Delta launch count on tap

Final preps are under way for the planned launch early tomorrow of a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as NASA gears up for a $450 million mission to the asteroid belt.

The 13-story rocket, which is equipped with supersized solid rocket boosters, is scheduled to blast off from Launch Complex 17 on the south end of the Cape at 7:20 a.m. EDT. The launch window will extend until 7:49 a.m. EDT.

Nestled in the protective nosecone of the rocket is NASA's Dawn spacecraft, which is destined for an unprecedented mission to visit two planetary bodies: the minor planets Ceres and Vesta in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The weather forecast for launch is favorable. Meteorologists say there is a 60 percent chance that conditions will be acceptable for launch. The prime concern is a chance of early morning showers.

Check out the United Launch Alliance Dawn Mission Book for countdown timelines. Just click to open and save your copy: DawnMissionBook.pdf.

Live NASA TV coverage of the countdown and launch will be webcast here in The Flame Trench beginning at 5:15 a.m. EDT.

In the meantime, you can check out the official NASA Press Kit here: DawnPressKit.pdf.

Note To Mariners: A launch danger zone is being cleared off the coast of Cape Canaveral, and it must be clear of all boats and ships for the launch to proceed. Ships and boats detected inside the zone will be subject to serious fines and possible jail time.

A map of the Launch Hazard Area is here: LHAmap.doc.