Leaving a bubbly wake behind, Sea Launch's Odyssey launch platform cruises at full speed toward the equator in the Pacific Ocean in this aerial view captured Aug. 1 and returned to company headquarters via satellite.

The platform departed Long Beach on July 24, followed three days later by the Sea Launch Commander control ship and both are on course and on schedule for arrival at the equator in time to support a planned shot Thursday night.

The Zenit 3SL is aboard the Odyssey platform, fully assembled and will be erected into its launch position after the ships arrive at 154 degrees West Longitude and the platform is filled with its ocean water ballast.

The rocket will be carrying a single spacecraft that will have two names: EchoStar 9 for the DISH Network folks using its Ku-band system, and Telstar 13 for the customers using the C-band system. The spacecraft was built by Space Systems Loral.

DISH Network subscribers will be able to watch the launch by tuning in channel 101. Everyone else can follow the countdown by checking for updates on our Next Launch page at http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/next_launch.html.

Credit: Sea Launch.