard's historic Mercury mission with this collectors' item, the official commemorative embroidered patch.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Fallen Heroes Patch Collection
The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE
MISSION STATUS CENTER

INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE
ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE

ADVERTISE

© 2012 Spaceflight Now Inc.