Monday, July 13, 2009

Live at KSC: Endeavour fueled for launch


LIVE IMAGES: Refresh this page for updates and the latest still image from NASA TV.

NASA has completed fueling of space shuttle Endeavour at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for a 6:51 p.m. launch.

The shuttle's 15-story external tank holds more than 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

The supercold propellants - minus 298 degrees for the oxygen and minus 423 degrees for the hydrogen - constantly boil off, so NASA continuously tops off the tanks until liftoff.

That's a fueling phase called "stable replenish."

This is the third consecutive successful fueling of Endeavour since a problem with dangerous hydrogen gas leaks stalled launches June 13 and June 17.

NASA tested repairs July 1, and had no trouble tanking that day or during Sunday's launch, which was scrubbed because of weather.

The countdown is in a planned hold at T minus three hours, and is scheduled to resume at 2:56 p.m.

Weather remains 40 percent "go."

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