Mission Status Center

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Flight controllers in Houston just bid goodnight to commander George Zamka. The crew is heading to bed for an eight-hour sleep period. They'll be awakened for Flight Day 2 at 6:14 p.m. EST.

The astronauts have successfully completed the initial checkout of space shuttle Endeavour's robotic arm.

The shuttle Endeavour, carrying six astronauts, a 15-ton life support module and a bay window observation deck for the International Space Station, thundered into orbit early Monday, putting on a spectacular pre-dawn show in the program's final planned night launch.

Read our full story.

Space shuttle Endeavour and crew have completed NC1 engine firing to adjust the orbital path to the International Space Station. The 66-second-long course correction maneuver using both Orbital Maneuvering System engines changed the shuttle's velocity by 102.9 feet per second and raised the orbit's apogee from 142 to 208 statute miles.

A gallery of photos of shuttle Endeavour's dazzling launch as seen from Kennedy Space Center's press site can be viewed here.

The ascent team of flight controllers led by Norm Night has handed over to the Orbit 2 team and flight director Gary Horlacher to oversee the rest of the astronauts' workday.

Live television now being received from payload bay cameras aboard shuttle Endeavour. You can watch it in our webcast.

The latest version of the NASA Television schedule (Rev. B) can be downloaded here.

Endeavour's antenna for Ku-band high-speed communications has been deployed and activated.

CAPCOM astronaut Rick Sturckow in Mission Control just told the crew that the intertank foam loss didn't appear to hit the orbiter's heat shield and it is no concern for the mission, based on the quick-look review of launch video.

Go for on-orbit operations! That's the formal call from Mission Control indicating the shuttle is in good shape following launch and the Endeavour crew can proceed with mission activities.

Both 60-foot-long payload bay doors of shuttle Endeavour have been opened and the radiators deployed.

Over the next few hours, the astronauts will busily begin setting up the onboard computer network, downlinking imagery and data gathered during ascent, as well as powering up the shuttle's 50-foot-long robot arm for a post-launch checkout in preparation for its use in tomorrow's heat shield inspections. The crew will be getting out of their launch and entry spacesuits, stowing away the mission specialists' seats and getting some dinner as well. An eight-hour sleep period begins at 10:48 a.m. EST.

The radiator preparatory steps have been performed and Mission Control has given the astronauts a "go" for payload bay door opening.

The post-launch news conference is underway at Kennedy Space Center.

"Extremely great performance from the orbiter, no problems at all," NASA space operations chief Bill Gerstenmaier says.

One foam loss was seen in the external tank video camera footage moments before solid rocket booster separation from the intertank stringer area. Analysts will look at that, but there's no cause for concern right now.

The crew continues working through its post-launch checklist. The next big milestones will be opening up the payload bay doors and deploying the Ku-band communications antenna.

T+plus 50 minutes. High Definition video of the STS-130 launch is available to Spaceflight Now+Plus customers. A full listing of video can be seen here.

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T+plus 39 minutes, 27 seconds. The twin Orbital Maneuvering System engines on the tail of Endeavour have been fired successfully to propel the shuttle the rest of the way to orbit.

T+plus 37 minutes, 56 seconds. Ignition of the OMS engines has been confirmed.

T+plus 36 minutes. Endeavour in the proper orientation for the upcoming maneuvering burn to raise the orbit toward the International Space Station. This will be a 93-second firing resulting in a 142 feet per second change in speed.

T+plus 29 minutes. The two flapper doors on the belly of Endeavour are being swung closed to shield the umbilicals that had connected to the external fuel tank.

T+plus 26 minutes. Pilot Terry Virts is powering down the main propulsion system.

T+plus 25 minutes, 30 seconds. The OMS 2 burn ignition time has been updated to T+plus 37 minutes, 42 seconds.

T+plus 19 minutes. The planned OMS 2 burn will begin at T+plus 37 minutes, 30 seconds.

T+plus 17 minutes. Endeavour has flown into an orbital sunrise as neared Europe.

T+plus 15 minutes, 30 seconds. The three Auxiliary Power Units are being shut down as planned.

T+plus 9 minutes, 30 seconds. It was a nominal MECO. A quick boost from the Orbital Maneuvering System engines is not required to reach the planned preliminary sub-orbital trajectory.

T+plus 9 minutes, 15 seconds. Still cameras embedded in Endeavour's umbilical well are taking images of the external tank to document its foam.

T+plus 8 minutes, 46 seconds. The emptied external tank has been jettisoned from the belly of space shuttle Endeavour. The tank will fall back into the atmosphere where it will burn up harmlessly.

T+plus 8 minutes, 31 seconds. MECO. Main Engine Cutoff confirmed! Shuttle Endeavour is en route to the International Space Station for installation of a utility module and new windows on the world.

T+plus 7 minutes, 35 seconds. The main engines are beginning to throttle down to ensure the shuttle does not experience forces greater than 3 g's as it continues to accelerate prior to engine shutdown.

T+plus 7 minutes, 25 seconds. Endeavour is 64 miles in altitude, 606 miles downrange from the launch pad, traveling over 12,000 mph.

T+plus 7 minutes, 8 seconds. Single engine press. The shuttle can reach orbit on the power from a single main engine should two fail at this point. But all three continue to fire properly.

T+plus 6 minutes, 22 seconds. "Press to MECO." Endeavour can now achieve a safe orbit on two engines. All three remain in good shape.

T+plus 6 minutes. The shuttle has started rolling to a heads-up position to improve communications with the TDRS satellite network.

T+plus 5 minutes, 14 seconds. "Press to ATO". Endeavour can reach an orbit, albeit a low orbit, on two engines should one shut down now. But all three powerplants are still running just fine.

T+plus 5 minutes. Overseeing today's climb to orbit from the Mission Control Center in Houston will be ascent flight director Norm Knight. Seated alongside in Houston in direct radio contact with the crew is CAPCOM astronaut Rick Sturckow, a four-time shuttle flier.

T+plus 4 minutes, 35 seconds. Endeavour will be tripling its speed in the next four minutes to reach orbital velocity of nearly 17,500 mph.

T+plus 4 minutes, 25 seconds. Endeavour is 63 miles in altitude, 180 miles downrange from the launch pad, traveling nearly 6,000 mph.

T+plus 4 minutes. Negative return. The shuttle has passed the point where Endeavour could turn around and make an emergency landing at Kennedy Space Center in the event of a main engine problem. Landing sites in France and Spain are now available to Endeavour in the unlikely event an abort occurs during the remainder of today's launch.

T+plus 3 minutes, 27 seconds. Endeavour is 50 miles in altitude, 98 miles downrange from the launch pad.

T+plus 2 minutes, 55 seconds. Commander George Zamka just received the "Two-engine Zaragoza" call from CAPCOM Rick Sturckow in Mission Control. The call means Endeavour can now reach a Transatlantic Abort Landing site if one main engine fails. However, all three engines continue to burn normally.

T+plus 2 minutes, 35 seconds. The Orbital Maneuvering System engines have been ignited for an additional kick of thrust during Endeavour's climb uphill.

T+plus 2 minutes, 20 seconds. Guidance is converging as programmed. Endeavour's engine nozzles are swiveling to steer the ship toward a precise point for main engine cutoff about six minutes from now.

T+plus 2 minutes, 10 seconds. Mission Control confirms a good jettison of the solid rocket boosters has occurred. The spent boosters will parachute into the Atlantic Ocean for retrieval. Endeavour continues its streak toward space on the power generated by the three liquid-fueled main engines.

T+plus 1 minute, 45 seconds. Joining commander George Zamka and pilot Terry Virts is flight engineer Steve Robinson and mission specialists Kay Hire. Seated down on the flight deck are Bob Behnken and Nick Patrick, the mission's two spacewalkers.

T+plus 90 seconds. The space shuttle now weighs just half of what it did at liftoff. The solid rocket boosters are burning 11,000 pounds of propellant every second. The main engines are guzzling a half-ton of liquid fuel per second from the external tank.

T+plus 68 seconds. Endeavour's three main engines have revved back up to their 104 percent power setting. And Mission Control has given the "go at throttle up" call.

T+plus 60 seconds. This man-made sunrise is lighting up the predawn skies from the technological marvel that is the space shuttle.

T+plus 40 seconds. Endeavour's three liquid-fueled main engines are throttling down to their 72 percent power setting to ease the strain on the vehicle during passage through the region of maximum aerodynamic stresses.

T+plus 20 seconds. The space shuttle is leaving the planet with a thunderous departure on nearly seven million pounds of Earth-shaking thrust.

T+plus 15 seconds. Houston is now controlling as Endeavour maneuvers to the proper course for intercepting the space station early Wednesday for delivery of a new room with a view.

T-minus 10 seconds, go for ignition of the space shuttle main engines, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and LIFTOFF! Liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour to bring Tranquility to the International Space Station!

T-minus 31 seconds. AUTO SEQUENCE START! The handoff has occurred from the Ground Launch Sequencer to the space shuttle. Endeavour's computers now controlling.

In the next few seconds, the solid rocket booster hydraulic steering system will be started, the orbiter's body flap and speed brake moved to their launch positions, the firing chain armed. Main engine ignition begins at T-minus 6.6 seconds.

T-minus 1 minute. Computers are verifying that the main engines are ready for ignition. Sound suppression water system is armed. The system will activate at T-minus 16 seconds to suppress the sound produced at launch. And the residual hydrogen burn ignitors are armed. They will be fired at T-minus 10 seconds to burn off hydrogen gas from beneath the main engine nozzles.

Shortly, the external tank strut heaters will be turned off; Endeavour will transition to internal power; the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen outboard fill and drain valves will be closed; the payload bay vent doors will be positioned for the launch; and the gaseous oxygen vent arm will be verified fully retracted.

Now 90 seconds from launch of Endeavour.

T-minus 2 minutes. The astronauts are being instructed to close and lock the visors on their launch and entry helmets.

At T-minus 1 minute, 57 seconds the replenishment to the flight load of liquid hydrogen in the external tank will be terminated and tank pressurization will begin.

T-minus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The external tank liquid oxygen vent valve has been closed and pressurization of the LOX tank has started.

Endeavour's power-producing fuel cells are transferring to internal reactants. The units will begin providing all electricity for the mission beginning at T-50 seconds.

And pilot Terry Virts has been asked to clear the caution and warning memory system aboard Endeavour. He will verify no unexpected errors in the system.

In the next few seconds, the gaseous oxygen vent hood will be removed from atop the external tank. Verification that the swing arm is fully retracted will be made by the ground launch sequencer at the T-minus 37 second mark.

T-minus 3 minutes. Orbiter steering check is now complete and the main engine nozzles are in their start positions.

T-minus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. The main engine nozzles now being moved through a computer controlled test pattern to demonstrate their readiness to support guidance control during launch.

T-minus 4 minutes. Activation of the APUs is complete. The three units are up and running normally.

And the final helium purge sequence is underway in the main propulsion system. This procedure readies fuel system valves for engine start. In the next few seconds, the aerosurfaces of Endeavour will be run through a pre-planned mobility test to ensure readiness for launch. This is also a dress rehearsal for flight of the orbiter's hydraulic systems.

T-minus 5 minutes. The "go" has been given for for Auxiliary Power Unit start. Pilot Terry Virts is now flipping three switches in Endeavour's cockpit to start each of the three APU's. The units, located in the aft compartment of Endeavour, provide the pressure needed to power the hydraulic systems of the shuttle. The units will be used during the launch and landing phases of the mission for such events as moving the orbiter's aerosurfaces, gimbaling the main engine nozzles and deploying the landing gear.

Over the course of the next minute, the orbiter's heaters will be configured for launch by commander George Zamka, the fuel valve heaters on the main engines will be turned off in preparation for engine ignition at T-6.6 seconds and the external tank and solid rocket booster safe and arm devices will be armed.

T-minus 5 minutes, 30 seconds. APU pre-start is complete and the units are ready for activation. The orbiters flight data recorders have gone into the record mode to collect measurements of shuttle systems performance during flight.

T-minus 6 minutes. Pilot Terry Virts has been asked by the orbiter test conductor to pre-start the orbiter Auxiliary Power Units. This procedure readies the three APU's for their activation after the countdown passes T-minus 5 minutes.

T-minus 7 minutes, 30 seconds. The Ground Launch Sequencer has started pulling the orbiter access arm away from the crew hatch on the port side of the vehicle. The arm was the passage way for the astronauts to board Endeavour a few hours ago. The arm can be re-extended very quickly should the need arise later in the countdown.

T-minus 8 minutes and counting. Pilot Terry Virts has flipped the switches in the cockpit of Endeavour to directly connect the three onboard fuel cells with the essential power buses. Also, the stored program commands have been issued to the orbiter for antenna alignment and management during launch.

T-minus 9 minutes and counting! The Ground Launch Sequencer has been initiated. The computer program is located in a console in the Firing Room of the Complex 39 Launch Control Center. The GLS is the master of events through liftoff. During the last 9 minutes of the countdown, the computer will monitor as many as a thousand different systems and measurements to ensure that they do not fall out of any pre-determine red-line limits. At T-minus 31 seconds, the GLS will hand off to the onboard computers of Endeavour to complete their own automatic sequence of events through the final half minute of the countdown.

Now 10 minutes from blastoff.

The countdown will resume from the T-minus 9 minute mark at 4:05:07 a.m. EST.

NASA launch director Mike Leinbach has conducted his poll and given approval to resume the countdown for liftoff at 4:14 a.m. EST!

The poll by NASA test director Jeff Spaulding confirms there are no technical issues or constraints standing in the way of launch at 4:14 a.m. EST. The Range also reports "go" on the local weather. And Mission Control says that weather at the abort landing site in Zaragoza, Spain is acceptable.

Seven minutes are remaining in this built-in hold. There are no technical issues being worked by the launch team. Final readiness polls will be conducted over the next few moments.

We're now 20 minutes from Endeavour's launch on an eight-and-a-half minute trek to space. At main engine cutoff, Endeavour will be flying on a suborbital trajectory with a high point of 136 statute miles and low point of 36 statute miles, inclined 51.6 degrees to the equator. A half-hour later, the twin orbital maneuvering engines will be fired to place the shuttle into a 142 by 98 statute mile orbit.

The weather folks responsible for the abort landing sites are working very hard on the conditions at the emergency landing sites in Spain and France. Zaragoza in Spain has been selected as the primary site for Endeavour to use today in the unlikely event of an emergency landing. It has the best chance for acceptable weather.

Powering space shuttle Endeavour throughout its eight-and-a-half minute climb to orbit will be the three main engines built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. The cryogenic powerplants are fed with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen stored in the external fuel tank.

In the engine No. 1 position today is the Block 2-2059 engine now making its fourth launch. It has accumulated 2,051 seconds of total firing time on the previous missions, plus ground testing. STS-117 was its debut flight.

Making its first launch is the Block 2-2061 in the engine No. 2 position. This powerplant has 1,560 seconds of firing time during ground tests.

And Block 2-2057 is engine No. 3 on Endeavour. It has four previous flights, starting with STS-114, and some 2,564 seconds of firing time.

Local weather in Florida is "go" but the problem is the weather at the emergency abort landing sites in Spain and France. That is the wildcard right now.

At launch, the space station will be flying 212 miles over western Romania at 46.0 north latitude and 20.5 east longitude. Liftoff at 4:14 a.m. EST is timed to place Endeavour on course to dock with the station two days from now.

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The Zaragoza landing site in Spain has rainshowers in the area and the Istres site in France is experiencing unfavorable clouds. Moron, Spain has several weather constraints. NASA requires at least one of the three sites have acceptable weather before clearing the space shuttle to launch.

The cloud cover at the Kennedy Space Center has scattered out enough for the weather officer to announce that ceiling rule isn't being violated any longer. So all launch weather rules are "go" at this time.

Weather at the abort landing sites in Spain and France continue to be watched closely, however.

T-minus 9 minutes and holding. Countdown clocks have gone into the planned 45-minute, 50-second built-in hold. Launch is targeted for 4:14:07 a.m. EST.

The Main Propulsion System helium system is being reconfigured by pilot Terry Virts. Soon the gaseous nitrogen purge to the aft skirts of the solid rocket boosters will be started.

Mission Control in Houston is loading Endeavour's onboard computers with the proper guidance parameters based on the projected launch time.

Now one hour away from liftoff.

Pilot Terry Virts has configured the displays inside Endeavour's cockpit for launch while commander George Zamka enabled the abort steering instrumentation.

In addition to the cloud problems here, all three of the Transatlantic Abort Landing sites are having weather problems too. At least one of those sites in France and Spain must have acceptable weather for Endeavour to make an emergency landing during launch.

The official launch window has been revised based on the latest radar tracking of the space station's orbit.

A two-pane window will be available for launch today. The first pane for a Flight Day 3 rendezvous with the space station extends from 4:09:42 to 4:17:07 a.m. EST and has a preferred launch time of 4:14:07 a.m. EST.

An additional few minutes in the form a second pane of the launch window exists until 4:21:39 a.m. EST. However, launching within that pane would lead to a Flight Day 4 rendezvous and docking.

T-minus 20 minutes and counting. The countdown has resumed after a 10-minute hold. Clocks will tick down for the next 11 minutes to T-minus 9 minutes where the final planned hold is scheduled to occur. The hold length will be adjusted to synch up with today's preferred launch time of 4:14:07 a.m. EST.

Endeavour's onboard computers are now transitioning to the Major Mode-101 program, the primary ascent software. Also, engineers are dumping the Primary Avionics Software System (PASS) onboard computers. The data that is dumped from each of PASS computers is compared to verify that the proper software is loaded aboard for launch.

T-minus 20 minutes and holding. The countdown has paused for a 10-minute built-in hold. Launch is scheduled for 4:14 a.m. EST.

During this built-in hold, all computer programs in Firing Room 4 of the Complex 39 Launch Control Center will be verified to ensure that the proper programs are available for the countdown; the landing convoy status will be verified and the landing sites will be checked to support an abort landing during launch today; the Inertial Measurement Unit preflight alignment will be verified completed; and preparations are made to transition the orbiter onboard computers to Major Mode 101 upon coming out of the hold. This configures the computer memory to a terminal countdown configuration.

The Orbiter Closeout Crew is driving away from the pad.

Commander George Zamka is pressurizing the gaseous nitrogen system for Endeavour's Orbital Maneuvering System engines and pilot Terry Virts activated the gaseous nitrogen supply for the orbiter's Auxiliary Power Units' water spray boilers.

The work to seal the shuttle's crew compartment hatch for flight is complete. And the closeout team that assisted the astronauts into Endeavour today is stowing equipment in the White Room before leaving the launch pad now.

The ground pyrotechnic initiator controllers (PICs) are scheduled to be powered up around this time in the countdown. They are used to fire the solid rocket hold-down posts, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tail service mast and external tank vent arm system pyros at liftoff and the space shuttle main engine hydrogen gas burn system prior to engine ignition.

The shuttle's two Master Events Controllers are being tested. They relay the commands from the shuttle's computers to ignite, and then separate the boosters and external tank during launch.

The launch weather rule governing low clouds remains "red" or "no go" for a ceiling that's violating the criteria. There is a clearing coming, however, so the weather team has optimism, NASA says.

Mainline of the Ground Launch Sequencer has been completed. This is the master computer program that will run the final nine minutes of the countdown.

The reusable solid rocket boosters, built by ATK, provide the primary thrust to propel the space shuttle away from Earth during the initial two minutes of flight. The 11 sections on each booster flying on Endeavour are refurbished hardware. The upper cylinder on the right-hand booster, for example, flew on STS-3 in 1982. In all, the twin boosters flying today have reused segments and pieces that trace back to 64 previous shuttle launches and 14 ground test-firings.

The boosters will parachute into the Atlantic Ocean where a pair of retrieval ships are standing by to recover the rockets and tow them back to shore.

The current weather conditions remain "red" due to violation of the cloud ceiling rule.

The forecast for the 4:14 a.m. EST launch time calls for scattered-to-broken clouds at 4,000 feet, 7 miles of visibility, launch pad winds from the north-northwest at 340 degrees of 8 peaking to 12 knots and a temperature of 48 degrees F. There's a 40 percent chance that the clouds will prohibit launch today.

Endeavour's hatch has been closed and locked.

The orbiter closeout team at the launch pad is shutting Endeavour's crew module hatch for flight.

The pad crew is ready to close up Endeavour's hatch.

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The astronauts are completing a series of radio communication checks with ground controllers.

Launch weather officer Kathy Winters says the cloud ceiling rule is being violated again. So weather is "no go" at the moment due to clouds coming off the Atlantic. But she is optimistic that the clouds will clear as the countdown continues.

The final Endeavour astronaut has boarded the shuttle today. Steve Robinson, mission specialist No. 2 and flight engineer, has now entered the hatch.

Read his biography here.

Robinson's flight data file has been delivered.

Kay Hire is getting seated in the flight deck's aft-right seat to serve as mission specialist No. 1.

Read her biography here.

Steve Robinson has accidently forgotten one of his flight data files behind. A "red team" will drive that item out to the launch pad. The team been assembled and briefed.

Three hours and counting until liftoff time. The countdown remains on schedule and all systems are reported "go" for launch at 4:14 a.m. EST.

Nick Patrick is mission specialist No. 3 and the other spacewalker on the flight. He has boarded the shuttle to ride into orbit in the middeck's right seat.

Read his biography here.

Endeavour pilot Terry Virts is making his way to the flight deck's front-right seat right now.

Read Virts' biography here.

Mission specialist is No. 4 and leader spacewalker Bob Behnken just crawled through the hatch to take the left-hand seat on the middeck.

Read his biography here.

Shuttle commander George Zamka is the first astronaut to board the shuttle today, taking the forward-left seat on the flight deck.

You can read Zamka's biography here.

Just like last night during the first launch attempt, the astronauts are taking a few moments to gaze up at their spacecraft from the pad surface and getting their picture taken before ascending the tower.

Endeavour's crew has arrived at launch pad 39A. The AstroVan came to a stop on the pad surface near the Fixed Service Structure tower elevator that will take the six-person crew to the 195-foot level to begin boarding the shuttle.

The AstroVan is passing the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building where Endeavour was attached to its external tank and solid rocket boosters and the adjacent Launch Control Center.

The Press Site is located across the street, and reporters went outside to watch the passing convoy. This is a launch day tradition to say farewell and good luck to the astronaut crews.

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The crew of commander George Zamka, pilot Terry Virts and mission specialists Kay Hire, Steve Robinson, Nick Patrick and Bob Behnken just emerged from their quarters to board the AstroVan for the ride from the Kennedy Space Center Industrial Area to launch pad 39A on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

The astronauts are heading down the hallway from the suitup room to board the elevator that will take them down to the AstroVan.

T-minus 3 hours and counting. The countdown clocks are ticking again after the planned two-and-a-half hour built-in hold. Clocks will proceed to T-minus 20 minutes when the next hold is scheduled. A final hold occurs at the T-minus 9 minute mark to synch up with the 4:14 a.m. EST launch time.

As the countdown to launch enters the final four hours, all systems remain "go" for liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour at 4:14 a.m. EST.

The Final Inspection Team has wrapped up its work at launch pad 39A.

Our launch webcast with Miles O'Brien, David Waters and astronaut Leroy Chiao is streaming live on the right-hand side of our page.

Space shuttle Endeavour's astronauts -- five veterans and one rookie -- are donning their day-glow orange launch and entry partial pressure spacesuits. After final adjustments and pressure checks, the astronauts will depart the suitup room and take the elevator down to the ground level of the Operations and Checkout Building to board the AstroVan for the trip to launch pad 39A around 12:24 a.m.

While the weather here at Kennedy Space Center is within limits based on current observations, the main concern at launch time will be clouds coming ashore from the Atlantic and forming low ceilings.

Overseas at the emergency landing sites, the weather is acceptable at Istres, France and iffy at the two runways in Spain. But NASA requires only one good site for launch.

No technical issues are being reported by the launch team and weather conditions are acceptable right now.

Recent activities in the countdown have included calibrations of the orbiter's inertial measurement units, powering up Endeavour's navigation systems, the pre-flight alignment of ground station antennas with the launch pad and communications checks with the Eastern Range.

"We're getting suited up to try again tonight at 4:14 a.m. eastern. Looking for better weather this time!" mission specialist Nick Patrick just wrote on his Twitter page a short time ago.

You can watch our space shuttle Endeavour launch coverage on your iPhone or iPod touch. Check it out! http://iphone.livestream.com/spaceflightnowmobile

The Final Inspection Team is out at the launch pad to scan the vehicle for any ice or debris concerns following fueling operations. The team is responsible for checking the shuttle and launch pad one last time prior to liftoff.

The team is comprised of engineers and safety officials from NASA, United Space Alliance and tank-builder Lockheed Martin. At the conclusion of their two-hour tour-of-duty, the team will have walked up and down the entire fixed service structure and mobile launcher platform.

The team is on the lookout for any abnormal ice or frost build-up on the vehicle and integrity of the external tank foam insulation.

The team uses a portable infrared scanner that gathers temperature measurements on the surface area of the shuttle and can spot leaks. The scanner will be used to obtain temperature data on the external tank, solid rocket boosters, space shuttle orbiter, main engines and launch pad structures. The scanner can also spot leaks of the cryogenic propellants, and due to its ability to detect distinct temperature differences, can spot any dangerous hydrogen fuel that is burning. The team member also is responsible for photo documentation.

The team wears the highly visible day-glow orange coveralls that are anti-static and flame resistant. Each member also has a self-contained emergency breathing unit that holds about 10 minutes of air.

The hold-fire checks with the Eastern Range has been conducted. This verifies that safety personnel can stop the countdown if the need arises.

With the hazardous tanking operation now completed, the Orbiter Closeout Crew and Final Inspection Team have arrived at the pad to perform their jobs. The closeout crew will ready Endeavour's crew module for the astronauts' ingress in a couple of hours; and the inspection team will give the entire vehicle a check for any ice formation following fueling.

TANK FULL. Liquid oxygen has entered stable replenishment mode, officially completing today's three-hour external tank filling process at 9:54 p.m. EST. Fueling had started at 6:50 p.m. EST.

T-minus 3 hours and holding. Clocks have entered a planned two-hour, 30-minute built-in hold. Additional pauses are scheduled at the T-minus 20 and T-minus 9 minute marks, setting up the countdown for launch at 4:14 a.m. EST.

The topping phase is underway on liquid oxygen.

Evaluation of the software in the space shuttle main engines' controllers has been performed as planned in the countdown.

Also, the communications systems at the launch pad have been activated in advance of the workers going to the pad after fueling.

Liquid hydrogen loading has been completed. After reaching the 98 percent level, the topping sequence was performed. And now the stable replenishment mode has been activated to keep the tank full through the rest of the countdown, replacing the supercold propellant that naturally boils away.

The current cloud conditions aren't violating the ceiling rule any longer. The clouds have scattered out and all weather rules are "go" right now.

A safety check has been performed on the pyrotechnic circuits to ensure they are in a good configuration now that the shuttle is in cryogenic conditions. This is done before the inspection team and orbiter closeout crew head to the pad.

Also, the primary and secondary antennas at the MILA tracking station near the Kennedy Space Center are being aligned with the pad. MILA provides the primary source of tracking, telemetry data and voice communications from the space shuttle during the first seven-and-a-half minutes of flight.

Now passing the two-hour mark in the fueling operations.

The cryogenics flow from storage spheres at the pad, through feed lines to the mobile launcher platform, into Endeavour's aft compartment and finally into the external fuel tank.

The cloud ceiling rule remains "red" at this hour. The latest forecast for the 4:14 a.m. EST launch time calls for scattered-to-broken clouds at 4,000 feet, 7 miles of visibility, launch pad winds from the north-northwest at 340 degrees of 8 peaking to 12 knots and a temperature of 48 degrees F. There's a 40 percent chance that the clouds constitute a low ceiling and prohibit launch.

Communications checks are underway between Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center and the Eastern Range.

Meanwhile, fueling operations at launch pad 39A continue to go very smoothly tonight for space shuttle Endeavour.

There are two tanks inside the shuttle's external fuel tank. The liquid oxygen tank occupies the top third of the bullet-shaped tank. It will be filled with 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen chilled to minus 298 degrees Fahrenheit. The liquid hydrogen tank is contained in the bottom two-thirds of the external tank. It holds 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen chilled to minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit.

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A check of the current observed weather conditions, the cloud ceiling rule is being violated. There is some optimism that the clouds situation will improve over the course of the night.

"Fast-fill" mode has started for liquid oxygen.

The low-level sensors in the liquid oxygen tank are reading "wet" at the five percent mark.

Liquid hydrogen loading has switched to the "fast-fill" mode as fueling of space shuttle Endeavour proceeds via remote control at launch pad 39A.

Liquid oxygen loading has completed chilldown and gone into slow-fill.

The low-level sensors in the liquid hydrogen tank are reading "wet" as they get submerged by the cryogenics. The tank is about five percent fill now.

Endeavour's astronauts have been awakened for launch day. While at the Kennedy Space Center, their quarters are inside the Operations and Checkout Building.

The crew has an interesting menu planned for their pre-launch meal. Here's what they are having:

George Zamka: Club sandwich with a strawberry and banana smoothie

Terry Virts: Filet mignon cooked medium, a twice-baked potato, peas and chocolate cake

Kay Hire: Scrambled eggs with cheese, Canadian bacon and a muffin

Steve Robinson: Granola cereal with 2% milk and honeydew melon

Nick Patrick is having the exact same thing as Virts

Bob Behnken: Turkey sandwich with swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato on wheat bread with spicy mustard and jalapeno chips

The liquid hydrogen loading has transitioned from the chilldown thermal conditioning process to the "slow-fill" mode. This fills a small fraction of the tank, then the loading switches to "fast-fill" mode.

The liquid oxygen system remains in chilldown.

Fueling has officially commenced!

Mission managers did give approval to begin fueling Endeavour, NASA reports.

T-minus 6 hours and counting. The countdown clocks at the Kennedy Space Center are running for this second shot at launching the space shuttle Endeavor. A series of built-in holds are planned through the night -- the next will occur at T-minus 3 hours -- leading to liftoff at 4:14 a.m. EST.

The Mission Management Team is meeting right now to assess the landscape before we proceed into tonight's launch attempt. Fueling is scheduled to begin at 6:49 p.m. EST.

There are no weather worries for the fueling operation. The outlook for launch remains 60 percent favorable due to low clouds.

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Here's what the weather team is saying about the outlook for Monday morning's launch of Endeavour:

"A low pressure area off the northeast U.S. coast continues to move off to the east, and a high pressure area is building in from the northwest. A low-cloud ceiling remains prevalent across the area as cold air moves in from the northwest. A strong inversion causing the ceiling will weaken over the next 24 hours, but low-level winds near 3,000 feet will shift to the northeast Monday morning causing cold air stratocumulus clouds to migrate in from offshore. With the weaker inversion, the cloud deck should not be as wide spread as it was Sunday morning, but there is still a risk for a low-cloud ceiling."

The odds are set at 60 percent for acceptable weather, or 40 percent "no go" due to a low-cloud ceiling.

Similar conditions are expected on Tuesday morning too, forecasters say. "The concern for a ceiling continues as winds shift to the southeast and low-level moisture increases with an approaching cold front."

NASA will try again tonight to ready space shuttle Endevour for a predwan launch Monday from the Kennedy Space Center. Mission managers will meet at 6:15 p.m. EST to give approval to proceed with fueling. Below is a countdown summary for the upcoming launch attempt:

EST...........EVENT

Sun  02/07/10

06:49 PM......LO2, LH2 transfer line chilldown
06:59 PM......Main propulsion system chilldown
06:59 PM......LH2 slow fill
07:29 PM......LO2 slow fill
07:34 PM......Hydrogen ECO sensors go wet
07:39 PM......LO2 fast fill
07:42 PM......Crew medical checks
07:49 PM......LH2 fast fill
09:44 PM......LH2 topping
09:49 PM......LH2 replenish
09:49 PM......LO2 replenish

09:49 PM......Begin 2-hr. 30-min. hold (T-minus 3 hours)
09:49 PM......Closeout crew to white room
09:49 PM......External tank in stable replenish mode
10:04 PM......Astronaut support personnel comm checks
10:34 PM......Pre-ingress switch reconfig
	
Mon  02/08/10

11:49 PM......Final crew weather briefing
11:54 PM......Crew suit up begins
12:19 AM......Resume countdown (T-minus 3 hours)

12:24 AM......Crew departs O&C building
12:54 AM......Crew ingress
01:44 AM......Astronaut comm checks
02:09 AM......Hatch closure
02:39 AM......White room closeout

02:59 AM......Begin 10-minute built-in hold (T-minus 20m)
03:09 AM......NASA test director countdown briefing
03:09 AM......Resume countdown (T-minus 20m)

03:10 AM......Backup flight computer to OPS 1
03:14 AM......KSC area clear to launch

03:20 AM......Begin final built-in hold (T-minus 9m)
03:50:08 AM...NTD launch status verification
04:05:08 AM...Resume countdown (T-minus 9m)

04:09:08 AM...Orbiter access arm retraction
04:09:08 AM...Launch window opens
04:09:08 AM...Hydraulic power system (APU) start
04:09:13 AM...Terminate LO2 replenish
04:10:08 AM...Purge sequence 4 hydraulic test
04:10:08 AM...IMUs to inertial
04:10:13 AM...Aerosurface profile
04:10:38 AM...Main engine steering test
04:11:13 AM...LO2 tank pressurization
04:11:33 AM...Fuel cells to internal reactants
04:11:38 AM...Clear caution-and-warning memory
04:12:08 AM...Crew closes visors
04:12:11 AM...LH2 tank pressurization
04:13:18 AM...SRB joint heater deactivation
04:13:37 AM...Shuttle GPCs take control of countdown
04:13:47 AM...SRB steering test
04:14:01 AM...Main engine start (T-6.6 seconds)
04:14:08 AM...SRB ignition (LAUNCH)




Read our earlier status center coverage.