Thursday July 22, 1999:
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1:15 a.m. - Launch scrubbed due to weather. Storm has slowly moved to a halt.
1:13 a.m. - Observed lightning strike 8 miles from shuttle runway results in a no go for launch.
1:10 a.m. - 1:24 a.m. is the latest the launch window will be extended.
1:09 a.m. - Controllers continue to monitor the weater.
1:05 a.m. - Mike Baine reports that mission controllers discuss extending the launch window an additional 24 minutes, to a total of 30 minutes beyond the additional launch window.
1:02 a.m. - Mission control announces an extension of the launch window has been granted, extending the hold time and launch window by 6 minutes.
1:00 a.m. - Launch control reports that discussions are underway to add an additional 6 minutes to the launch window. The window currently extends to 1:14 a.m.
12: 59 a.m. - Countdown continues to hold at T minus 5 minutes for weather. Nine minutes remain in the launch window.
12:54 a.m. - Mike Baine reports mission controllers are skeptical that a launch can proceed tonight. The only possibility may be if the flight director issues a waiver of flight rules. Lightning readings have been too high.
12:52 a.m. - Fifteen minutes of hold time remain in the launch. If Columbia does not launch within 20 minutes, launch must be postponed until tomorrow night.
12:44 a.m. - Mike Baine reports that mission controllers are discussing extending the launch window by six minutes.
12:43 a.m. - Mike Baine reports that NASA may be able to negotiate with Boeing or the U.S. Air Force to use some of their launch time, but the potential for such a possibility is not known. If it is impossible to launch before mid-August, the mission may have to be postponed until next year. There is concern that the Chandra X-Ray telescope can not remain installed in Discovery, and would need to be returned to its manufacturing site for servicing, further complicating the launch schedule.
12:36 a.m. - Natural lightning has been detected within 10 miles. The shuttle must wait 30 minutes after such a strike before launching. Twenty six minutes of hold time remain in the launch window.
12:35 a.m. - Mike Baine reports that if Columbia doesn't launch before Friday, the mission may have to be postponed until August. Boeing has the range for Saturday and Sunday. The Air Force is using it until Aug. 15
12:33 a.m. - Mike Baine reports the launch window will remain open until 1:14 a.m. but the storm, based on the speed of the storm, it should take more than an hour to clear. Three lightning strikes have been observed.
12:32 a.m. - Mike Baine reports weather conditions are deteriorating. The storm seems to be growing.
12:28 a.m. - Mike Baine reports a lightning strike has been detected within the 20-mile radius from the launch complex.
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12:27 a.m. update
12:28 a.m. - The weather at emergency landing site in Banjul, Gambia has improved and is go for launch.
12:23 a.m. - Controllers expect the hold to be lifted at about 12:40 a.m. Launch requires a 10-mile clearance from clouds.
12:20 a.m. - Mike Baine reports that NASA Administrator Dan Goldin is escorting First Lady Hillary Clinton and daughter Chelsea into the viewing stands.
12:20 a.m. - Countdown hold initiated pending weather clearance.
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12:21 a.m. update
12:19 a.m. Pilot Ashby flips buttons to connect the fuel cells to shuttle engines
12:19 a.m. A hold will be initiated at T minus 5 minutes to wait for weather. The storm is expected to clear in about 30 minutes.
12:18 a.m. update
12:17 a.m. Countdown resumes at T minus 9 minutes.
12:10 a.m. Irene Brown in Cape Canaveral reports that launch director Ralph Roe tells Columbia commander Eileen Collins, "The launch team is ready to go. We're going to keep our eye on this (thunderstorm system). Have a great launch."
12:09 a.m. - Lightning strikes within the 20 miles would prohibit a launch at this time, but controllers the storm to move to a safe away before launch. If necessary, an additional hold will be placed in the countdown at T minus 5 minutes. The 46-minute launch window will open at 12:28 a.m., which is the time of currently-scheduled launch.
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12:04 a.m. update
12:01 a.m. - Poll of payload test teams finds all teams ready and reporting "go" for launch.
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Wednesday July 21, 1999:
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11:49 p.m. update
11:49 p.m. Conditions are not favorable for a landing at Kennedy Space Center, but are favorable at one of the emergency landing sites across the Atlantic Ocean.
11:48 p.m. - Mission control continues to monitor weather system east of the launch complex. The storm is moving south to southeast at about 12 nautical miles per hour, so controllers expect the system to have moved out of the area before scheduled launch at 12:28 p.m.
11:46 p.m. The two transatlantic emergency landing sites are Banjul, Gambia, ("No Go" for weather) and Ben Guerur, Morocco, which shows "Go."
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11:46 p.m. update
11:45 p.m. Mission Control communications checks with crew are successful.
11:41 p.m. Troubleshooters report shuttle Air-to-Ground channel 1 has been repaired. The problem was with a monitor, and did not have any affect on flight systems or controls, controllers say. Channel 1 will be used as a backup for channel 2.
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11:38 p.m. update
11:36 p.m. Irene Brown reports that primary and backup software systems are prepared for launch.
11:35 p.m. - Helium isolation valves opened in preparation for launch.
11:33 p.m. - Mike Baine reports the weather is "No Go." Controllers will continue to monitor the weather.
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11:33 p.m. update
11:33 p.m. - Mission control announces that controllers are monitoring a storm system to the west of the launch area.
11:32 p.m. - All non-essential personnel are being cleared from the launch tower area
11:30 p.m. - Commander Collins and Pilot Ashby are configuring the cockpit for launch.
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11:26 p.m. update
11:26 p.m. - Countdown hold is completed and normal countdown begins at T minus 20 minutes.
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11:20 p.m. update
11:22 p.m. - Mike Baine reports the weather is currently no go for launch.
11:19 p.m. - Mike Baine reports that thunderstorms have been reported within 20 miles of the launch complex. The storms are predicted to leave the area shortly and should not impact the launch.
11:17 p.m. - Ten-minute built-in countdown hold begins at T minus 20 minutes. Mission control reports all systems are go and all indications point to an on-schedule launch.
11:13 p.m. - Mission control and Commander Collins initiate voice check to verify launch flight command sequences.
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11:12 p.m. update
11:11 p.m. - Mission control and Columbia crew begin communications check.
11:09 p.m. - Nitrogen tanks have been pressurized for launch
11:03 p.m. - Mike Baine reports that the weather is still go, but thunderstorms are being watched closely. Communication problem is isolated to a phone line.
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11:01 p.m. update
10:58 p.m. - The hatch of Columbia's crew module is secured. Launch team operators prepare to leave the launch tower.
10:57 p.m. - Mrs. Clinton and Chelsea step off the plane, accompanied by some members of the U.S. women's soccer team. The group will be bussed to Banana Creek. Mrs. Clinton has attended one other shuttle launch, that of
10:46 p.m. - The plane carrying First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton lands at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. She will watch the launch from the Banana Creek viewing area. Mrs. Clinton, daughter Chelsea and members of the U.S. women's soccer team were also on hand for Monday night's scheduled launch.
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10:40 p.m. update
10:40 p.m. Communications troubleshooting team continues working on channel 1 problems. NASA test conductor reports the problem has been isolated as a communications downlink at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.
10:39 p.m. Mike Baine files a thunderstorm update. A plane is going to check it out. Lightning coming within 20 miles of the launch complex would postpone the launch. Tonight's launch window is 46 minutes.
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10:33 p.m. update
10:32 p.m. - Crew reports a problem with cabin pressure.
10:31 p.m. - Mission control performs communications check with crew members. Communication is good on Air-to Ground channel 2. Only one working communications channel is needed for launch.
10:30 p.m. - Communications clear on second air-to-ground channel.
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10:25 p.m. update
10:25 p.m. Shuttle Launch Control reports all systems are good and countdown proceeding smoothly, launch is go.
10:24 p.m. Mike Baine reports that Air-to-Ground channel 1 problems appear to be at Cape Canaveral. Thunderstorms detected 27 miles from launch site, could violate launch criteria.
10:20 p.m. Operators report the radio problem fixed, but further communications checks show air-to-ground channel still down.
10:15 p.m. Irene Brown in Cape Canaveral reports that Columbia's crew module hatch has been closed.
10:12 p.m. Mission control performs communications tests. One air-to-ground communications channel not functioning. Mission control works on the problem.
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10:09 p.m. update:
10:08 p.m. Launch on schedule for 12:28 a.m., weather clear, all systems are go for launch.
10:07 p.m. Launch team makes final preparations to close Columbia's crew module hatch.
9:53 p.m. Crew and mission control perform radio communications checks. All transmissions loud and clear.
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9:45 p.m. update:
9:44 p.m. Steve Hawley, who is making his fifth spaceflight, is the last member of the Columbia crew to board the shuttle. He settles in on Columbia's flight deck behind and between the comander and pilot.
9:42 p.m. All systems ready for crew module close up.
9:41 p.m. Astronaut Steven A. Hawley enters Columbia's crew module. All five crew members are inside the shuttle.
9:39: p.m. Shuttle launch team completes inspection at the launch pad. All systems go, no anomalies to report.
9:30 Michael Tognini, an astronaut with the French Space Agency, climbs into his seat on Columbia's flight deck. Tognini has never flown on the shuttle, but has spent two weeks on the Russian Mir space station.
9:23 p.m. Commander Collins completes voice check with mission control. She and Ashby begin steps to prepare Columbia for launch.
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9:20 p.m. Coleman, Ashby and Collins are inside Columbia.
9:10 p.m. Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby enters Columbia's crew cabin. Mission Specialist Catherine G. "Cady" Coleman prepares to enter the Space Shuttle.
9:05 p.m. Commander Eileen M. Collins prepares to enter Columbia's crew module. Collins has logged more than 419 hours in space. She is the first female commander of a Space Shuttle mission. NASA has three other female pilots besides Collins.
9:03 p.m. Discovery astronauts take the elevator up the launch tower, arriving at the 195-foot level where the orbiter axis arm connects to the shuttle.
9:00 p.m. the astronauts arrive the base of Launch Pad 39B.
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On Wednesday, July 21, 1999 at 8:43pm EDT, the crew departed the O&C Building on their way to Launch Pad 39-B.
On Wednesday, July 21, 1999 at 8:37 p.m. the Columbia's crew module is ready for crew ingress.
On Wednesday, July 21, 1999 at 3:30pm EDT, the launch countdown clock was preparing to go out of the hold at the T-minus 6 minute mark. The mission management team has given a go to start tanking operations.
On Wednesday, July 21, 1999, The Kennedy Space Center launch team continues the smooth implementation of Shuttle Columbia's 48-hour launch scrub turnaround in preparation for Thursday's 12:28 a.m. launch attempt. The countdown clock began counting again today at 8:38 a.m. at the T-11 hour mark. Replacement of the external hydrogen burn-off ignitors at Launch Pad 39B concluded early this morning. In Firing Room No. 1, standard preflight monitoring of the Shuttle confirms that all systems are in good health and that Columbia's main propulsion system and hazardous gas detection system are ready to support launch just after midnight tonight.
On Tuesday, July 20 1999, the countdown proceeded to just seconds before launch (T-minus 8 seconds mark) when the a member of the launch team detected a spike in one of the sensors detecting the concentration of hydrogen in the shuttle aft engine compartment. A cutoff was called and the ground launch sequencer (GLS) entered into a RSLS (Redundant Sequence Launch Sequence) cutoff. The cutoff occured just prior to the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) start at the T-minus 6 seconds mark. The launch team is still investigating but the most likely problem is a sensor problem that would lead to a 48 hour scrub turnaround. A new launch date is set for July 22, 1999 at 12:28 a.m. EDT.
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