Live coverage of Soyuz, Atlas launches on tap

Look for a big day in space today -- two launches from two different continents and live coverage all day here in The Flame Trench.

First up: Live NASA TV coverage of the launch from Kazakhstan of the next crew of the International Space Station, which includes Peggy Whitson, who is destined to become the first female commander of the orbiting outpost. Live coverage will begin at 8:30 a.m. Liftoff from Baikonur Cosmodrome is slated for 9:22 a.m. EDT.

Look for updates throughout the day on the crew of NASA's next shuttle mission, which is taking part in a two-day practice countdown at Kennedy Space Center. Led by veteran astronaut Pam Melroy, who will become only the second woman to command a shuttle mission, the crew will don partial-pressure launch-and-entry suits and board Discovery at launch pad 39A for the final hours of the full-up dress rehearsal. The astronauts will depart crew quarters at about 7:45 a.m. and the T-Zero for the training exercise is at 11 a.m.

Last but certainly not least: We'll have live coverage of the planned launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket with the first of an advanced series of military communications satellites. The Air Force mission is slated to blast off from Launch Complex 41 during a window that will extend from 8:22 p.m. to 9:23 p.m. And we'll also have countdown updates throughout the day.

Check back early and check back often. Both missions at this time are Go For Launch.