Live At The Cape: Delta Fuel-Loading Under Way

LIVE IMAGES: The images above are from live video feeds at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, where United Launch Alliance is preparing to launch a Delta IV rocket and a new national weather satellite. The image on the left is from the Air Force 45th Space Wing Weather Channel; on the right is the Delta IV rocket on Launch Complex 37. They will automatically refresh to the most up-to-the-minute image every 30 seconds.

A Delta IV rocket is being fueled for launch at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station while mission managers keep close tabs on the weather.

With a Phase One Lightning Warning in effect, engineers are loading supercold propellants into tanks aboard the towering rocket, which is scheduled to blast off from Launch Complex 37 during a one-hour window that will open at 6:14 p.m.

Range safety rules allow for starting-up propellant-loading operations during a Phase One Lightning Warning -- alerts that are issued when conditions are ripe for lightning strikes.

The loading of hazardous fuels, however, would be prohibited if a Phase Two Lightning Warning was in effect. A Phase Two warning is issued when lightning strikes actually are being recorded in the area.

Range safety rules allow for fuel-loading operations to continue if a Phase Two Lightning Warning is issued after the start-up of tanking. So mission managers in effect have kept open the opportunity to launch during the 6:14 p.m.-to-7:14 p.m. window should stormy weather clear in time to proceed with launch.

Stick with us for live countdown updates throughout the afternoon. We also will be broadcasting live here in The Flame Trench NASA TV coverage of the final countdown and launch attempt starting at 4 p.m. Simply click the NASA TV box on the righthand side of the page to launch our NASA TV viewer, and be sure to refresh this page for periodic updates.